Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-13
DREAM IS BLASTED
Chicago Girl Who Comes Here to
Shine Before the Foot.
lights.
IOWA THEATRE THE WORSE EVER
Says She Could Not Stand Life
Now There is to Be an
Investigation.

brick building of one story in height
erected last summer at the Dav-
export end of the Rock ISL
and bridge, is in fair way to
come into discredit with the authori-
ties over there. In fact, Mayor Beck
err states his intention of serving no.
tice on Manager Clay Woodward that
| if he doesn't "cut OUT some of the
features of the establishment his Ii
cense will be revoked. p,
The pitiful experience of little Anita
Ray, who stood the strenuous life of
the Iowa for three nights, happily
without taking the full course pre-
scribed at the resort, has served to
call attention to the theatre and re
veal to the authorities that there is
a lot going on at the amusement
house that is not advertised on the
bills.
Miss Rays Story.
Miss Ray is n pretty girl with
sweet soprano voice, who quit her 81
week job at Marshall Fields in Chi
cago to sing in concert halls, because
she was assured that she could earn
SIS a week that way. She had had
little experience in the business in
Chicago, and told Police Matron Hill
that the concert halls there were
models of virtue and propriety beside
what she had found here.
1t was last Friday night, after L
O'Clock, when the evening perform
ance at the Iowa was over, that Po-
lice Matron Hill was called to her
door and found there the little song
stress from Chicago, who pleaded for
shelter because, she said. she could
not stand the life at the Iowa. She
was admitted and told her story.
On the previous Tuesday, she said,
she had come to Davenport, having
been informed by theatrical en-
ployment agency that she could get
IN engagement at the Iowa. She had
had young lady friend in Chicago
the daughter of Methodist clergy
man, who had gone on the concert
stage, and she was told that this
friend was here and was singing at
the Iowa. IF she can work there"
she said, II thought l certainly could
for Jennie was always Il good girl
when / knew her."
A Sad Shock.
% MISS nay came on TO davenport,
thrilled with anticipation of joining
her girl friend. What was her aston
ishment, she says, in telling her sor-
rowful story, to find the girl the night
of her arrival, at the Iowa, drunk and
bearing evidence of having fallen far
from the moral plane of her former
life. Miss Ray says she also found
that after the performance it was a
part of her job to go into the boxes
with the men who fingered after the T
show and boom the drinking trade of
the house. In other words, she was
to barter smiles for drinks and drink
with all the men until their thirst
gave out or she was under the table.
The capacity of the men down that +
way, she also said, was practically |
limitless for both lingering and drink
ing.
Her protest was met with the answer
that she could do as she was told or
get out into the street. Having spent
the S. which she brought with her for
a dress, and being entirely penniless,
she took the drink course. Living in
the house, however, and conforming
to all the regulations of the place,
she says, was more than she woult
do.