The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-03-23
E"sociALE EVIL" IN TOLEDO.
A Bad Chapter for Thriving Young
-. City.

+ The extent of the evils arising from
prostitution are little understood by
even the great mass of those living i'll
cities, where its effects are most felt.
Whether we consider its influence
upon the health of the people orupon
their morals, there is no vice which
equals this. The facts which have
been collected through various sources,
all demonstrate the truthfulness of the
assertion that prostitution is waging
successful warfare against civiliza-
ton. ~ 1-.sj. -s. -s-
Toledo, like all other cities, suffers
from this source, to an extent little
suspected by the better classes of her
people. Our men of business, and
our women who have the cares of
families upon them, certainly do not
properly understand the influences
which are at work upon the society
into which they are leading their chill :
dren. If they did, it would not be
possible for them to be SO Indifferent
and so little informed upon this sub
;ect. ~ .s T.. .a5--' .....
From the best information that can
be collected, there are in Toledo about
seventy. five houses of Prostitution
open and notorious places of resort.
These houses will probably average
about three inmates each, making a
total of 225 public prostitutes. In
addition to these, there are n large
number of what are known rs except
girls" youpg women who are the mis-
tresses OF single or married men and
are kept in private rooms which are
rented and fitted up for them by their
'.faucy man." We do not suppose
the number of this class will exceed
rs, thus making total of 800 open
and avowed prostitutes in this city.
rhere should be added to this number
perhaps half dozen houses of assig-
nation, but as they are mostly sup
piled from the ranks Of the prostitutes,
it would not be proper to increase the
sum total from this channel. We do
not believe there are more than one
or two houses of assignation proper in
our city. liz H....:
The successful keepers of houses of
prostitution in this city, as in all 9TH
ers, are usually women-the coarsest
and most brutal of their sex. Occa-
sionally most degraded man enga-
ges in the business, bnt instances of
this kind are rare, and usually their
career is brief, terminating in crime.
A large number of the younger and
less experienced prostitutes attempt
to keep houses of their own, but it is
q business which requires peculiar
management, and but few can success
fully prosecute it, hence the numbers
of these places of resort vary. In this
entire city there are really. but two
keepers Of prostitution who own the
premises which they orcupy. The
balance are renters and seldom remain
in one place for any great length of
time. .E.". ta--- 80 sa
We have remarked that but few
poor women are capable of successful
ly keeping a house of this character.
It requires the most rigid discipline.
Abandoned characters-women and
men who have relinquished all claim
to respectability-it may we'll be sup
posed, Iequire more government than
those around whom the restraints of
wholesome self respect exist. We
learn that the principal houses in this
city are governed by severe rules, per,
mitting the inmates, to 60 out upon !
the streets but once a week. and then
in pairs--two7 on one day and two on
smother, and 50 on through the week.