The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-05
ELI PASO THE MONTE CARLO OF AMERICA Wide Open Gambling FIouriShes
 All the Time MANY GAMES OF CHANCE Handsome Establishments Are Con- ducted on the Main Business Streets by Men Who Stand
 We'll in Business.
MANY GAMES OF CHANCE

El Paso. (Tex.) Cor. of the New York | Herald.
 Eight hundred miles from any city of size comparable to its own. the center of a desert radiating five hundred miles in every direction, situated on the boun- daries of two states, one territory and two republics, is the Monte Carlo of the | United States.
 In no city of equal population-in fact, nowhere else in this country save in min l ing camps-is wide open gambling per- mitted as it is in El Paso. Perhaps in some of the larger cities and at few of the gayer resorts more money changes hands at certain periods, but the sport in Fl Paso is continuous and uncurbed.
 This is in state whose laws relative to gambling are more stringent and more rigidly enforced than in any other com monwealth. But El Paso is only tech- nically a city of its state. It lies six hundred miles journey across an arid waste from Texas proper, and Is a com munity in itself. It feels free to con- duct it's business enterprises as it's citi- zens see fit, regardless of the state law. which would lose it's force if it attempt ed to stretch across the miles of heated plain which separate "The Pass" from the orderly regions of eastern Texas.
 More than $290o0,O00 passes over the gambling tables of Fl Paso every year. This is an average of $SO,Ooo day, or about SS daily for every citizen, man. woman and child, as the population is less than thirty thousand. This amount does not include what Is spent in private gam bling games There Is no need of a citi- gen of El Paso to test his luck in pri- vate There are ninety-four wide open public gambling places within two miles of the custom house.
 More Gambling Houses.
 In the suburbs and just across the Rio Grande at Juarez, Mexico, are forty-six more houses where gambling the prin- cipal diversion. These 140 rest. .. nduct open games of poker, roulette, -.exican monte, faro, keno dice-commonly called craps-and various others. They are open all day and every day, twenty-four hours 8 day and seven days week. There is an average of four games in progress con tinually in each place, or a total of 560 games constantly in operation. The amount of table gambling in El Paso is six times greater than the dry goods business wholesale and retail. Moreover, 1t is conducted on a cash basis. and none of it in promissory notes or trade.
 In the gambling houses of the city prop CT are 460 employees who operate the games, and these do not include porters and other attendants. The average salary of the operators of tables and machines c a q dail for salaries of $2300, or almost mill lion yearly.
 One-third of a million is annually ex- pended for rents. With four exceptions the ninety-four gambling houses have bars attached. The investment in bar and gambling fixtures aggregates more than million dollars, many times great CT than that of any other business in the town, except smelting.
 In spite of the large amount of money invested there are only few games in El Passo able to stand great losses and continue business. A loss of 5000 to s10,- 900 in a day would cause the majority of proprietors to put up their shutters tenn porarily.
 Such an occurrence, however, does not often happen. The business has been phe- nomenal from the start, and few games close each year from lack of funds The six shortest houses carry SS00O to $2O,OOO in cash on hand, as well as commensurate deposits in the banks.
 The most dangerous man to gambling houses is the plunger from the COW country or the mining camp. With years pay or perhaps the proceeds of lucky strike, all in gold in a belt or pouch. he comes to town for his period ical good time" He plays heavily, and if luck is with him soon makes kill ing"
 Is True Sport.
 Should he quit with his winnings at this stage the house is out a big amount. But, fortunately for the business man behind the table, this good hearted fel- low is usually true sport" He de- lights in being game. and 1t is rare thing for him to ride back to the camp