The San Francisco call., 1906-09-13
BARbARY COAST IN
PARK SECTION,
Dives and Other Dens Of
Vice Transferred From
Lower End to Richmond
POLICE UNCONCERNED


Addition, the influence of the old ten
derloin is rapidly making for itself a
place among the homes of the best peo-
pie of the community. The revelations
as to James LAWYERS notorious saloon,
gambling hell and disorderly house are
only an instance of many such. that
can be recounted to the detriment of
the Police Department. The extent of
LAWYERS pull is well known, but there
are others who can boast of almost
as much influence.
While the people of the Western Ad-
owners in Richmond have quite as good
cause for complaint They are not
only threatened with the old Mason
street forms of vice, but with an addi-
tional evil. The old Barbary Coast
feature of San Francisco life, is to be
revived, not in the locality of its birth,
but in the rapidly growing and pro-
greSsive Richmond district.
Already many of the noisome dives
that were the marvel of strangers have
found a home in the vicinity of the
Chutes. In fact. Fulton street is lined
with every catch-penny device that ap-
peals to the untutored and ensnares the
unwary. But this is not all. The un-
fortunate creatures who have made
such places possible have been installed
on the most populous street of Rich
mond, on the only thoroughfare that
leads to the Chutes and the Orpheum.
POLICE ARE INACTIVE.
The police know that these places
exist. They know that the old habitues
of the coast have found a haven among
the gentle people of the Park district.
They know that thousands of women
and children in order to reach Golden
Gate Park must pass through the long
line of flaming red-shaded windows,
that they must intermingle with the
throng of outcastS that are constantly
passing in review, and that they must
hear the coarse jests; but such menaces
to youth of the community do not con-
Germ the guardians of the city's morals.
1t is sufficient recommendation for
police immunity that any poor creature,
no matter how low she may be- has in
f1uence enough to secure lease of
property that should be used for homes
There are no restrictions now in the
Richmond district, although Captain
Gleeson of the Park Police Station de-
clares that there are no more saloons
in the vicinity of the Chutes than there
were before the fire. He will not go
on record, however, on the disgraceful
dens that have sprung up like mush-
rooms.
GLEESON NOT INFORMED.
There may be-" he says, "a few
lodging house on Fulton street, but
they are carefully conducted and / have
heard no complaint about them The
patrolmen in that section have specific
instructions to keep careful eye on
all such resorts and to report them i'm
mediately to me. The houses of Ill
fame that did exist there have been
closed; at least, the only one that
know of, and that was conducted by
Madge Wells"
Perhaps captain Gleeson has not
been receiving accurate reports from
his officers, but The Call can place in
his hands information that a dozen
such resorts are openly conducted in
violation of the law.
Madge Wells has only temporarily
disappeared Her resort at 1892 Full
ton street is in full operation. There
are just as many of her unfortunate
hirelings in the house as there were
before her departure. Many of them
have been recruited from the army of
outcasts that made Belden place an
eyesore on the community before the
fire.
1t was believed that the flames had
rid the city of that disgraceful COM
munity which neither the apathetic
Police Department nor the tolerant
merchants could destroy. 1t was a
vain dream. Belden place has been
transferred to the homes of Richmond
and with 1T has gone the dives of Pa
cific, Jackson and Kearny streets The
new community is still uniformed The
patrolmen in the park district frankly
admit that there is an effort on the
part of the municipal authorities to
centralize vice there.
AGITATION EFFECTIVE.
The cry that has been raised in the
Western Addition has frightened the
creatures, whose timidity in the face of
public indignation is equal to their ef-
frontery when dealing with individu-
ais.
They have already begun the con-
quest of the section of the Richmond
surrounding the Chutes and they pro-
pose to hold it. The police admit that
they. cannot stop them, yet the Penal
Code makes 1t a misdemeanor for any
police officer to permit such places to
exist. 1t is the common talk of the
neighborhood that the police not only
know that the women are there but
openly frequent their houses. It is not
uncommon for patrolmen, in uniform
and in plain clothes to make the homes
Of these unfortunates a lounging place
as we'll as the scenes of drunken orgies
Still the higher police officials de-
clare that they know nothing Of them
The red lights should be enough to
convince any patrolman that the law
is being violated.
DENS LINE STREETS.
places the excuse might be sufficient,
but there are a Dozen Madge Wells
place is the least obtrusive of any The
Victoria, at 1928 Fulton street, is as
notorious place as that conducted
by Lazerine at Steiner and Turk streets
There is still another one at 2912 Full
ton street and as many more on the
avenues traversing the thoroughfare
The new Barbary Coast is located SO
close to the park that every member
of the community has a just cause of
complaint. Captain Gleeson says that
he has heard of no protests and until
the dangerous condition is taken up
by the Police Commissioners it is un-
likely that the police of the park dis
Irict will undertake to control the sit-
uation.
SELLS CITY HALL SCRAP IRON.
The Board of Works yesterday held
an auction sale of the old metal and
:. 3 1.