The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-29
HIDING BEHIND
PETTICOATS IN
RED LIGHT DEAL
BaCkerS of Belle London's
Project Remain DiscreetIy
in the Background.
CITY ADMINISTRATION
APPEARS TO BE FIXED
TONE OF LOCAL UNDERWORLD
TO BE GENTLY BUT FIRM
LY IMPROVED.


Salt Lakes underworld is to be re
/ formed by the leading exponent Of
/ Ogden's underworld. That is the prom
uganda with which Mrs D. B. Topham.
whose other name is Belle London.
hopes to beat down all opposition 10
the plan TO move Salt Lakes tender
/ loln from the heart Of the city to the
/ location selected on the west side i'm
the block bounded by First and Sec
ond South streets and Fourth and Fifth
| West streets
Mrs. TOpham's idea is 10 lift Salt
Lakes social outcasts TO the high plane
achieved by the similar elements in
/ the Junction city through her influ-
ence.
Mrs. Topham's method does not en-
brace the teaching of ethical culture.
but the placing of the rule of the ten
derloin firmly in the hands of the po-
( Ice ard the wedding out Of danger
Gus and criminal hangeTs-on in the
| world Of the unfortunate
The Ogden woman still remains the
central figure in the movement 10 move
the tenderlOin. The financiers who have
supplied the bulk of the enormous sum
required To finance the project remain
mysteriously as members Of the Citi-
zens' Investment company, Of which
MIS- IbpIdln Is president.
Eastern Men" implicated.
Inquiry as to their identity yesterday
ELECTED this vague reply that they were
eastern men" of money. They have
no inclination TO be more specifically
described. II was said. Mrs TOpham,
who has grown rich in Ogden's Tan
/ deriOin, is not so squeamiSh and AZ
someone was needed 10 direct she took
il = IA f.rFr
years old. well preserved and without
the tell-tale lines which usually STAMP
The deniZens Of the tenderloin Size
boasts that, apart from her method OF
making money, she is respectable. She
is a widow.
There is no doubt in The minds of
the promoters that the project Of
building the new tendeTlOin will be-
carried out Ii was stated yesterday
by persons VINO had sold property TO
Mrs. TOpham's Citizens Investment
company, that the money for most OF
;he ground had been paid and thai
the ground that had been leased had
been secured with the privilege Of pur-
chase later at a stated price.
Among the residents of the district
surrounding the proposed tenderloin
there was considerable difference of
opinion yesterday concerning the pro-
ject. Some thought that the plan
should be vigorously opposed, while
others We're of the opinion that if the
tenderloin is 10 be moved from the cen
ter of the city no other location than
between the railroad tracks could be
used.
Greeks Are Complaisant.
It was reported that some of the
leaders i'm the Greek community in
West Second South street would fight
against establishing the red light
district in the west side block This
was denied by a number OF the Greek
residents of the district. They stated
that while some Of the Greeks prob
ably look with disfavor upon the enter
prise. there Is no active opposition.
1t was said that the, new tenderloin
would not drive away the Greek resi-
dents. as they have considerable money
invested I'm property there.
1t was intimated that there would
be strong opposition from the members
of the congregation of the Westmin-
ster Presbyterian church. The church
is located at 40 South Fourth West
street. in the block selected for the new
teuderlOin. 1t is situated in the ten
rod strip at the east Of the block which
was not acquired by Mrs. Tophams
Citizens Investment company and the
rear of the church property will Dor
der the tendeTlOin. Rev. Charles Cur
It's Mcintyre. pastor of the church. was
asked if his congregation would op-
pose the building of the redlight dis
trict back Of the church. He said
that ne did not know The matter he
said. had not been taken up by the
officers Of the church and he did not
know what would be done
All Lovely, Says Carter.
A r. Garter. of 533 West First South
street. who sold $40 900 worth OF prop
erty to the Citizens Investment com
pany, said yesterday that the oppOsi-
ton to the moving OF the district To
the west side block is dying out
Across the block 10 the north of The
proposed district" he said the West
ern Pacific railroad has a right OF way
When the tracks are laid. this property
viii be surrounded by railroad tracks.
The ground not used by the new red
light district will be occupied by ware
houses and such buildings. There is
no other possible location in Salt Lake
for the proposed district. Anywhere
else. east. west, north or south. there
would be many good reasons fOr the
Continued on Pace 2.