The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1918-06-29
FAMOUS GAMBLING
PLACE CLOSES
ITS DOORS =
NORTHERN SALOON WAS KNOWN
THROUGHOUT NATION
DURING BOOM

Monte Carlo of America VIII
close it's doors July 1.
The ghost of it's former golden
the Northern has contin-
ued to operate since the paimy
days. the business declining until
there is now little left to justify
keeping it open. Thus the great
est institution of it's kind the world
ever saw will pass.
In 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1907,
when men went mad with pros
perity and threw their money to
the winds in the course OF the
greatest mining camp boom in his
tory, the Northern flourished. Men
became wealthy or lost their all
over its gaming tables. those who
won to spend their profits without
thought in riotous living and those
who lost giving no heed, as moth
ing was more plentiful than money
in those days, when to the miner
one hift in the world-famous high
grade slopes of Goldfield's mines
and leases meant more to him than
miners now make in the highest
paying camps in the country In a
month.
"High-grading'' was the source
of the miners wealth and the ore
that glittered appeared inexhaus-
tible. Assay Offices were plenti-
full and all they paid the miners
for the "high-grade" went over the
Northern tables. 1t is said of Billy
Murray, bookkeeper and cashier in
the Northern in the boom days, that
he had in his charge and handled
more money every day without be-
ing under bonds than any other
man in history. In two years time
Murray cashed personal checks and
pay vouchers for patrons of the
Nothern amounting to over $4,000
900.
The resort contained two bars.
with 20 b~artenders and six porters.
Twenty-Five gambling games ran
day and night, with three and some
times four shifts of dealers, and the
bar receipts alone were at times.
from $4,000 to $4,000 daily. No oney
has ever attempted to estimate the
amount that passed back and forth
over the gambling tables.
Bartenders were paid from IS to
$40 per eight-hour shift and deal
ers It the various games received
the same. "FloOrwalkers" received
SIS per shift. The total payroll
and operating expenses were said
to have been for a long period over
$4,000 a day.
The Northern was opened in the
fall of 1904 by Tex Richard and
Jim Morrison, who had been in
Alaska and came here from Seattle.
1t was incorporated in 1906 and
thereafter on it's stationery appear
ed The Northern, Inc"
E. S. (Kid) Highley and, later.
w. S. (Ole) Elliott bought into the
business. Morrison sold out after
eight months to his partners, who
in turn bought out Richards in
terest in the fall of 1907. High
ley and Elliott then operated it
alone.
In 1910 Highley and Elliott. both
grown wealthy, the former having
amassed a fortune, sold out to Billy
Murray. Mike Katen and Jack Max
we'll, who were employed by High
ley and Elliott at the time. Later
Tom Maroney and Katen bought out
Murray and Maxwell. and continued
TO run the Northern until Maroney's
death a short time ago. Katen is
now i'll in Reno, and having been in
poor health for several years, he has
decided to sell the stock and close
the saloon. Highley and Elliott
still W the building and fixtures.
The names of Highley. Elliott and
Richard are linked with the early
history of Goldfield, particularly
through their connection with the
Gans-Nelson fight, staged on Labor
day, 1906.
These men took the initiative in
forming a company known as the
"Goldfield Athletic Club The COM
pany was organized for 100 shares
at $1,000 each and every share was
bought in n hour and 20 minutes;
all were sold in the block on Main
street in which the Northern is sit
uated. 1t is said $500, 900 could
have been raised as easily.
Highley now makes his home in
San Francisco, Richard is in the
east and Elliott operates hotels in
10 - -