The following may be accepted as a correct statement of the regular weekly salaries at a Chicago house doing a good business: Two faro dealers at $40 a week; three ditto at $35; two roulette croupiers at $30; two hazard dealers at $30; two stud-poker dealers at $30; one outside watchman at $20;[20;] one doorkeeper at $25; sixteen “pluggers” and “cappers” at $2.50 per day; total salary list, $690 per week.
It is fair to presume that this is an average outlay for weekly salaries by the numerous gaming houses. The estimate does not, of course, include miscellaneous expenses, such as rent, fuel, lighting, free eating and drinking for the habitués, nor the large percentage on profits paid to “ropers” and “steerers.” It must be plain to the dullest comprehension that a business of such magnitude as to be able to pay nearly $700 in weekly salaries, is in favor of the army of unemployed gamblers who are temporarily “down on their luck.”
However, there are some gaming houses in the city where high rollers can always gain admittance and find congenial company; where the obliging proprietors are always willing to “remove the limit” for a regular patron; and which enjoy the reputation of being comparatively “square.”
One of the peculiar features of Chicago gambling is the reported existence of a “gamblers’ trust.” The use of the word “trust” as applied to establishments which cannot in any sense be called commercial, seems, on its face, to be anomalous, yet, if all reports be true, the term is not a misnomer. It is understood that a combination of sporting men exists, the nature of the tie that binds them being the contribution by the proprietors of each establishment belonging to the pool of either a fixed sum weekly or an agreed percentage of the winnings toward a common purse. Just what is done with the money is known only to those who handle it, but when it is remembered that the contributors enjoy practical immunity from police interference, its disposition is a fair subject of conjecture.
Within the last month (July, 1890), the question of selling pools upon races has loomed up into prominence. One of the chief operators in this line, a man who is reputed to have cleared $190,000 through this means during the racing season of 1889, has invoked the aid of private detective agencies for the suppression of his business rivals. The latter have retaliated by employing the city police to interfere with his operations. The result has been a sort of Kilkenny fight, in which charges seriously reflecting upon the city’s chief executive have been filed in the courts.
| SELECTIONS FROM A PRICE LIST OF SPORTING GOODS MANUFACTURED AND FOR SALE BY A FIRM IN CHICAGO, ILL. | |||||
| FARO TOOLS. | |||||
| Trimming Shears, double bar, brass block | $40 00 | ||||
| ” ” with attachment for cutting briefs | 45 00 | ||||
| Cutter, for cutting round corners on cards | 20 00 | ||||
| Trimming Plates, will cut any style of cards | 8 00 | ||||
| Trimming Shears repaired and sharpened. | |||||
| Dealing Boxes, Lever movement | $35 00 to $60 00 | ||||
| ” ” End, or Needle movement | $50 00 to $100 00 | ||||
| ” ” Sand Tell | $13 00, $15 00 to $18 00 | ||||
| ” ” ” ” to lock up square | $20 00, $25 00 | ||||
| Dealing Boxes repaired, or changed to end or needle squeeze. | |||||
| Faro Dealing Cards, unsquared, per doz. | $15 00 | ||||
| ” ” ” squared, per doz. | 15 00 | ||||
| ” ” ” ” per pack | 1 25 | ||||
| ” ” ” Linen, second quality | 6 50 | ||||
| ” ” ” ” ” ” squared | 7 50 | ||||
| ☞ Dealing Cards of every kind furnished to order. | |||||
| Card Punches, best steel | 2 00 | ||||
| ” Sighters, set of 4 in case | 2 00 | ||||
| Glass Paper, better than sand, per doz. sheets | 1 00 | ||||
| DEALING GAMES FOR BOX AND CARDS. | |
| Card Hazard, cards, box, layout complete | $25 00 |
| ” ” Layout | 15 00 |
| Red and Black Dealing Boxes, to lock and unlock | 25 00 |
| ” ” ” ” Skeleton boxes, to lock and unlock | 10 00 |
| ” ” ” ” Boxes, to work with gaff | 25 00 |
| Short Faro, or Card Chuck Luck, Enameled Layout | 3 00 |
| Diana Dealing Boxes, for two packs | 15 00 |
| ROULETTE, RONDO AND BALL GAMES. | |
| High Ball Poker Balls, ivory, flat face, each | $ 25 |
| Patent Bottle, with Keno mouthpiece, bottle only | 10 00 |
| (Rubber Tubing for above, per foot, 15c.) | |
| Red, White and Blue Layout, box and balls | 12 00 |
| POOL AND SPINDLE GAMES. | |
| Chuck-luck Wheel, complete with layouts | $30 00 |
| Spindle Game, red, white, blue and horses | 15 00 |
| Jenny Wheel, for high or low, or red or black | 10 00 |
| ” ” with two centers, and paddles | 15 00 |
| Rolling Faro, 28 Aces, and 2 Stars—with fake | 60 00 |
| ” ” 28 Cards, and 4 Jacks ” | 60 00 |
| ” ” 1-2-3-4-5-6 and Stars ” | 60 00 |
| ” ” on table, to work with knee or pressure | 125 00 |
| ” ” Extra Spreads, with Rings to match | 20 00 |
| Jewelry Squeeze Spindle | 40 00 |
| Needle Wheel, complete with Layout | 80 00 |
| Bee Hive (Hap Hazard), new and sure | 50 00 |
| O’Leary Belt, with one box, complete | 75 00 |
| Striking Machines, two fakes, with chart | 40 00 |
| Miniature Race Tracks, seven horses, to order | 300 00 |
| (Packed in cases for traveling, $50.00 extra.) | |
| “Corona,” or “Mascott” | 200 00 |
| Tivoli, or Derby Pool, faked | 100 00 |
| $20.00 required with order for faked goods. | |
| DICE GAMES. | |
| Bunko Chart, “Special Drawing,” without tickets | $ 5 00 |
| Bunko tickets, per set of 56 | 2 00 |
| Ivory Dice, for top and bottom, three fair,with ringer | 80 |
| ” ” double, 3 high, 3 low, 3 fair, with box | 2 00 |
| ” ” LOADED, ” ” ” ” | 5 00 |
| ” ” ” ⅝ inch, each | 1 25 |
| ” ” ” ¾ ” ” | 1 50 |
| Craps ” ½ inch, Ivory, per set of 6 | 1 50 |
| Ball ” Hyronemus, per set of 3, 1 inch | 3 00 |
| ” ” ” ” ” 1¼ inch. | 4 50 |
| ” ” ” ” ” 1½ inch. | 6 00 |
| ” ” ” ” ” 2 inch. | 10 50 |
| Measured by the diameter of ball. | |
| Ivory Dice Tops, to throw high or low | 1 50 |
| SHORT GAMES. | |
| Monte Tickets, or “Broads,” per doz., by express | 5 00 |
| Patent Knives, with lock, new pattern | 5 00 |
| Tobacco Boxes, to lock and unlock | 1 50 |
| Patent Safes, with two openings, ebony | 2 00 |
| Padlocks, per pair | 50 |
| Penny Game, complete with dice | 60 |
| Bank Note Reporters, by mail | 50 |
| Sliding Boxes, for street work, per 100 | 1 00 |
| Double Boxes, with Soap, per doz., 75c., per 100 | 5 00 |
| Vest Hold Out, with late improvements | 10 00 |
| Table Hold Out, something new, works with knee | 10 00 |
| The “Bug,” for holding out an extra card | 1 00 |
| SHORT CARD GAMES. | ||
| Sleeve Hold Out, arm pressure | $25 00 | |
| ” ” ” ” Keplinger’s patent | 00[00] | |
| Nail Pricks, for finger nails | 50 | |
| Shiner, for reading cards dealt opponents | 1 00 | |
| ” ” ” ” ” in half dollar | 2 00 | |
| Poker Table Plates, each | 50c. and 75 | |
| Floor Telegraph, for Poker Rooms | 5 00 | |
| Marked Back Cards, per doz., round corners, by express | 12 00 | |
| ” ” ” Flag Backs, per doz. | 12 00 | |
| Strippers, for any game, cut to order | $6 00 to 8 00 | |
| Crayon Pencils, case of 12 colors | 1 00 | |
| Spanish Monte Cards, will wash, per doz. | 9 00 | |
| Dealing Boxes, for Monte | 10 00 | |
| ☞ Monte cards cut and prepared in any manner. | ||
GAMBLING IN ST. LOUIS.
With the exception of New Orleans—and possibly of Chicago—it is doubtful whether public gambling ever took deeper root in any Western city than the metropolis of Missouri. This fact may be attributed partly to the mixed character of the early population, in which were blended the elements of the French and Southern natures. Games of chance seem to appeal more strongly to the hot-blooded temperament which is kindled into warmth by a Southern sun, than to the more phlegmatic disposition of those who have been reared in Northern latitudes. Another cause for the popularity and prevalence of gambling in St. Louis is to be found in the fact that for many years that city enjoyed the distinction of being the chief commercial centre of the Mississippi valley. Not only was it the entrepot and point of transfer for vast quantities of freight, the handling of which gave employment to a large number of men, but emigrants on their way to the far West found the city a convenient place in which they might rest and recruit, and at the same time purchase supplies.