The Raymer enterprise., 1913-01-30


field Butte the Occur d'Alene, and many |
other sections. The practice prevailed to /
greater or less extent In the larger towns
Everybody has money in the early days OF An
n mining camp W
1t was an era OF speculation. The coun. (o
try had not been proven and hence "
ind In new section resulted in great
rush to that locality. Property changed
hands at fabulous prices overnight. The
ragged prospector OF today might be roll
Ing In wealth tomorrow. 1t has happened
80 many times.
When there is money TO throw ut the
birds. the gamblers. like many vultures,
assemble at the point to which It Is being cast
by the thoughtess and improvident possessors
Games were played where the stakes ran into
the millions. man 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
tral strip Ono Mans Land" now extreme west
ern Oklahoma. and In Texas ten thousand head
OF cattle, worth twenty dollars a head. or total
OF 100000
He possessed land in three states and a hand
some residence In Denver. He made a bet OF
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 a restaurant main.
tained at the end OF the gambling hall for Jus.
such people
Now" he said to the men who had won his
cattle, you have the critters. but no place to
keep them. | will play you my Texas ranch"
He lost that Then followed the Colorado
ranch, finally the residence In Denver. together
with the furniture, his horses his watch and
chain. At eight o'clock at night-twenty.four
hours later-he was penniess. and started for
the Rio Grande country OF Texas, where he found
employment hauling logs to sawmill He had
lost more than a quarter OF million dollars In
twentyiour hours!
win you oblige me by taking OF your shoes"
asked road agent politely. while he held a re-
volver menacingly In the face OF a passenger
who stood up in line with others
The hold'up man had stopped the stage going
into Leadve 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 n
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 soles,
Several nights later the man who had been out.
witted by the hold.up man was sitting in tho
dealers chair OF a faro game In the Cloud City"
as Leadyille is called. Before him sat man
who lost money steadily. The gambler "raked
In the money carelessly and with the utmost un.
cencern. The player lost something like FIVE
thousand dollars and then pushed back his chair.
"All In" asked the gambler, arching his
brows
"Yep-youve cleaned me out"
Then we are even for that little Incident the
other night, when you collected your road tax
from me"
"Yes, you"
The holdup man knocked down half a dozen
loiterers in his rush to reach the door and escape
wehknown mining man, who was 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
a friendly game with number OF acqualntances
They were playing for twenty-five cents 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 1t 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 II! Then let mo introduce my.
self"
There was no way to get rid OF him appar.
emily, Then. like an inspiration. and in an an.
moved manner the operator said.
How much money have your"
Eight hundred dollars"
sit down, and II show you how to play
poker
In less than fifteen minutes the prospector
withdrew.
Shortly after he returned with thousand dol
lars more. This was interesting He lost H.
Then he lost diamond pin. following It with n
watch and his "cayusc"
When he pushed back his chair the operator
asked:
Are you broke now!"
Il have claim over on the hill"
"What do you value II att"
"One hundred thousand dollars"
This staggered tho mining man for moment