Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-22
RESORTS MUST CLOSE
Section South of the Avenue to
Be Cleared.
NOTICE SERVED BY POLICE
Call ON Occupants to Vacate Within
Sixty Days.
DIFFICULT QUESTIONS. ARISE
Authorities Confronted With Problem
of Dissemination or Segregation
IF Houses-Protests Received.
NOTICE SERVED BY POLICE
DIFFICULT QUESTIONS. ARISE

u hOuSeS-1rOLeSCS neCe1Veu.
Twelfth and 18th streets between the
Mall and Pennsylvania avenue have been
cleared of the disreputable houses, and
the police OF the first precinct II Is stated.
have now served notice on the propre-
tresses of the resorts on 1871 street that
they must move close their houses
within the next sixty days. This latest
move, 1t is believed, is the beginning of
an effort on the part of the authorities to
move the Objectionable resorts from the
area in which they are now located. Where
they are to go is a question that Is agi-
tatiDg the minds of some of the District
officials. Residents OF almost every sec
ton of the city, it is thought. will oppose
the opening of such resorts in their neigh
borhoOds. and the authorities realize that
wholesale removal of such resorts or
the opening of similar places upon large
scale in any locality is sure to call forth
complaints. a number of such places are
already in existence on Delaware avenue
southwest, 1t is stated. While it seems
that such places are to be permitted along
the line of Delaware avenGe near the ter
ritory in which the steam railroad tracks
are located, no official in authority Is will
ing to admit that the removal of the al
legged disreputable people to that section
is to be sanctioned.
Difficulty of Undertaking.
The police realize that 1t is practically
impossible for them to force the occupants
OF the houses In the present so-called obi
vision to move out in any great numbers
and 90 to a particular section, but many
OF the proprietresses of such houses realize
that they will probably have to move from
their present premises in a short time. So
far as the handling of the so-called social
evil is concerned. 1t Is stated. the matter Is
entirely in the hands of the District Com
missloners the police being subject to their
orders. 1t Is stated that the matter of
what to do with the resorts has claimed the
attention of the officials upon more than
one occasion. but the only orders the police
have received in connection with them Is
to raid them when they get beyond certain
bounds. They have also been directed to
have the houses on the streets mentioned
closed in order that persons living south of
the Mall could reach the business section
without the possibility of being subjected
TO embarrassment
Objectionable to Passengers.
With 18th and 18th streets among the
principal thoroughfares between the two
sections of the city closed the owners of
property and the occupants OF the houses in
that section thought they were not to be
disturbed for some years to come, but the
construction of the Mount Vernon and
Alexandra electric road through that terri
tory made quite change in aHairs. These
cars pass over 18th, 1874, and ID streets
and the houses upon three of these streets
have proved objectionable to many patrons
OF the car line, 18th street being the one
that is free from such resorts. 1t Is be-
Heved that when the police have closed the
houses 1871 street they will begin
similar move on and d streets. taking
one street at a time The work of getting
them out OF the present section Is to be
done gradually and not by the wholesale,
as the removal OF them en- masse, 1t is
thought. would certainly cause objection to
be registered by respectable residents In
other localities and would interfere with the
plans of the authorities.
To get the resorts from the present loca-
ton Is a comparatively easy matter. but
getting them located elsewhere is an en-
tirely different matter. 1t had been
argued that the presence OF the Post
Office Department, the District build
ing and the prospects of other public
buildings being erected in that section Is
being considered by those who are in favor
OF cleaning up these places from their
present location. Postmaster General Cor
telyou became actively interested some time
ago. when II was proposed to establish
saloon near the present Post Office Depart
ment building, and, 1t Is stated, he VIII
made to ill houses in the vicinity of the
building with disreputable persons. Those
who have watched the matter during the
past few years are of the opinion that the
time will soon be reached when the present
6isreputable occupants OF the houses In the
section mentioned absolutely must go. 1t
Is realized that their being forced to go 70
other sections will greatly affect property
values In the area where they are now
located and cause decrease In rentals.
Some OF the houses there. 1t is stated COM
mand more rent at this time than do houses
of the same size and style In the best locali-
ties.
Order Caused CONSERVATION.
present occupants It 4. thought It may be
some time before they will be occupied. un-
less they are converted into flats or rented
10 a poorer class of persons. In such
case the rental would hardly be anything
like what It is at this time. 1t is stated
that some OF the ordinary three-story brick
houses there rent for more than 800 a
month. The recent order of the police, II
10 understood. has caused CONSERVATION
among the residents IN that section as well
as among those who own the property.
and II Is thought EFFORT may be made
by influential friends OF the owners of the
property there to have the order rescinded.
This. however, viii probably not be accom-
plished. as there seems to be a disposition
on the part OF the officials to see that such
houses in the section where they have so
long been tolerated shall be closed forever
for such purposes.
A District official. in conversation with a
Star reporter last night. said he thought
that all the houses Will have to be closed
IN the near Many or the occupants,
he said. have already become alarmed and
left that section. Some OF them, he stated,
have gone to the Delaware avenue neigh
borhood and some have gone to other sec
tons. He recalled that an effort was made
10 close the houses some years ago and not
20 permit them TO open elsewhere At that
fine he said. they were scattered about
tho city. number of them attempting to
conduct places in reputable neighborhoods
This time. however. II Is said. there will be
no reason for them to scatter about differ
ent neigtfborhoods.
The revival OF the question as to what Is
best to be done with this class OF houses
has renewed the discussion about the fall
ure OF such persons to pay retail liquor
licenses. The Internal revenue license, 1t
Ia stated. ts paid By many OF the occupants
OF the houses In the section referred to
bnt mono OF them pays a retail license Their
failure to pay this. IL Is thought Is due to
the refusal OF the authorities to grant such
lieenses. as such action. the authorities
Think. would be q legal recognition of via