The Arcade Saloon Melee
A morning brawl involving the 'John Bull Combination' spills out of the Arcade Saloon and into the street.
A lively free fight occurred in front of the Arcade Saloon this morning between 'Slugger' Blade, of the John Bull combination, and local celebrities. All hands were drinking, hence no serious damage was done. An officer interfered, but was set upon. Others came to his rescue and both sides were jailed. During the melee, the champion, Sullivan, ran into the American House and demanded a revolver with which to do up some one. Proprietor Smith refused it, when Sullivan threatened to take it by force. Smith, however, revolver in hand, ran him out of the house. If some of the Slugger combination don't bite the dust before they hit the Colorado, they will be in luck.
“During the melee the champion, Sullivan, ran into the American House and demanded a revolver with which to do up some one.”
This street-level chaos captures the rowdiness of the late 19th-century waterfront, back when the 'Arcade' was a staple of downtown nightlife. Today, that part of First Avenue remains the heart of the city's commercial life, though the pistol-brandishing innkeepers have long since been replaced by high-end coffee shops and storefronts.
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