Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-03-07
PROFITS OF MONTE CARLO.
Millions Derived Yearly From Fa-
nous European Gambling He'll.

Solomon, the wise man Of the Scrip
lures, and many other sages since his
day, have given forth the solemn coun-
sci that the way of the wicked shall not
prosper, and also the correlative that
righteousness is profitable both for
this world and the world that is to
come" However true these sayings
may be as to general principle Of hu-
man conduct, the exceptions to be
found in every age and every part of
Gambling, for example, has ever been
Justly held as q sinful practice, one Of
the most demoralizing Of human vices,
and yet today the richest and most
prosperous state in all the world is
Monaco, wherein Is located Monte
Carlo, the most famous-or infamous
gambling hell on earth. Fifty years
ago, when the Casino at Monte Carlo
was first opened, Monaco was on the
verge of bankruptcy, an insignificant,
miserable, little principality, with no
assets worth mentioning and no future.
The turn came suddenly when the
Prince of Monaco one day accepted an
offer Of 10000 francs from Francois
Blanc, the chief Of European gamb-
lers, for the privilege Of opening and
operating the Casino as gambling
hall. Money literally flowed into the
kcoffers of Francois Blanc and his fell
low concessionaries from the day the
places were opened and has continued
to flow ever since.
When Blanc died he left very large
fortune to his widow. The Casino was
then handed over to a company with
an enormous capital and the Prince Of
Monaco renewed the concession for the
modest consideration Of 5000 week.
with an extra trifle Of 100000 year
to keep up his body guard. The whole
estate has grown since the gamblers
came, and not the state only, but the
coast for a hundred miles around.
Sandy soil, originally worth $25 On
acre, fifty miles from Monaco, has real
lied $4,000 an acre in thirty years; the
two hotels In the state have multiplied
by twenty-four, and as against three
jewelers. and seventeen wine merchants
twenty years ago there are today fif-
teen jewelers. and eighty-five wine mer-
chants. A thousand people are kept
in regular work at the Casino itself,
and honest folk, who live by honest
means, have grown rich In spite OF
themselves through the remarkable
development Of the state. The people
Of Monaco have the good sense. not to
gamble for themselves, and no citizen,
save on one day year, may enter the
Casino IF men from other lands,
with more money than brains, choose to
lose their brains and leave their money
In Monaco" the native argument seems
to run, 1--WE have nothing to do with
1t. At least, we will use their money
we'll and wash our bands Of the chan
mel through which 1t comes"
All this profit is over and above the
actual expense Of running the Casino
itself, which foots up to nearly $5,OO0,-
900 year. 1t cost, for instance, about
$2O5, 900 for the item of the threatre and
orchestra, firemen and maintenance Of
gardens eat up 100000 more. and oppo-
site to such suggestive entries as
grants to the press" and to Bishop,
clergy and educational institutions"
are set down the sums Of 100000 and
s45, 900, respectively. The lighting and
water supplies drain the revenue OF
the tables to the extent Of $4,000. and
the prizes the authorities are called up
on to offer at carnivals, races, pigeon
shooting and other amusements, alb
sorb another $55,OOO. How much it
costs to. dispose Of the persons who are
so inconsiderate as to shoot themselves
after run Of bad luck at the tables
is not set down in the lists, but this
is probably covered by the contingent
fund, for which thousands Of dollars
are appropriated each year.-Leslie's
Weekly.