The Lamar register., 1899-07-19
is A WIDE OPEN TOWN
HOT TIMES WITH GAMBLERS
OF PHOENIX.
They Make No Pretense of Hiding That,
Lights under BasheI or B.hiad
cariaIas-si sieraaeo of the Gaming
Resorts

open town In the country. Some of
the greatest faro games played any
where in America nowadays are thoae
snsereral OF the superbly equipped and
furnished gambling halls in this town.
Since October there have been Ave ,sro
games here In csaseless operation. The
dealers and lookout men are on duty
In sishi-hour shifts. Day and niKnl,
Sundays and ali, the game goes on.
while roulette. poker In several yarfe-
ties, craps and policy games run
twelve and sixteen hours daily out OF
The tvcny-tour. and lottery drawings
take place three times eyery day and
evening
The place IL the American prototype
OF Monte Carlo. Gambling in any form
"a licensed. The gambling halls are
run with doors wide open to the street,
and 40 ,ne thinks anything OF it. The
treasury Of the city as Phoenix receives
between $4,000 and $4,000 a year
from It's licenses for gambling games
and saloons, and the money goes into
the fEasi street payements in the
West. just nov a Taperb public park
Ia under construction al the west end
az Washington street When finished
u "a doubtful whether any town OF like
population In the Union VIII have so
beautiful and artistic a spot. Yet the
expenses Of this park are scarcely
porne By the taxpayers ut Phoenix
The gambling licenses have this paat
year yielded many more thousands OF
collars TO the city treasury than ever
before.
The elegance ot the gambling halls
here Is not surpassed and scarcely
eaaalsd elsewhere in the United States.
Tssre are t~p hAiis-the Palace and
The CApltnl--ihAt have no equal In all
the southland. \ mint OF money and
lot os artistic skin have been uulIzed
in making these palaces of gaming and
drink so attractive that the sight OF
tssu. shsn tho lishts are turned on. Is
memorable OF an evening these halls
splendid wiiA ross aud intricate de-
signs Of countless eoiored incandescea.
eiscirtc lamps about the ceiling. with
;hs wealth OF costly paintings o, WON
en- In AL degrees OF nudity. with to~-
sr4 and bulwarks OF sparkling glass
ware at the artistic bars. with the
sheen OF mammoth miFrors-are al
iuring But added 80 the things that
charm the eye are handsome young
women In gorgeous and decolle;e
gowns who sing ballads and snatches
OF opera for the entertainment OF the
thronES Of men. and iuterrnitsnt
music by a string orchestra Various
games are in progress all about the
halls There Is crowd about the
roulette tables. silent. Eatehtul knots
OF mea are seated al the faro layouts.
noisy set Is over At the craps game.
and here and there are n half dozen
poker games In progress, Back in the
Tear rOoms there are several private
poker parties. aud Eiill further in the
rear are the wine and diRing-reoms
Here are dozen Mexican gentle
nen. with enormous and high-peaked
sombrpros and clad In garments OF
reds. blues and blacks, who have just
come In thirty and forty miles from
their ranches to chance their rolls os
money In roulette or mayhap faro.
DFrE INefe Is Il khpA OF AuluAtltn Win
their queues twisted about their heads,
deeply absorbed in betting on craps. A
yard away Is party OF New York and
BOaton men In the pink OF fashion
They are out here for a winter in the
warm. mild climate OF Southern Ari-
zona. and they find that 4 flyer now
and then In some OF the numerous
games In Phoenix helps TO while away
the time and lend a variety OF sport to
their lives they never knew before,
Vaqueros with ciankiug spurs at their
heels. business men OF all descriptions.
miners by the score and railroad labor
ers by the half dozen are all here to
watch the gambling games or to risk
money that Is burning holes through
inner pockets.
The faro games of Phoenix are prob
ably the heaviest OF any in the coun-
try. The Palace backs its faro layout
by $4,000, and has a forfeit OF 5000
for any unfair dealing done there.
One faro game is constantly In progress
at the Palace sometimes three and
four. There are always players in this
ali night long. and at hours when
nInety-uine out OF every hundred peo-
Xg