Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-08-10
KNOTT VS.. CURTIS.


returned from Hot Springs, s. d.,
warmly refutes the statements made
by William E. Curtis, in letter to the
Chicago Record on Hot Springs affairs,
which he read as republished in this
paper Dr. Knott stated that the
article in the main is great exagger-
alton of the facts as they exist, and
will prove injurious to the town. He
declares it is his opinion the we'll
known newspaper gatherer is either
misinformed or his article was merely
spite work, as no other motive is ap-
parent in the face of the truth.
The Chicago Record correspondent
directed his remarks principally to the
gombling evil which he stated was run
ming on a wide open basis at the sum-
mer resort. His comment on the
gambling room at the Hotel Evans was
as follows: "The state of South Dakota |
has high reputation for morality, and |
therefore it is we'll that the officials |
whose duty it is to look after the en-
that gambling room is running wide
open at the Evans Hotel at Hot Springs |
1t is more convenient to the public
than the post Office, as accessible as
any of the stores. 1t occupies acorner
of the hotel on the ground floor, open
ing from the office on one side and
from the street on the other. The
doors are not even closed. There is
not curtain to the window. Whoever
cares to do so can stand on the side
walk and see the games in progress
through the open wineow. A faro
table is generally in operation during
the afternoon and evening until mid
night seven days in the week, with the
largest patronage on Sunday, when the
ranchmen and mechanics in the neigh
borhood come to town.
Continuing he said: "The Evans
house is the best hotel in South Dako-
ia, an imposing structure, of brown
stone with towers and turrets, wide
-porches and we'll furnished rooms. Its
patronage is drawn from the best
eople of the northwest, and it seems
a pity to degrade q place SO blessed
by nature into gambling hell"
GAMBLING NOT CONSPICUOUS.
In reply to these statements, Dr.
Knott said that the gambling is not
in a conspicuous part of the hotel.
That it is regulated the same as such
places in other cities, and that it would
not attract the attention of out siders
unless they were interested or we're
seeking for such an institution. His
observations were of an entirely differ
ent nature, he said, from those Of Mr..
Curtis. DIR. and Mrs. Knott spent one
month at the Springs, and we're at the
Hotel Evans while there. He was
therefore in position, he main
tanned, to notice these things if they
existed.
AS to the town of Hot Springs as a
resort, VIM. Il. Curtis further said in
his correspondence: "Other evidences
indicate that Hot Springs is on the
down grade, ana unless the Iowa Land
Company, which is composed of nor
residents Sioux City and st Pau
Capitalists takes pains to keep ul
the improvements, Hot Springs viii
lose its reputation and the company
will lose it's patronage. There is more
sort in this part of the country more
attractive to tourists, pleasure seekers
and invalids particularly, and if prop
erly managed it would be one of the
most popular and profitable resorts il
the country. There is everything t.
attract people of culture and wealtl
but the management evidently prefer
the patronage of the sporting element.
DIR. Knott refuses to accept th
statement that Hot Springs is OF
the down grade. On the contrary
he stated, it is becoming NOR
widely known every year. This sea
son he noticed while there that
was attracting people from New Yorl
Indiana, Ohio and many other east
ern states. which has never been th
case to any extent heretofore. "Ther
was more people there this year and
better class of them than Hot Spring
has ever known, and the resort ha
had a good and prosperous season."
He said further that Hot Springs
as quiet and as we'll behaved town a
Sioux City or any Iowa town. He sa
no drunken men on the streets, and b
saw no indications of wide ope
policy either in regard to the saloon
or gambling houses. es.-Sioux City Jou
nal.
The salvation Army.
The following services are held
the Salvation Army in Hot Springs: