The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-09-06
VICTORIA ALLEY
Up TO POLICE
4. Fred Wey Insists That Moi
some Place Be Cleaned
Out.
VOICES A GENERAL DEMAND
AUTHORITIES SEEK NEW LoCA-
TON FOR THE RESORTS.

The general demand for a cleanup of
Victoria alley has increased since the
raid of a few days ago. when twenty-one
denizens Of that street were arrested. A
concerted effort will be made by the prop
erty holders in the same block to have
all of the disreputable resorts in this
block removed. This morning A. Fred
Wey, proprietor of the Wilson hotel will
call on Chief Mckenzie and ask why it
is not possible to drive the obnoxious
characters from this street. In case the
police decline to act he may commence
suit for damages against the property
owners of the alley.
The only draw back to the removal of
these characters from this street lies in
the fact that the police can find no place
TO put them. The answer to this demur-
rer Of the police is that Salt Lake is
already Overburdened with an extraor-
dinarily large number of this class and the
reduction of the population by a score
or more would certainly do no harm to
the city. In discussing the situation last
evening, Captain John b. Burbidge said:
The social evil is the greatest prob
lem with which the police have to deal
There is no question but that these wO-
men should be removed from the district
which they now occupy, and especially
from Victoria alley. The only thing that
prevents this being done is the fact that
we have no place TO put them Although
they are violating the law and could be
punished for their Offense and, L sup
pose. be prevented from plying their
trade, such course would be imprac-
ticable in a city the size of Salt Lake.
The only thing left to do then is to seq
regate them.
Seeking New Location.
I'VE are now searching for a place to
which we can remove these women They
should be removed from Commercial
street and Victoria alley to some place
centrally located in order that it might
WI al 10 far
enough away from the respectable bust
ness center These women are constant
~ being preyed upon by the avarice of
the landlords and by their own Jealousy
the eXhorbitant rents of such men as
SHELL but the women won't accept our
protection. We have told Smell and the
women that no rent should be higher than
$3.50 a day When we investigate the
conditions in respect TO the rents each
woman invariably shows US a receipt for
$3.50, although we are satisfied that the
actual amount she is paying is much
more than that"
A. W. Winberg. agent for J. J. Smell.
in a communication to The Herald, at
tempt5 to defend or rather to apologize
for the Illegal traffic in which he and his
employer are engaged. He says that only
ordinary roOming house prices for that
vicinity are charged, although II is
worth more to deal with that class" He
said that In some instances 50 day is
charged. while in other cases less
amount is collected. He points out that
the furniture has to be renewed each
year and that the water and electric
light bills are paid out of the bonuses
collected from the women.
Backs Up Movement.
Mr. Winberg, however, cOncurs in the
general demand for the removal of all
the resorts on the alley, insisting that
the larger resorts as we'll as the smaller
ones be forced to move These larger
houses, he said, were the greatest nui-
sance because the occupants were noiser
and because in these houses piano play
ing was allowed, while il was prOhib
tied in the smaller places. In part he
says:
IF clean sweep is to be made of this
avenue, the larger houses should go too,
so that good tenants can be obtained,
and the sooner this result is accomplished
the better it will suit But so long as
the larger houses are allowed to remain
open decent tenants for these houses can
not be obtained. and it will therefore be