Iditarod pioneer., 1916-12-16
II THE DAYS OF TORE
Anchorage Times)

The apprehension of gentlemen of the green doth by officers of the law III An
 hlrage .he other day recalls the early days
 f the No1thland, when gambling lnd kln.
 Ind vices were the rule rather than the exception, a. now. We do not propose .u discuss tie moral aspect of this sub
 ect, other than to say u at 1t Is well for
 4ia,ka that pubic gamLl'ng, especially Wllh
 lie para,lg,n,jia e.Hplyyed therein-euch is the roulette wheel the faro table and tie Ike and the dance hall, are no longer per nlltted within its confines. But being in reminiscent mood we wish 10 bark back ,o the oId days when everything was ''wl"e ouen," with the 'ceiljng as the limit
 Scarcely decade has ed stnce gam bling of Fl }.inds anl descriptions flour ishad q the green bay tree throughout the vast tor.2n ct i5e NUythlaMd. Who among he cil-timcrs Gots not yiyidly rec@ll Lee nuthTie's Baard of TraGe and the Packtra!n ,al9oa, the popular gambling resorts oi .Aacway, the worst town ill the world, as it was termed? Who Is, not seen Brooks, the packer, after completing trip over the White Pass summit, come into resort there, dcIve into his pockets for half dozen "tWenties,' and with the prOdl- galsty of a "Coal Oil Johnnie invite every body in the house" to take drink with him? And about everybody would take something, too. So dense WAS the crowd that packed these resorts, in the days of 99 and '99, that one would have to push his way through the mass Of humanity to get q seat at the games of chance.
 In the early days of Dawson, Nome and Fairbanks. as well as the lesser towns and communities, the same conditions existed, save that iii the big gold camps the wagers laid were larger. At Nome, for instance,
 1t was not uncommon to see some plunger, IT f0ol, according to your viewpoint, risk a thousand dollars on the turning of q card at faro table All Nomeites of course,
 ecall Tex Richards Northern saloon and 7gming house, the most popular resort ln that camp. Tex was an accommodating tel- low in the matter of gambling, and you could go as strong as you wished to. The stronger you went the sooner you were broke, because in those days the gambling houses employed light fingered gentlemen as dealers, whose business 1t was to see that you didn't win. Faro is held up by the gambler as the fairest of games of chance. He tells you that the only percentage against you Is the splits" As matter of fact, all faro dealer requires to know is what system you play, and he can put you out of business at his whim or caprice. That's what he is we'll paid for. Gambling Daraphernalia and gaming devices are made to win, and they do win, as many an un- sophisticated individual has found to his sorrow.
 While Tex Richards place enjoyed the run at Nome, other gambling resorts were we'll patronzed The Second-Class saloon Wyatt Erp's Corner and "Lucky' Baldwin tough den-all were crowded with patron and spectators.
 And in those early days in Alaska there was the dance hall, the side partner of the saloon and the gambling resort. The more Dretentious towns had from one to a half | dozen of these resorts, where mads-young and old-with manufactured complexions and with none too much wearing apparel 1 fitted about from man to man among the ! spectators asking each in turn to have a dance with her, or buy some liquid refresh ments, or both-usually both. Every year was leap year in those old days that have passed away. You didn't have to ask woman if you could have the pleasure of a dance with her, in those public dance halls. She always asked you and whether you could dance or not mattered not at all 10 her. She'd drag you around the hall some TOW once or twice and call it fine dance and tell you you were swell dancer Who has not heard of the "Hurrah" block at Nome, so called because there was solid block of buildings, located right in the center of town, devoted to gambling, drink ing and dancing? The like was never seen before. It will never be seen again.
 The unknowing might ask, What were he public officials doing while this condi- tion existed? The public officials of the early days of Alaska were doing what every body else was doing. They participated in the games, danced with the maidens, and drank with the thirsty It was not uncom-