Document 34: Letter from William Ballou, William Ballou, Dawson City, Spring 1899

William B. Ballou Papers, Letters 1898-1918, Box 1-2, Archives, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

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[T]he money must all come from the miner as he is the only producer. He sits down at a gambling table [,] the man in charge sees he is a liberal player, he touches a button, an attendant comes up, a drink is ordered, costs the poor victim nothing [,] in short time the button is again touched another drink ordered and shortly you will either find the poor fellows [sic] head hanging down....

—William Ballou describing gambling in Dawson City, Yukon Territory, spring 1899.

Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest