The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-10-06

NIGHT LIFE IN THE
! SAL LOOMS OF SPOKANE
FROM PAGE ONE.

emily down Front and Main to d.
vision street, are strewn the dirty
and squalid resorts of the men
without responsibility, the hoboes,
the men who work but only for
themselves and the price of an I'M
clean existence and the price of
drink to appease their own selfish
appetites. Few of them seem ever
have thoughts of years in future,
when they can work no more. Few
er still think of home and family
and cleanliness. They seem to
have forgotten their mothers love,
If ever they were blessed with that,
and their one thought is to drink
and carouse till their money is gone
and they can beg no more, then to
go back to the woods for another
stake for another celebration in the
slums.
Down in the u & l, the Vega,
Great Northern, Cleveland, Jim &
John. Liberty and few of the 9TH
ers, many hard faces are SEEN
Chiefly they are men who have
been in police court. Some of them
have been in prison for crime and
they seem to be watching for some
poor drunken wretch whom they
can rob. AS whole, they are I'M
der the surveillance of the police.
s Disorder Runs High
Here disorder is running high. In
each place there is some sort of
music to lure the crowds. Perhaps
a piano, all out of tune, thunders
under the palsied touch of a half
drunken musician. NOW and then
the resQunding blare of cornet is
heard above the heavy thud of hob
nailed shoes, scraping about the
splintered floors in weak attempts
at various clogs.
Decent Gatherings
Across the corner at the Nagel,
saloon with an appearance that
places it in the middle class, a
crowd of laboring men. not yet
washed after their day of toll.
We're singing song and drinking.
but when it was near o'clock they
babe each other good night and
were off for hons. At the Occur
d'Alene, a mixed crowd was found.
A few soldiers here and there
about the big barroom, sprinkling
of the hobo element, but a larger
representation of the laboring
classes. On up the street toward
Riverside on Howard conditions
were much the same, but few of
the lower class were to be found
south of Main avenue. The district
here was frequented by more of
the men with families, and their
conduct was noticeably better. SO
on it went throughout the middle
class saloons up and down Sprague
avenue, Post, Lincoln and Monroe.
Few loiterers were found. Occa-
sionally a cab was called to take
someone home because he. had
drunk too much. Much different
from the Stevens street resorts,
where, when man is drunk and
penniless and his conduct begins
to rouse the police. he is thrust
out on the streets to sleep off his
intoxication in some dark alley or
vacant lot.
Hit the High Places
Then a visit to the high class
places-some Of them are ex-
quisite Everything is glowing with
cleanliness and boisterousness and
| lounging is not tolerated. Here it
lseemed to be strictly business with
all who entered. Hurry, Jerry,
give me a short one, for | want to
catch my car was a sample of the
language used. Here the purchases
are larger, perhaps, than in the 9th
er places, and the money is chang
ing hands between bartender anG
patrons paridly, but no one seems
to linger in these, the places with
the most inviting appearance of
them all.
r. The Rankin. the Court, the Art,
the Columbia, one in the Paulsen
building and those in the higher
class hotels come under the high
est class of saloons. There is sell
dom music here, and aside from the
low murmured conversations, the
ring of coin and cash register bells,
it is quiet and orderly as court
room.
Down at the Spokane hotel bar
last night travelling men sat spin
ming their yarns across tables set
with their drinks. and now and then
one would saunter up to the bar to
catch the bartender on a pun or
two. On the opposite side, young
men were playing billiards.