The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-10-06
CONTINUED
NIGHT LIFE IN THE
! SALOONS 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,
II 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 a 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.
Il y Disorder Runs High
Here disorder is running high. In
| each place there is some sort of
music to lure the crowds. Perhaps
piano, all out of tune, thunders
under the palsied touch of 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
were singing a song and drinking
but when it was near 8 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, a sprinkling
OF the hobo element, but larger
representation of the laborine
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 on
the men with families, and Their
conduct was noticeably better. SC
on 1t went throughout the middle
class saloons up and down Sprague
avenue, Post, Lincoln and Monroe
Few loiterers were found. Occa
sionally cab was called to take
someone home because he hat
drunk too much. Much different
from the Stevens street resorts
where, when a man is drunk ant
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 OF
vacant lot.
Hit the High Places
! Then a visit to the high class
| pldCCo -SoIlC vi tbCh dlC CA
quisite. Everything is glowing will
cleanliness and boisterousness ant
lounging is not tolerated. Here 1
Eseemed to be strictly business will
tall who entered. Hurry, Jerry
give me a short one, for l want II
catch my car" was sample of tn,
language used. Here the purchase,
are larger, perhaps, than in the 9th
er places, and the money is chang
ing hands between bartender AMI
patrons paridly. but no one seem.
to linger in these, the places will
the most inviting appearance O.
them all.
The Rankin.s the Court, the Art
the Columbia, one in the PaulseI
building and those in the highe
class hotels come under the high
est class of saloons. There is sci
dom music here, and aside from tn,
low murmured conversations. tn
ring of coin and cash register bells
it is quiet and orderly as cour
room.
Down at the Spokane hotel ba
last night travelling men sat spin
J ming their yarns across tables sc
with their drinks. and now and the
one would saunter up to the bar t
catch the bartender on a pun o
two. On the opposite side, youn
men were playing billiards.