The morning call., 1893-06-20
THE DIVE DOORS.
Attempts to Reopen the
Vile Resorts.
WORK FOR THE MATTRESSES.
The Husbands of Some of Them
Forced to Abandon a Life
of IdleneSS.


keepers who have been refused their
licenses are not yet prepared to submit.
Attorney Carroll Cook filed three suits
Tobin. Alvord and Burns. Chief Crowley
and License Collector George w. Lee.
V. Trapani, one Of the plaintiffs, is a
divekeeper at 923 Kearny street. His
license has expired and License Collector
Lee has refused to renew 1t, acting under
the ordinance passed by the Board of
Supervisors relating to ex-colviets, Of
which Trapani is a member. Trapaui
claims that this proceeding Is in direct
violation of the constitution of the United
States, and he petitions the Superior Court
for an alternative writ of mandate against
the defendants to compel them to show
cause why his license should not be
granted.
Hattie Castner and E. Y. Castner run
dive on the Barbary Coast. They Sue a
partners, and admit that Hattie waits
upon customers and that public musical
exhibitions are given at their eSta aDlisb-
meDt. Their license has expired. and they
have been refused a renewal. So they are
desirous of upsettipg the dive ordinance
on the usual grounds. namely, that it Is
contrary TO the constitution of the United
Staies.
The third claimant is Ned Foster of the
Belln Union Theater. who maintains that
he has ceased to employ women mattresses
and does not intend to employ them again.
While the divekeepers are having re-
course to the law many of the dive girls
cling to the hope of something happening
to bring bnck their lucrative occupation.
a few of hese women have Oncluded,
however, that they can never make q liv-
ing again in San Francisco by diyework,
and are attempting to find other employ
ment. Already women have been found
courageous enough TO give them trial in
their homes, ana the various charitable
organizations that have taken the question
up are sanguine of finding more.
80 far we have had four applications for
work from girls who have come frankly
and said that they had worked in dives"
said Mrs. McFee of The Salvation Army
yesterday To a CALL reporter. "They all
seem to be hopefu cases. We have found
work for three in the country, and for one
in the city. Only this morning 1 received
a postal card from the lady who employed
one" she continued. handing card to the
reporter. which read: In very little
while | shall make clean, neat girl of
your waitress. She is intelligent and very
willing
"Of course these girls con work. The
employer of another of them told ne yes
terday that the woman was doing splen-
ddly. and she could not understand how a
girl like that ever got into a dive"
DO you expect to have much d ificulty
in finding work for all those who may
apply?" asked the reporter.
Not for the young, bright girls" re-
piled Mrs. McFee, land we can train
certain nun Der who are ignorant OF house
work in our rescue home. The fact is
that every girl who Is strong and willing
can earn living at least for herself in
California"
Tue members of the Christian Union
Mission. 729 Market street, are working
actively to solve the dive problem. By
the advice of Mayor Eilert they have sent
out the following circular letter TO hun
dreds OF citizens who they hopo may be IN
duced to help:
Dear Sir: The question of the hour ia, How
shall the grl' aud women who have recently
been thrown out of employment by the closing
OF The dives be turned back &c lives of useful
ness?
We propose, II the citizens generally Will
come to our aid, TO assist all those who desire
10 ma employmeut by openlng free employ
ment bureau, where they can register and.
WIN The aid OF ladies interested, secure them
positions.
Where they Iack the qualifications to occupy
useful positions III VIII b taken into our
nome" temporarily and instructed how TO do
housewoTk. sewing, eic.
We are ready 10 rake up this work, and an
neal to the citizens generally 10 assist ia
financially. A COMMITTEES of ladies' has taken
the matter In hand aud will call on you 10 assist
In the WORK.
Hoping for your CO. oreration. yours respect
fuly, REV. j. q. ADAMS, President
JIG. CHOWN, Financial Secretary.
The ladies' of the committee are: Mrs.
\. q. Balentine. Mrs. H. Ii. Bruins, Mrs.
Y. 9. Mason.
Ine committee on dives proposes TO
meet committee from the Women Wait
ers' Benevolent aud Protective Union to
n aoii RaI
yesterday to CALL representative. "The
women all over the city are alive on this
question. and we hope that the men will
be alive. as far a finances are concerned"
she continued. hopefully.
we are 10 meet the Mayor on the first
OF next month 10 see what pecuniary help
he can give us. The opening up of the
Christian Union Mission is one OF the first
things We propose to do"
Ihe Woman's Alliance also has n COM
mittee In the field working on the dive
question. The members of the committee
are: Mrs: Ballentine. Mrs. Harnish. Mis-.
smith and Mrs Jennings. These ladies'
are very hopeful. because five applications
nave already been received from persons
willing to take dive mattresses into their
homes as domestics.
AS soon as | saw the matter in the
papers" wrote one lady. 81 considered it
my duty as n Christian woman TO empIoy
one OF those girls rather than Japanese"
And 1t seems that others are willing TO
follow her example.
The question What is to become of
the girts?' is settling itself in some in
stances. CALL reporter interviewe n
young woman yesterday who for three
years has supported her husband from her
earnings as n dive waitress. He is living
upon his own earnings now, for the dive
where his wife worked is closed
He earns so little, compared to what
did, and he suffers terribly when he has
got to work, for he is not strong" OBJ
served tho long-suffering wife, compass
sionately. 1t was evident that the gentle
man in question had almost forgotten no W
to work, but up to the present his wife
said, hopefully, the renewed labor was not
preyi1g upon his constitution