American Enterprise.

Woodville Examiner, Volume 3, Issue 219, 11 December 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

American Enterprise.

A correspondent writes :—“ I was in San Francisco in 1851, when two hotels got to running each other. I forget their names, but that doesn’t make any difference. Number one started with a brass band concert on the balcony every evening, and it drew big crowds, including about all of number two* guests. Pretty too a, however, number one began to lose its guests by the score without any apparent came. The proprietor increased his brass band and polished up his bar, but without effect. It didn’t take him long to find out that numtwo was having nightly cocking mains and dog-flghts for the exclusive benefit of guests. Then number one got back part of its guests by introducing private prize-fights and slugging matches, It may sound preposterous, but it’s a fact, that when miners and others wanted to settle personal differences they used to go to the proprietor of number one, who paid them well tor a fight, the money going to the winner. “ Of course these exhibitions were given In private quarters, and none but guests and their friends were admitted. Number two saw number one’s prize-fights and slugging matches, and went it one better. They knocked out one end of their dining-room and built on it a stage and a greenroom and all other accessories, and had variety performances at breakfast, dinner and sapper. This turned the tide in favor of number two, until one day a desperado wont into number one and shot the bar-tender. This made number one famous, and placed it far ahead of number two in the estimation of tho public. Tho proprietor, however, saw his opportunity, aud prepared a coup d' elat. Ho headed a gang winch went out and captured the murderer, and strung him up on the dining-room stage at supper, and all the guests were accorded the privilege of firing their revolvers at his dangling hotly. One shot accidently went through the head of a waiter, and the entertainment far exceeded tho proprietor’s moat sanguine expectations,”