The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-07-14
DRIVEN AWAY
FROM SPOKANE

The Press today received the
following communication and re.
quest that it be printed. Its
charges are urgently referred to
Mayor Moore and Chief of Police
Rice. That prospective citizens
should have cause to form such
opinions of Spokane is a matter
that demands instant attention.
Editor Press-Kindly print in
your paper the enclosed article on
Spokane as viewed by man who
was lured out here with the idea
that Spokane was a moral city,
that sporting women were driven
from your midst. was very much
impressed with Spokane at first,
but when I can't walk through the
streets of your town without be.
ing asked to accompany some
painted female to her room l
think that 1t is no place for man
with family OF young girls to
make his home. Spokane is GER
tainly wonderful city with Won
derful future; It should be a place
where a person could rear his fam
lily without them coming in daily
contact with women of the under
world. Truly yours, George Muir
ray, Frankfort. Kansas.
Having heard of the wonderful
city of Spokane through literature
sent out by the chamber of COM
merce and desiring to come West
and make my home, | left sunny
Kansas on June / and arrived in
to believe that Spokane was a city
of homes and moral city. 1t had
man for mayor who was pos
sessed of Roosevelt ideas; that
there was no box rustling; no
women In saloons; variety theaters
wiped out, in fact it was the one
city in the United States wherein
man should go to rear his fam
lily far removed from the denS Of
iniquity.
was very much impressed with
Spokane and it's wonderful posi-
bilities. made inquiries as to its
schools, churches and also as to it's
moral standing. In regard to its
moral standing | received some
very evasive answers SO | decided
to investigate for myself.
While standing on the corner of
Post and Riverside one evening
was approached by handsomely
gowned young woman, who adj
dressed me as sweetheart and
asked me to accompany her to her
room. | questi med her briefly and
was informed that she roomed at
the Spencer house opposite Daven-
ports restaurant. She also in
formed me that the girls who for
merly inhabited the cribs were
carrying on their business same as
before only they We're not COM
PEELED to occupy the restricted dis
trict.
then asked her about the police
restrictions and she said there are
none. l asked her it she were not
afraid of the police raiding the
rooming houses and she replied,
"You need never be afraid of that
as long as they get their money.
Most of the rooming houses pay for
protection"
Since the event | have just mar
rated, | have been approached
three or four times by women Of
the underworld on the main streets
right under the eyes of the police.
l find that the rooming houses are
very corrupt and cater only to that
class of trade. | find that women
are not allowed to drink in sa-
looms but are allowed to enter res
taurants and drink and carouse
with impunity at all hours of the
day or night The heart of Spo-
kane is honeycombed with lewd
women openly plying their nefari-
Gus business.
What is your reform mayor do
ing to alter this state of affairs?
What has he done? Why do we
not hear of any more reforms?
There certainly is room for i'm
provement and before | or any of
my friends could possibly think of
residing in a city like Spokane,
under the present state of affairs
| would rather stay in sunny Kan
sas for the remainder of my days