Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-17
HOTEL MEN LIVE
CAY LIFE OF '49
Hall in Alexandria Transformed
into Mine Delegates
Leave for Homes

The delegates to the national con-
Vention of the Hotel Mems Mutual
Z cnefit association We're transported
back fifty years or more last night
and lived for the evening in the days of
'49 and the early SOS. when the
gambler flourished, when the miner
was supreme, when the barroom and
dance hall and gambling place was
the center of civic life and California
was only beginning to awaken to the
culture and progrese that was to dis
tinguish its later years, and of which
the men have seen such evidences dur
ing their stay in this city.
For an "old days" smoker marking
the final night of the convention here,
the banquet hall on the second floor of
the Alexandria had been transformed
into a typical street of an early Cali
fornia mining town.
On one side, as the visitors entered
the door, was the Last Chance" sa
loon in full operation, lighted by can
dies and lanterns. with local men
garbed as it's motley crew of nightly
visitors enjoying themselves. Farther
around the room was found the "Gold
Nugget" lunch room, where the guests
were invited to eat sandwiches and
smoke. Next was the faro layout, with
an expert dealer in charge and an eX-
pert case keeper. Huge piles Of chips
and of real money lined the sides of
the table, and here, too, characters in
cowboy and Mexican costumes kept
coming and investing their surplus
change.
SCENES GAY IN DANCE HALL
Then there waG the Grub Stake"
dance hall, with its beXy of pretty
dancing girls, who initiated to perfec-
tion the dances of years ago, to the
tune furnished by ragged rag-time
piano player, who operated on the old
Well-battered piano.
Hanging from the middle of the
dance hall was the sign, Remember
the dancing girls is ladies-Don't get
gay or they are liable to shoot h
out of you"
Beyond the dance hall was, perhaps,
the most interesting feature of the
whole affair. N a little hole in the
wall lay two real Cinnamon smoking
genuine opium as only the Chinese
know how With loving care each one
rolled and cooked his little "pill' of
hop" and smoked it while the guests
stood and looked on. This feature was
under the care of Lame Jack" one of
the best-known characters of the local
Chinese colony. who said he was hav-
ing hard work to keep his celestials
there, owing to the fact that they
hated to be watched in their operations.
Further on was the roulette wheel,
under the charge of q skillful manipu-
lator, and this also had stacks of
chips and money on it. The guests
were shown just how 1t was operated
and witnessed the fictitious winning
and losing of sums of money on it's
festive whirl.
In the center of the back wall of the
room was a -5aterfall, which added the
final wild, out-of-d doors touch to the
whole. Around the side were street
lamps with directions for the strangers
printed upon them, and on each post
were warnings telling all what not to
do. One of these, near the faro out
+ stated that "The management would
not support the widders of gents hold
ing five aces" In the saloon We're
such warnin,s as partner name your
pizen," "a bonanza of bOose," this is
no bank; cough up your dust and
float away" straight whiskey-25;
straighter-50." Thrown across the
l. ching rail in front was a beauti-
fully mounted saddle and bride, left
there supposedly by some cowboy on
the inside enjoying himself.
The whole affair was originated for
the hotel men by Assistant Manager
James Reichl of the Alexandria, and
he received many compliments for his
originality.
BARBECUE AT OAKHURST
Yesterday afternoon the hotel men
saw the other side, the outdoor side
of frontier life at the grounds of the
Vaquero club at Oakhurst. Under the
auspices of the club the hotel men
were treated to a real Mexican din