118 Years Ago
The October 3, 1907 Colorado Transcript announced that City Council was considering a new “Shack” ordinance. Apparently that term referred to a gaming business, because the ordinance would dictate that “no boy under eighteen years of age will be allowed to enter a pool or billiard hall, bowling alley or card room in Golden.” If violated, both the business owner and the boy would be fined. The reason for this proposed ordinance was “to make it as easy as possible for Golden parents to bring up their boys the right way.”
The article went on to explain that an ordinance had been passed in 1879 making it illegal “for any person to carry on the business for gain or hire, within the city limits, any billiard table, bagatelle table, pigeon-hole table, shuffle board, pin alley, ball alley, or any table on which games are played with balls without a license therefor.” Apparently the ordinance hadn’t been enforced for many years.
The Transcript acknowledged that the ordinance would cause some hardship to owners of gaming establishments, “…but the mayor claims they have only brought in on themselves by being too lax in their manner of conducting their places.”
Apparently, Council did not have the same qualms about drinking, because six saloon licenses had been granted in the most recent City Council meeting.
Jefferson County must have been fighting the same vices at that time, because an October 24th, 1907 Transcript article announced that the Sheriff had seized two roulette wheels and burned them, by order of the court. “One of the wheels was practically new, and represented about $250.” He built the fire on the street in front of the courthouse and it was witnessed by the judge, several Mines students, and the Transcript staff.
