The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-19
BELL ST. EYESORE |
WEST END PEOPLE PLEAD FOR
SOME RELIEF.



A delegation of six or seven Of the
leading citizens of West End waited
on Mayor league yesterday. asking
that the women of evil rcpute who
now have their homes on Bell Street
be compelled to remove to some other
portion of the city, urging that all the
residents Of that section are compelled
TO come to the business district over
the Bell Street bridge. passing by the
disorderly houses.
The matter was discussed at some
length by the delegation. which includ-
ed two ministers, a physician and 9TH
er citizens Of West End. and by the
Mayor. No decision regarding the mat
ter was reached, as a legal question
was raised that could not be settled
off-hand. and 1t was referred to the City
Attorney for advice. This question was
whether the city has the legal right to
dispUssess tenants who have paid their
rent, OF to force the vacation OF Prop
erty that the owner does not desire to
have vacated.
II have grave doubts as to the legal
right of the city to force the women
in question to move from Bell Street"
said the Mayor after the conference.
but the people of West End certainly
have my sympathy and will have my
aid in every manner possible"
There is one thing that we can do in
the matter, no matter what the City
Attorney may find we have the legal
right to do about the dispossessing of
the property That is to see that the
law Is strictly enforced there. And.
unless the city Attorney finds we have
more rights than 1t now seems, and can
entirely rid that street of the undesir-
able women, shall see that the police
department pays more attention to that
street than has been done in the past
The people of that section either
have to cross railroad tracks In that
section OF the city. which is danger
Gus Undertaking. or they arc compelled
to come over the Bell Street bridge
The street cars run over 1t, wagons
come over 1t. and all pedestrians,
whether men, women or children, must
walk over it, 1t seems a shame that
they must come through street like
Bell Street now Is.
But II we cant clear the street of
the evil women, we can at least make
them observe the law. and / propose to
see that In the future. IL nothing more
can be done, the women keep a proper
demeafior and conduct their places in
the right kind Of a manner. II they
do not, we will see what merit there Is
in the Recorders Court"
A petition along similar lines. with
respect to their portion OF the city, was
filed with the City Council Monday
evening by a number OF citizens of the
eastern section of the city, asking for
the removal OF the women OF evil repute
from that district
An ordinance, 1t will be recalled. was
introduced in the Council some weeks
ago, providing for the restricting OF
the district In which these women may
reside 1t was referred to a commit
tee, where 1t still peacefully reposes.
A suggestion along similar lines wats
made by Mayor league yesterday in
discussing the problem with an Adver-
tiser representative. He gave 1t as his
| opinion that while the city might not.
perhaps. have the right to injure the
property In a certain district by enact
| ing legislation that would force all
women of evil repute to live In that
particular neighBorhood, II might with
entire propriety. prohibit the women
| from making their appearance upon
certain streets of the city. and might
also prohibit them from residing upon
those or other streets in the better por-
lions of the city.
There is an ordinance which provides
a heavy penalty for property owners
who lease their places for immoral
purposes. All discussion of this prob
\ lem has ignored this ordinance. So far
as the police are concerned 1t is a
| dead letter law"