Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-02-22
Brief Statements by Attorneys
Only Discussion of Matter
Before the City Council Last
Night.
ALDERMEN DIVIDE ON
MATTER OF REFERENCE
Petition Finally Goes TO Special
Committee as Against Police
Committee, Mayor Casting
Deciding Vote.

Aside from brief statements by
Judge Edward A. Mann, attorney
for the petitioners. ana BY Attorney w.
q. Hcacock, who stated that he rep
resented property owners in the North
Third street district, there was nc
discussion before the city council or by
councilmen last night, of the merits
of the petition for the closing up of
the red light district which was pre-
serted, bearing the signatures of
about one hundred and forty proper
ty owners. business men n others,
the Signers being chiefly those owning
property in North First. Second. third
and Fourth streets and in the sur
rounding district.
Some ten or twelve Of the signers Of
the petition We're present at the
meeting ana Immediately after the
petition had beer read Mayor Lest
ter indicated that the council was
ready to near any statements that
those present might care to make.
Judge Mann, representing the petition
crs. after thanking the council for
tho courtesy. urged immediate action
on the petition. He stated that the
existence Of the district rs now locat-
ed is q dctTimcnt lot only to proper
ty in and around the district. but also
to the city as a whole. lie urged its
presence in the center of the business
section MS a rcturding influence on the
city's growth. The laws of the ter
ritory, he said, provided a remedy and
made it the duty OF the city council
to take action for the suppression OF
such districts either in the city limits
or within one mile OF he limits. He
quoted briefly from territorial stat
utes in support OF his contention. call
ing attention especially to the provis-
ions Of chapter "a or the laws of 1901
with amendments Which make it the.
duty of city officials TO act in such
cases. He said il was also the duty
of the district attorney, as well as Of
the city marshal to file informations
where Violations of this law could be
shown. He said also that the city ord
inances provided ample remedies and
gave the council full power to act.
- hope" said Judge Mann. in con
Guiding. that you viii not refer this
petition 70 a committee and pigeon
hole il. as Is sometimes done by COM
mittees in our legislatures, ana we
hope that you VIII act at nee to rid
the city of this %retarding influence on
its growth.
Alderman Auge. was the only coun-
Gilman to speak upon the petition and
his remarks were very brief. lie SAID
that the petition asked for the rel
moval OF the district leom North Third
street II desired to Know what right
the council would have TO move il &c
any other cttion of Tho city.
Attorney w. e. Heacock then adj
dressed the council briefly. Stating
that he represented property owners
on North Third street and in the sur
rounding section; he stated that he
ed it the duty of the council
TO refer the petition to a committee.
He said that in the open meeting of
the council was no place to discuss
matter and hat 1t should go to a
whore it could be present
ed from all sides, Discussing the law
of 1901 he stated that that law, which
provides no house of ill-rcpute shall
be conducted within seVen hundred
feet of any church, school, place of
meeting, lodge room, etc, had
been prepared and passed at the in
stance of the Masonic lodge of Albu-
and that the law had been
prepared by the late W. Il. Childers.
or ut his instance, in behalf of the
Masonic order. Alderman Wroth cor
rectcd this statement n Mr.. Heal
cock accepted the correction. He said
however, hat his impression was that
the law meant that action should be
only upon petition of the church.
or other organization affected
and that the law had never been in
vokcd by any organization here.
This is not the time. nor is this the
place. said Mr.. IIeacock III
concluding, ITO take up this matter.
"AH we ask is that it lie heard in
committee and That it take its rcgu-
ar course
This position met the approval 81
he council, for Alderman Beaver i'm
ncdiately moved that h POSITION bn
to a special committee 81
hrec or five, later making Ills mutton
or three committeeman.
This was amended by Alderman
yroth who stated that the matter was
,rimarily one OF police jurisdiction
nd that the petition therefore belong
"a TO hat committee. He amcnded
o that affect.
Mayor Lester said that upon the
round Of consistency the petition
hould go to the grievance committee.