Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-07
MONTE CARLO OF TO-DAY.
A Picture of Life at the Worlds Great
est Gaming Place.

In the WOTlu lIlS.t IlsiS tttii 81 -'eN''
written about as Monte Carlo.
And yet it is so full nj human inter-
est, the scene of so much excitement
and passion, that there is always
fresh to be said about IL.
Every one likes to hear about the great
gambling palace beautifully situated
on the bright blue Mediterranean
shores, with the glorious Alps for
background, the right and the left OF 1t
the loveliest scenery of the Riviera.
1t ought to be the home of peace ana
tranquility; instead of that it is the
scene of terrible. if suppressed, excite
ment. and of poignant excuses in JOY
and anguish alas, the latter prevails
sooner or later.
They say the Casino takes something
like per cent. to per cent. OF the
amount that is staked. reserving for
itself always one chance in thirty
six. and in the case of combined num-
bers. more chances. But it is not on
Nv in this way that the huge annual
fortune of something like $5.oCo,oUo is
made If a suitable inscription upon the
beautiful gambling palace were writ
large over it's portals. it should take
the form of a little sentence OF -FOUR
words. They will not GO So long as
visitors are winning. their confidence
in their system remains: they think
that they at least have found out how
really to break the bank; visions ot
untold wealth are before tdcm. ard
they will not go. They only do so
when their money is exhausted.
A clerk who had been for several
years in a bank at Nice. which was
largely used by gamblers, says that III
all the time he was there he only knew
of one case where d man left with any
substantial winnings. He had come
with $3.50 and was lucky enough to
make $4,000, but was still luckier in
being able to resist the temptation to
go on: and he was the solitary instance
in the knowledge of the bank clerk.
Talking eli banking. there is a very
curious state of things at Monte Carlo.
The government of Monaco made an
agreement with firm of bankers of the
name of Smith that no other bank
than theirs shall have premises in the
Principally. AS every one knows, the
Principality is Il very tiny one. espec-
tally so far as its depth is concerned.
About quarter of i mile from the
Casino toward the hills Monaco ends.
and the territory beyond is French.
Accordingly. the Credit LyonnalS
bought land just outside the Monaco
boundary, and built Il large bank upon
it, sixteen entrance steps to which. and
the road in front, are III the Piin"ipalIty.
the building itself being in France.
The Casino administration employ all
told. nearly COCO people. Each of the
eight tables makes an average profit
all the year round of $500 per DAY.
There are 40 Croupiers in connection
with the eight tables: they are paid
$50 francs Il month. in addition to their
food. Some of them are inspectors.
who receive COO to 1000 francs a month
Then there is little army of guar Is
patrolling round the buildings. as well
as the gardeners. attendants. firemcn
upholsterers. and others. The Direc-
or-General. who controls this vast in
stitution. is paid 100000 francs per
year.
The buildings and the Casino are
said to have cost 100000. and near
by a Palace of Fine Arts has beer
erected out of the bank winnings.
There is in the Casino. besides extern
sive reading and writing rooms, a
magnificent theatre. which is kept up
at enormous cost; also, 4 permanent
orchestra engaged all the year round
of a hundred first-claSs Instrumental
lists. and during the season the most
celebrated artists are engaged regard
less of eXpenSe-Nan Dyk. Sarah Bern
hardt, Monegasque and others. an
much as 5000 francs have been paid
for a single night to one of these per-
formers. Ill this is absolutely free.
The lease expires in 1913, and it has
been said that the Prince III Monaco
has determined not to extend it, but
as the shareholders are large property
owners in the place. and as the bank
pays all the taxes in addition to a sum
of $250000 a. year to the Sovereign, it
is shrewdly anticipated that His Royal
Highness will not have the moral
courage to forfeit all this for the sake
of principle. Apart from the subsidy
for the tables he is rich man. and is
married to a Jewish lady the daughter
of wealthy bankcr). who brought
him 10000 900 francs. Still. there is nc
one in Monte Carlo who seriously be-
lieves that the Prince at the end OF
the remaining II years will shut up the
Casino.
To those who do not care for gam
bling. it is most interesting to study
character around the tables. The va
riety is endless. The fashionably
dressed young woman. obviously suf-
fering from the gambling fever. whose
face is tWitchinE with excitement as
the money comes and goes: the quiet
looking old lady. apparently cool. self
possessed. and dignifed. whom you
would think would be the last kind OF
person to be seen in such place; all
types, all ages, even very old men
whose trembling hands can hardly
reich fer the gold as ii is passed t.
them. are there. spending almost ths
last hours of their lives in. this atfnos
phere. There is the man who has com,
with large sum of money. Determined
to have d big fling. He generally Ha!
seated by his side a pretty youR;
woman. The true gambler has mucf
superstition. and he thinks that to bs
accompanied and advised by beauti
full girl will bring him luck. and if a
the end of the day he should prove +;
winner. she will probably receive sew