The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-02-06


find" in section resulted in great
rush to that locality. Property changed
hands at fabulous prices overnight The u
ragged prospector Of today might be roll
Ing in wealth tomorrow. 1t has happened
80 many times.
When there is money to throw at the
birds, the gamblers, like SO many vultures,
assemble at the point to which 1t is being cast
by the thoughtess and improvident possessors
Games were played where the stakes ran into
the millions. A wealthy In the morning
sometimes had to borrow money to avoid going
to bed hungry at night.
A stockman in Colorado sat into poker
game in Denver, and by midnight had not only
lost all the cash he had with him, but had ex-
hausted large bank balance.
He owned, on the range in Colorado the neu
trail strip Ono Mans Land, now extreme west
ern Oklahoma) and in Texas ten thousand head
of CATTLE worth twenty dollars head or total
Of 100000.
He possessed land in three states and a hand
some residence In Denver. He made bet OF
a thousand steers-worth twenty thousand dollars
and lost He continued this until the herd OF
ten thousand head Of stock belonged to another
man. Day dawned and he was still playing
Breakfast sent in from restaurant main
tanned at the end of the gambling hall for just
such people.
"Now," he said to the men who had won bis
cattle, you have the critters, but no place to
keep them. I will play you my Texas ranch"
ranch finally the residence in Denver. together
with the furniture, his horses, his watch and
chain. At eight o'clock at Neutrality-suspicious.
hours later-he was penniless, and started for
the Rio Grande country of Texas where he found
employment hauling logs to a sawmill. He had
lost more than quarter Of million dollars IN
twenty-four hours!
"Will you obge me by taking on your shoes?"
asked road agent politely while he held re-
volver menacihgly in the face OF passenger
who stood up in line with others.
The hod-up man had stopped the stage going
into LeadvNe to collect toll" He had just pur'
chased the road he said, and needed the money.
He passed down the line and, by means OF
passenger whom he forced into service, gathered
up all the money and jewelry, until he came to
the last man in the line. Then he asked the man
to take of his shoes He found four thousand
dollars under the inner soes!
Several nights later the man who had been out
witted by the hold-up sitting In the
dealers chair of faro game in the CLOUD City"
as Leadville is called. Before him sat man
who lost money steadily The gambler "raked
in" the money carelessy and with the utmost un-
concern The player lost something like hve
thousand dollars and then pushed back his chair
"All in?" asked the gambler arching his
brows.
"Yep-you've cleaned me out"
"Then we are even for that little incident the
other night, when you collected your road tax
from me-"
q"
"Yes you!"
The holdup man knocked down half dozen
oiterers in his rush to reach the door and escape
well-known mining man, who noted for
his Judgment in knowing hole in the ground"
when he looked into it, had just made purchase
in Cripple Creek He had money. and he was will
ing to spend 1T for anything that looked good.
After having tramped over the hills all of one
day. he sat into" poker game in the lobby
Of the principal hotel that night, and engaged in
friendly game with number Of acquaintances
They were playing for twenty-five cents a cor
ner While the game was in progress ragged
prospector appeared and attempted to inject him
self into the company. The mining man explain
ed that it was simply private game between
friends-outsiders. and particularly strangers
were not wanted.
II have money that has never been spent"
I'VE don't know YOU"
"Oh that's 1t! Then let me introduce my
SELF"
There was no way to get rid Of him appar
emily. Then. like inspiration. and in an an
noyed manner, the operator said:
How much money have you?"
Eight hundred dollars"
"sit down. and II show you how to pla,
poker"
In less than fifteen minutes the prospecto
withdrew.
Shortly after he returned with thousand dol
lars more This was Interesting. He lost 1t
Then he lost diamond pin, following 1t with
watch and his "cayuse."
When he pushed back his chair the operate
asked:
Are you broke now"
Il have claim over on the hill"
What do you value It att"
Zone hundred thousand dollars"
This staggered the mining man for moment