The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-28
SARATOGA HIGH PLAY
S15, 5,ooo, 900 HAS BEEN WAGER
 ED THIS YEAR.
An Orgy of Money Spending-Din
 ner Checks of $40; Bets of $50o,- 900 Day on Races and $600,- 900 at Gambling Tables.
Baltimore Sun.

Baltimore Sun.
 Saratoga, N. Y, Aug. 25.--Saratoga which has so long been known as a health resort. has now achieved a new fame as the greatest gambling place on the con- tinent.
 The season Is ending in wild rush of money spending and gambling that far excels anything ever known here in pre- vious years. Thousands are wagered as dollars would be at other places. At the Saratoga Club it IS estimated that $600,- GOO was staked in one night and that the same day $s00,000 changed hands in the betting ring at the race track. It Is es- timated that altogether SIS, 900 has changed hands in the short season just closing.
 At the Saratoga Club it Is said that in a few hours one night the house lost sl5.- 600. This was duplicated within the next twelve hours. making a total loss of $3O,- 0o0 A big part of the winnings was made by two men. Dave Johnson, known as one of the heaviest plungers in the United States. recently of Long Branch. was one of them. The other was George A. wheelock the well-known bookmaker. and President of the Metropolitan Turf Association. They cleared up about $5.ooO each.
 One of the unusual features of the sea- son in Saratoga is that there has not been any instance of phenomenal playing. In every year until now there have been some unusual plays, and men have sat at tables all night rising in the morn ing with a fortune made or lost. Unlike Monte Carlo, a suicide has never been known here. The men who play high can either well afford 1t or are prepared to lose.
 Fine Dinners Big Wagers.
 II a1 Club the scene Is a brilliant one. Fash ionable folk are assembled as guests or hosts at informal dinner parties. At the eastern end a wide doorway affords full view of the gambling rooms Around the faro and roulette tables cluster groups of men watching the players. It is notice able that the younger element choose roulette, while faro Is left to the older generation. Every minute or two one of the diners rises from his table and saunters in to wager fifty" on the wheel presently returning, bearing perhaps a roll of bills, or more likely. with a some what forced laugh and empty hands.
 Every one plays. It is all open and not the slightest attempt at concealment is thought of Gambling Is in the air of the place and is as natural as the early morning glass of spring water
 There has been nothing like the money BD6nulOB dI DclOTo III tHe IilS- tory of the country The S10 bill has dis placed the humble s1 as pocket change The $100 yellow back is no longer ar object of interest, so common has 1t be- come It seems as If a mad impulse to spend spend, spend, had seized even the Quietest and most conservative.
 Two millions were wagered in the bet ting ring at the track the other day by not more than 2.0OO bettors, an average of sl.0OO apiece. although the large ma jority confined their play to $100 or so.
 The average dinner check at Canfield S is $40. The amount of money gambled on faro anl roulette in a day is impossible to estimate, but $50O.G00 at least changes hands. and it is probably many times that amount.
 Saratoga has this summer ceased to be principally a resort of New Workers. An army of invading Western millionaires headed by the always spectacular John w Gates, has swept down upon the town. In consequence, the horses on the track the "bookies' in the ring and the plungers in the grandstand are all dt- Vided into two great camps-the West and the East-that everywhere meet in rivalry that Is not always entirely friendly.
 A third element. and one entirely new, is composed of those famous in society Add to this the crowd of humber sight seers from everywhere and yoI have some idea of the queer clements that SC to make up Saratogas summer visitors
 Nowhere can this curious crowd be bet