The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-22
SHOULD BE CLOSED
Vile Resort Run in Gnise of a
Club.
Canadian" Club Is Sign on the
Door.
SUCCESSOR OF THE OWL
Also Has All the Degrading,
Disgusting Features.
Young Girls and Women Are
Among Frequenters.

The CANADIAN club, a resort operated
at 313 Kansas avenue, by Bob" Pigg
ct al. bids fair to rob the Owl restau-
rant of it's reputation for being the
toughest joint in the city. in fact it has
already succeeded to the major por-
ton of the custom OF the denizens of
the tenderloin district of the city. The
place is up stairs over wholesale
cheese house and is the location for
merly occupied by Mary Chesney be-
fore she was compelled to close by
the officers.
A heavy oak door built during the
time of Chief Stahl to resist his door
battering raids protects the entrance
from the street, though this is left open
and electric lights in the hallway show
a broad flight Of stairs nicely carpeted
leading to the den above. At the head
of the stairs is another door and on
this one is q battered sign on which
is painted the information that the
within resort is dignified by the name
Canadian Club" though in reality it is
nothing but a joint and one of the low
est kind.
Sometimes this door at the head Of
the stairs is open but more often 1t IS
locked and then to gain admission to
the club it is necessary for the thirsty
one to knock and wait until he is In
spected thu ough a peephOle by watery
eye which is pressed against the open
ing from the inside. If the seekers
fer admission wear the distinguishing
characteristics Of the underworld they
are admitted, or If the eye at the peep
hole recognizes them as belonging to
the good feller' crowd they are also
welcomed.
TO assist in the idea that the place
is a club few keys have been distribu-
ted among chosen few who bear the
proud distinction of belonging to the
canadian club, and may gain admis-
sion without giving the alarm. The
tn oil
ted to age, sex, color or previous con-
dition Of servitude and the door swings
easily on its hinges to any one who
choose to enter.
Once inside the scene changes and is
as varied az the hours of the day or
night The earlier hours Of the day
are monorolized. by the janitors who
are kept busy until noon removing the
evidences of last nights struggle be-,
tween soberness and drunkenness on
the part Of the patrons of the place.
And there is always plenty Of evidence
that drunkenness, With it's disgusting
the previous night.
Later in the day the freCuenters of
the den who sleep until the nOOne hour
begin to drop in for their -'eye open
ers" and to kind,e the fires for the
NIGHTS debauch. OF course there is
bar. which Of late has been doing a
thriving business where whisky Of the
vilest kind is passed out to the patrons
beer being prepared Tor the use of the
lady patrons of the place, for nrost
of them seem to prefer the product Of
the brewery to that of the still.
Tables are scattered about the place
and here the more brazen of the Wo-
men lounge with their men compan-
ions listening to the latest thing in
risque stories or RECALLING them with
stories of their more recent esca padeS.
For the women who have not lost all
of their respect there are private"
rooms where with their com panions
they may seek seclusion and avoid the
gaze of the curious while their drinks
are delivered to them by the bar
tenders assistant.
BY way of amusements one room is
reserved for dancing and here nightly
congregate the low women of the city
who stimulated by drink dance the
low, filthy dances of the tenderloin
district. In one corner of the room a
tin pan variety of a mechanical piano
is kept running constantly and during
the later hours OF the night it's strains
drift out into the still air and may be
heard for a block in either direction.
Som etimes it is the colored man who
does duty as tanitor who pounds
noises from Its oak case and some.
times some of the women frequenters
of the place who have seen different
days hold the position on the piano
stool.
Providing that the negro is busy
of the ladies volunteer to perform at
the piano the bartender slips a nickel
in the slot prepared for it and the
piano automatically grinds out five
cents worth of rag time. or one of the
popular airs of the day while the
1ourRers join in singing the chorus.
A great deal of complaint has been
made about the place on account of
the young girls who are permitted to
frequent ii. They go down town
nights. particularly Saturday nights.
with their sweethearts and their par
ents suppose that they are attending a
show. or visiting with friends and in
stead of either they find their way to
the Canadian Club" where the sights
are new and fascinating to them.
This Is but one of three or four such
places that exist in the city, most OF
them being in upstairs rooms and be-
low Fourth street on Kansas avenue
and all of them dignihed with high
sounding names and known as clubs.