The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-07-22
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
AN EX-OFFlCIO CRIME.

Now that the mayor of kallspeI
has unequivocally recognized the eX-
istence of a .tabooed class in this
city, as a lawyer he may be able to
explain how he is justified in his po-
sition But with those respectable
property owners who are in such de-
plorable proximity to the prescribed
district he can hardly square him
self when, despite of their protests,
he and the city council have con-
scented to the construction of house
for confessedly immoral purposes
within sight and hearing Of the hon
orable residents Of Third street, and
also on the direct route to the new
school house.
Decency is outraged in the admis-
sion that such houses exist. it tends
to the perversion of good morals to
permit any addition or enlargement
of the environment of disgrace
Now that Mayor Parkhurst Logan
has gone on record in evidence of
the tenderloin he must exploit the
foul affair.
The least offensive of these OBJ
jectiOnable establishments, the va
riety theaters, were crushed and
cipal law. The frequenters of these
doubtfully moral resorts have headed
further down the line for their amuse-
ment. The change has not been a
moral benefit to the community, for
it scatters about through the town
at night hundreds Of questionable
characters who have been accustomed
to loafng and lounging about the
hospitable floors of the Stockholm
and Jerry Phillips. There they were
practically under the eye of the po-
lice now they vanish into the barns
and alleys and lumber sheds when
the graft weakens. Perhaps it was
wise for the mayor to turn them loose
upon the community; it is costly,
however, as the Jail is Overlooking
with just such seemingly harmless
hoboes who have heretofore made
their holdOut at the concert halls.
Protest follows protest against the
colonizing of the fallen women in the
midst of the residence portion of the
west side but by official proclama-
ton there they must stay, and new
houses are being built for them, and
the red curtains now faunt on the
very corners of the city's principal
thoroughfare.
The laws of city and state provide
a penalty for the owners, keepers
and occupants of houses of i'll fame
Begin at the head of the list Mr.
Mayor and commence at the extreme
limit of your so-called prescribed dis
trict and demolish these disgracefu1
resorts. Drive the occupants out OF
the city; you can do no less, having
officially recognized the presence OF
the evil.
The pitiful license extracted from
the price of shame cannot compensate
for the crime stained presence OF
these fallen women within the con
fines of the city of kalispell.
That they are here in the midst o.
this community has been verified by
your brazen declaration to the chic
of police, and it smacks of compound
ing crime against public decency tt
longer harbor these creatures of vic,
and shame, even within the ''pre
scribed" district.
There is lots of room between her,
and Demersville, even if the hegir;
does curtail the rent receipts of som,
of the city's presumably reputable
landlords.
Within the authorized limits O
the prescribed" district, a festerin
cancer upon this fair community
are held nightly orgies which ofte
continue till the hour when the brigh
sun penetrates the hooks and deaC
falls of the tenements, disclosin
mayhap to the pure and ingenuou
gaze of childhood, those blemishe
forms. and faces which cover befor
the gaze of innocence or else savag,
ly, gloweringly threaten.
The dance halls are closed as We
to the official eye of the administr
ton, but one need not be gifted wit
preternatural senses to discover tn;
a golden guinea can and does set I'll
mad whirl a-going. The professor
still holds his job and his woman
all the old stands; the nightly c
rouse is not noticeably tanned dow
by the official PRONUNCIATION of Il
burgomaster, and residents of tn
quarter, but not in that quarter co
tinue to be Inundated, embarrass,
and degraded by the shouts and il
precautions and obseenity of the me
ley crew.
And this prescribed" district is
the geographical center of Kalispe
so stated by the mayor, within Oh
block of the postofice. extending
the very street which leads to Il
public school house, surrounded {