The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-06
Railroad WashOuts and Race
Horse TOuts Disorganize in
Unexpected Quarters.
TURF EXCHANGES SHOULD
BE LEGISLATED AGAINST
Great Joke Sprung on This Com
munity by Prominent Veteran
and Utah Financier.
BY MAC,

he series OIL railroad washoutS that
have occurred during tho past few
months have entailed considerable
financial loss to Salt Lake City and
Utah iu general, but tho prompt action
Of railroad officials assures very early
relief and, if possible, an avoidance of
recurrence of these disasters
These are trying times for the oper.
ating departments. And if the expe-
riences of superintendents, road mas
ters, engineers and construction men
could be recited the public would have
better appreciation of tho abilities
and mettle of the men whose duties
charge them with keeping these great
highways open for traffic.
And speaking of the business losses
that have sprung Unexpectedly from the
closing or delaying of the traffic to the
westward, great though they are, there
is another disorganizing force working
In this community that gives to bust
ness men who keep in close touch with
their affairs, as keen a concern rs tho
annoyances of interruption to traffic
and travel. There is a growing tendency
OF employees, both men and women, to
gamble away their earnings in the turf
exchanges Of this city.
1t IS estimated that at least $500
clerks, bookEceperS, BARRIERS, bootblacks
aud wage earners IN various other
walks of life are daily contributing
sums from D cents upward to a gang
of racehorse touts and their employers,
who make their hangout at the turf ex-
! changes IN salt Lake City. So bold
have some OF these become that touts
Will go into the business houses and
make daily Hbooks" among saIaried
employees on the assurance that thew
have direct "tips" from the race
courses which, If followed, will multi.
ply the sums contributed by those vino
are persuaded 10 participate in this
form of gambling.
\ story is told of trusted EN-
ploye of one of the large business
houses of the city who acquired such
mania for betting on horse races that
he could not be contented in the count.
ing room, but had q well.beaten path
between his place of employment and
local turf exchange. Some days he
won, but the rule was. as is true with
all who play such things, he lost, and
lost heavily. For a time he was salts
fed with placing small amounts On
his "favorites, but in his desire 10
retrieve his losses, his finances were
exhausted, and then he robbed mis- ens-
ployer.
An incident is also told Of barber
whose earnings did not exceed SIS II
week who became so crazed with this
fad that, after spending his own wages,
he borrowed from fellow employees. neg
lected his family and was finally dis
missed because he had stolen tools from
his, fellow workmen and employer and
"cashed' them at q convenient pawn
shop.
One person. who is said TO have made
a study of this situation, estimates that
the business men of Salt Lake City
lose in the way OF time of their en-
ployes spent IN visits 10 these deadfalis
several thousand dollars a day.
There is no way to estimate the dis
organizing influence of this form of
gambling on the business of a commun-
ity. And yet, | am told, these dives
cannot be reached by the law because
there is no law defining betting on
horses as gambling in this state.
y race itself has its compensation be.
cause there are thousands of men and
witnessing a real struggle at the race
track itself. But races in Utah last
year degenerated into so vicious a gam
ble as TO cause concern 20 al who
really love The sport for itself sake,
and who know that unless racing is
kept clean, 10 is only matter or time
until public sentiment will SO quicken
in Utah that the lawmakers will be
TO abolish horse racing for
all time.
There is nothing to justify the turf
exchange IT, is an abominatlon. II
is sapping this community IN order TO
enrich few professional promoters and
serve scores Of fonts. These exchanges
attract many criminals who are CON
staut menace. the watching of whom
the chief of tho police depart
ment 10 detail officers who ought TO IN
employed in other work.
IT anyone has any doubtS about the
danger of these deadfalls III COM
munity, let him visit the turf OK
changes of Salt Lake and study the
drawn faces of the hundreds of disap-
pointed men who 20 there to bet upon
horses they never see run. The OBJECT
lesson will be sufficient TO array the
average man unequivocally against turf
exchanges in any form whatsoever
Joseph Nelson is reported 10 have
stated that be has eleven councllmen
pledged To the passage of the hfty"year
franchise which he IS asking for the
Salt Lake s. Los Angcles-so'calied
Saltair-railroad
We do not believe IT. We do not ne
ievc that he has five pledged 10 sucn
/, thing, unless there arc some amend
nents, reconstrnctions aud alterations
rs would make the giving OF such
franchise much less perilous to the city
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