New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-11
THE SOCIAL EVIL.
AN EXPERIMENT IN ST. L0UIs-ORDINANCE FOR
THE LEGAL REGULATION OF VICE.

| AN EXPERIMENT IN ST. LOUIs-0RDINANCE FOR
THE LEGAL REGULATION OF VICE.
The following ordinance Cor the regulation
.e Social Evil" was passed by the City Council OF
St. Louis last week. 1t is the first official attempt
troiuce into of the large American cities the system
adopted in several European countries for the control OF
prostitution or rather legal tolerance under various
restrictions. The full text is as follows:
An ordinance 70 regulate and suppress houses Of lhme
Beiordained 6y the city Council Of The Gig ofSt Louis
SECTION l. The Board OF Police Commissioners are
record Of ali houses ae and Of
signatiOn, and OF all bawds courtesans and prostitutes
within the City of st. Louis as possible, and to furnish
such list to the Board of Health and from time to time
furnish such additional and supplemental lists as shall
fully the facts herein required This list shall show the
names of all persons keeping the same the ownership OF
the houses the locality the names and aliases ages and
occupations Of the persons and prostitutes living
therein together with such other particulars may be
statistical sanitary interest. Such record shall be
kept the office of the Clerk OF the Board Of Health but
shall open inspection onyIo members Of said Board
the Board OF Police Commissioners and the members OF
SEC 3 Each person keeping any such place or house
of i'll fame shall be required iol,hWlIh 20 eve d anu
OF the particulars stated In section one, ana also Oi any
change that may take place I'm its ownership charge or
control respect TO Of its inmates; and any per-
son falling refusing when requested or required To
GniTements, shall be deemed guilty Of a msiemeanOr.
SEC g. The said Board Of Health shall divide the city
stefan whose duty it shall be to visit,
week each Of the houses OF fame and rooms used or
these together with list Of all prostitutes and their
places ofliying shall be furnished to him by the Board
OF Health for his sole and inspection Such physician
shall there carefully inquire into the sanitary condition
of the prostitutes, and necessary subject them TO an
proper direction for their sanitary management he may
order removal Of OF the inmates Ia the hospital
danger OF infection he shall order such REMOVAL such
action shall remove such danger lie shall furnish
weekly full report of his action and Of the condition or
such houses and its inmates to said Board OF Health me
keeper person in charge OF such house or room shall
NH
weekly which money shall he delivered to the Clerk OF
the Board of Health subject TO the order Of sad Board
ANY persOn violating disobcyDg the order OF such
physician or obsructing hinderlng or preventing nm
from dsehargng his duties as herein pTeseroe sali
he deemed guilty Of misemeanor and be fined not less
than $40 provided that any person may Witnlh thee
Of aid pbyseia to the Board Of Health which shall
hereupo grant hearing To such person. and it action
thereon shall be final the premises, and disobedence
of any order therein made punishable as an this section
psrC The Police Justice shall have power 10 order
that any female convicted before him for violation OF the
provisions Of this any other ordinance or the city SHAH
he committed TO the House of Correction herein pro-
yided for and during the term Of her imprisonment and
the fines IL any collected from any person so committed
shall paid the Clerk Of the Board Of Health for the
&c g. The Board OF Police Commissioners, upon re-
HTc. any house OF ill-fane within any locality they may
rom time time designate, or the keeper OF which dso
beys any their lawful orders; and each keeper OF any
bawdy house house OF fame II assignaton and any
person interested in keeping the same or In any rents or
pronts derived theTeffOm who shall continue 70 keep o
tolerate the keeping Of any such house after notice served
upon him or by order Of said Board or either " them
AID any such person any bawd, COuresan or lfosl
tte WHO snail disobey any lawful order issued ~ tie
Board OF Health, shall he deemed gun. ni "a iho
mcanor, and be fined not less thah S- r. % 49,, ~
sEC g. Each physician appointed by Tue b91 ttu VI
Health as prescribed by section OF tna -
SHALL in addition to the eNanhhxg is,, o"V sch
from each keeper Of any house Of III aine anu il' ~
urostitute as may DC fixed or pfeso IiDed Dy tne
cab oiutlV with the Board Of Police Commits ~ n
such fees shall be known as h0spltal cues a bli bod
Maid 10 the Clerk OF the Board ot hs1i i THo ~
tbe same subject 10 the order Of said loaiu -, poce
SEC The SAID Board OF h.alth anu mi nbvsClans
Comus.iouer~ as well as It's agents hnu fhs urost
-, a. ~, ali manner means to reclaim any Oh 'ne pLn
int. and lead them to tbe path oil W a.Ss Iea1in
Uerefcre make dicent inquiries mo thV iSt ~
~ nrnstiiutiou and shall Immediately i'i ~ 60 80,
Ucious circumstances TO Tie H3sIa h,e i'm ali uroner
ways. ..fo,s a. well "A slIch other