The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16
ALL HUSYLING AT GOLDFIELD.
MINERS, sBROkERS, GAMBLERS,
PLAIN BUSINESS MEN.


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incidents OF Treasure Hunting In Nevada's
Mining Camp-A Blizzard and No Coal
The WidcOpencst Town I'm the World
More Business Than Can ne Handled.
GoLDFIELD. New, Dec. H. There's a
man over at the Gold Dust saloon who Ia
making abook based on the proposition
that this mining camp will be wiped out by
fire before spring. He regards it as an
odds-on chance. He's not finding many
persons who differ with him. either.
II Goldheld escapes the fate that has
sooner or later o~vertaken every other big
mining camp, it won't be because any ade-
quate precautions nave been taken against
it, The character OF its architecture is adj
mirably indicated in a sentence employed
by the Goldfeld Tribune in describing what
happened when Honolulu Henry's shack
burned up the other day. IL looked bad
for the own for a time. but, says the Tribune,
willing hands bore adjoining houses away
from peril
The menace Of FIRE is ever present in the
minds Of the turbulent population. The other
day an alarm rang out. In twenty seconds
every store and restaurant and saloon was
empty, and broadway yes, that's what
they call twas packed with an excited
mob gal,oping to tho upper end Of the
town.
1t didn't mount 70 anything. but it re-
minded one that there are just two things
that will draw all Goldfeld away from its
treasure bunting. One is fire, the other is
shooting.
Somebody emptied a six shooter into the
air n afternoon up in the peroxide dis
trict. Well, maybe you've seen wasps
emerge when somebody's stirred up their
flat with a long pole. That's exactly what
IL looked like. When Jock Spslding put a
bullet into Tim Mccarthy at the Red Top
saloon at I o'clock in the morning Broad
way looked pretty quiet, but In three min
utes It was populous enough.
II tool thirty minutes to oblterate the
Coldheld Hotel. II a fire ever started TO
windward In a gale, the New York Fire De-
partment couldn't save the town.
There's never a law of God or man runs
far south enough in Nevada to bother
Goldfeld much. There isn't any govern
ment here and people behave--when they
do behave-because they think it's best
for their health. There's no city or town
government, no local organization. no
police. no Mayor. nc ~jail-nothing but a
deputy sheriff OF the county Of Esmeralda.
There are. however, enough saloons TO
employ 1855 bartenders and enough gambling
joints to enlist the services Of 1876 faro deal
ers. roulette operators. crap experts and
such like. Tex Richards place, called the
Northern, is one Of the biggest Of the lot.
Larry Sullivan, who used to shanghai sailors
at Portland. Ore. In the owner Of h Palace.
while others that are jammed to the doors
every night are the Monte Carlo. the Del
Monte. the Hermitage. the Bank and the
Gold Dust.
This is the wideopenest town in all the
world. II the gambling fever overtakes
you, no matter where you are. you won't
nave to take more than ten steps in order
to get rid Of your money. Every hotel has
two or three games running in the Office
or in the next room or back of the bar.
II you're lucky enough to nave a room
all to yourself as you throw of your clothes
in a wild attempt to beat pneumonia to
your bed you may hear the little ball a-roll-
ing and the droning voice Of the wheel
spinner intoning ~monotonously: Twenty
seven red and odd"
As you drop of to sleep hoping that the
confiagration that's always lurking around
every Goldfeld corner will omit TO leap out
until you can fly the place you may get as
a lullaby the pleading. amorous tones Of
some wistful crap shooter exclaiming as he
rolls the dice:
Come on. you honey! Right now. you
petl Jest this -once. my lady bird"
The gambler who can't find a game to
suit him here must be hard to please. He
may take his choice of faro. Roulette, craps,
slough. ~klondike, stud, straight poker,
twenty-one. the wheel OF fortune, fantan
or stop. And If these aren't enough, every
time you turn around there's a new kline OF
nickel in the slot machine all ready to amuse
you and take your chicken feed. Also
there are two or three saloons completely
equipped with poolroom ~layouts, 50 that
the man.who mas followed the ponies else
where Won't feel lonesome in Goldfeld.
Nor will the big gambler have any reason
to feel cramped by the presence Of any
stingy limit. A man from Reno went into
the Hermitage night before last. He had
so much coin that it annoyed him.
They are very obliging at the Hermitage.
however, and when the Reno man emerged
he left behind him $4,000 in cash. There
are several places where, If a man has the