The record-union., 1891-04-30
LICENSES FOR DIVES.
The Notorious Rosebud" Den of
Thieves Said to Have One.
Judge Cravens Makes a war-Talk Be-
fore the City Trustees-Harbor-
master and Health officer.

1t will never be possible to purify the
slums of this city until the City Trustees
shall brace up, put forth the power vested
in them, and wipe out the dives and hell
holes that disgrace the community by
harboring thieves, cut-throats, prosti-
tutes, opium fends, and all manner of
criminal and degraded human beings.
That body some months ago made
little squirt and passed an ordinance pro-
viding for the revocation of licenses
granted to disorderly places where
liquors are sold, and also for the refusal of
licenses to persons establishing new
dives. The ordinance was contested and
defeated in the local courts, but since
then both the Supreme and Circuit Courts
have rendered decisions upholding a
similar ordinance passed by the munic-
ipal authorities Of San Francisco.
Yet no effort has been made by the
Trustees of this city to put their ordi-
nance into force, and licenses are issued
and the dives continue to breed criminals
as Of yore.
At the special meeting of the City Trus-
tees yesterday Mayor C0mstock called at
tcntion to the fact that license had Just
been issued to some person to reopen the
Rossa Rosebud dive on l. street, and
called upon Police Judge Cravens to ex-
plain the law governing the power of the
City Trustees to control the issuance of
licenses.
Judge Cravens referred to the ordinance
IN force requiring any person desiring
licenses to run saloons TO present petitions
to the board, accompanied by bonds for
the good conduct of the place, and read
from the decisions Of the Supreme and
Federal Courts as TO the power of local
legislative bodies to refuse to issue licen-
ses, or to revoke licenses previously
issued, and held that there was no queS-
ton as to the right of the Trustees to re-
fuse or revoke any licenses they might
deem proper. He said that there is now
State law on the subject that is even
stronger than the ordinance.
AT THE OLD STAND.
The Judge said he learned on the pre-
ceding day that license had been issued
to one Welch to reopen the Rosebud"
dive, and he had no doubt the place
would be the headquarters of thieves and
low characters of both sexes, as it had
been III the past. The board had the right
TO have all such places closed by the
police by refusing to allow the license to
remain in force. The police, said Judge
CraVenS, have enough TO do without haV-
ing such breeding places of crime allowed
to flourish in the city. The ordinance,
he said, IS a proper one, and should be
enforced. In nearly all cities of the East
similar ordinances are in force to regu-
late the sale Of liquors.
The matter was discussed at some
length, Judge Cravens saying that the en-
forcement of the law could work no hard
ship on any person engaged in the saloon
business. He knew of several saloons
that were conducted so properly that he
(the judge would have no hesitancs in
going on the bonds of their proprietors
nor in signing their petitions for liceuses.
Trustee COnklin suggested that the mat
ter before the board be submitted for the
present to the Mayor, who could consult
with the City Attorney and License Col
lectOr on the subject.
The suggestion was adopted.
ELECTION OF HARBoRMAsTER.
Mr.. Conklin called up the matter of
electing Harbormaster, and nominated
the incumbent, \. A. kidder.
Mr.. Mclaughlin wanted the matter laid
over until the next regular meeting.
Mr.. Conklin's motion was carried, and
Captain kidder was elected, all the MEM
berS voting aye.
Mr.. Mclaughlin gave notice of a mo-
ton to reconsider.
CONCERNING THE HEALTH OFFICER.
In regard to the matter of electing
Health Officer, the Mayor asked that it be
allowed to lay over until the City Board
of Health shall organize and recommend
somebody for the place.
Mr.. Conklin thought the duties of
Health Officer and those of Building In
spector should be clearly defined and seq
regated. If the city is to have a Health
Officer, he should be under the control of
the Board of Health, and look after the
sanitary condition and health of the CITY.
phil
would vote to have one appointed for
time.
A TILT ABOUT SIDEWALKS.
The discussion then became somewhat
general, and sidewalks, awnings, ETC..
were talked of, and Trustee Mclaughlin
gave notice that at the next meeting he
would introduce an ordinance to repeal
the one now in force requiring all old
sidewalks, when removed, to be replaced
by stone or cement. He said he was
prompted to do this on the ground that
the Mayor had shown, by his vote on the
Chandler sidewalk matter, that he was
opposed to Improvement in that line.
Mayor Comstock replied that, in his
opinion, property-owner should be al
lowed to put down any kind of sidewalks
they please. He did not think it right, he
said, for the city to dictate in q matter of
that kind.
Both Trustees Mclaughlin and Conk-
lin reminded the Mayor that-whatever
his opinion might be-there was a law on
the subject, and that it should be en-
forced. Mr. Conklin said it would never
do to allow each property-owner to lay
any kind of sidewalk he pleased.
Nothing was done about appointing a
Building Inspector or Health Officer. but
the board proceeded to choose the fifth
member of the
BOARD OF HEALTH.
Mr.. Mclaughlin voted for DR.. G. G..
Tyrrell, Mr.. Conklin voted for DIR. Bald
win, and the Mayor would have voted
for DR.. II. l.. Nichols, but said it was no
use to do so, hence he voted for Dr. TYR
rell, and the latter was elected.
After some further informal talk the
Trustees adjourned until o'clock to-day,
contracts for street-sprinkling.
Real Estate Transfers.
The following real estate transfers have