The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-01
RENO, NEVADA, IS
DIVORCE CENTER
Husbands and Wives Flock to
-Tg- Clearing House
FROM ALL THE WORLD
The Interesting Little Western City
Has Only a Population of $4,000
and Has More Than Thirty
Prosperous Hotels

toward Wnlch every day thousands or
eyes turn longingly, with the silent or
expressed desire, "oh, If I could only get
therel'
: Reno the refuge of disappointed hopes,
the tower of deliverance from bonds
which have grown hateful, the open gate
way into country OF new dreams and
endeavor
What would our newspapers be without
Reno? Even those who disapprove of
Reno the most never fail to read a story
dated from there, If only for the pleas
ant Utilization of being shocked.
Reno is wonderful clearing house for
those of us who take an interest in the
diverting, scandalous goings-on of our
rich neighbors, and for those sardonic
souls who point morals to all stories of
frailty, Reno furnishes endless material.
There Is an apprehension in certain
quarters that dire fate is already casting
its shadow over Reno and that all this
shall soon be at an end. The fiat has
gone forth. say certain leaders in Nevada,
that Reno shall no longer be known as
the divorce center of the world, and the
election this coming November may re-
oblivion into which Sioux Falls has al
ready sunk.
Governor Favors Change
| In the last legislature bill was intro
duced making the residence necessary for
| filing divorce proceedings one year, in
| stead of six months, as is now the law.
| The governor Is a stanch supporter of
| this change, and as he stands for re-
election this year it is very probable that
this may be made an issue OF the cam
paign. Several of the justices are in
favor of the measure. and there is a
| growing sentiment that Reno has gained
under the present statute an unenviable
reputation throughout the country.
| Yet, what is Reno?
| What is a divorce colony? How do the
judges grind out the DEGREES?
! What do women, who have been accus-
| toned to spend all their time in the pur-
suit of pleasure and excitement find to
occupy their time in a town of 1900
people?
Going to Reno is different from going
| anywhere else.
The glamor of it stretches clear across
| the country. Go into an ordinary bust
| ness office of railroad and the agent
| sells you your ticket to Reno with a
different manner than with which> he
| dispenses q cardboard to any other place.
| He makes the sale with a gentle, sym
pathetic, confidential air and informs you
when you change cars in slightly low
| cred tone of voice.
81 don't suppose-er-er,' he says, you
want round-trip ticket. do your
| The baggage man, when he reads your
check, is apt to grin a trifie impudently
| and the landlady, when you give her
notice, says, too bad, too bad
I'm going out of town for while"
you tell friend, ito Reno"
What? No! l don't believe it. You
don't really mean it?' he replies. And
all the time you are merely going on a
tour of investigation and not on the mis-
sion that everybody expects you of, when
you name your destination.
/ When you reach Reno. you dash into
the neatest, liveliest smartest little town
you ever saw.
Crude, Yet ERete
Reno is certainly that strip of heritage
| which divides the desert from the town
and you realize it the moment you walk
I'D the main street. 1t has in it all the
comforts and many of the luxuries of civ
iizalion and also the remnants of that
picturesque life of pioneer days which
| will soon be only a memory. All the ef-
feteness and sophistication of the east, all
the crudity and vigor of the west. To
the reporters mind that is the keynote of
Reno.
Waiting at the depot for the arrival of
the limited were porters in uniform from
the hotels, a man in leather overalls from
the pony express, several habtues of the
| gambling halls along the track. and a
| woman dressed in the latest mode, wait
| ing to welcome a visitor from the east
| Drawn up at the platform are all kinds
| of vehicles. from dusty blackboard and
| q "traDsfer wagon with low wheels for
mountain climbing to a panhard car. The
baggage car disgorges a git of mining
tools ard IA trunks bearing the name of
a woman passenger in the drawing room
rof your car.
| divorce" First Sign Seen
| As you step Off the train, you glance
across the cinder plot of the station and
| there in enormous letters, you read the
word Divorce"
Goodness, what can that be-" you say
to yourself and then drawn by that magic
word you approach close to discover in
very small letters the further legend
yourself from IS to buy yourself a pair
OF pants"
Would you please drive me first
through the divorce colony?' woman
says as she tries to make bargain with
hackman.
You would think we were lot of
lepers who were quarantined off some
VHSiC JIG 6oOo-ioohAhe WINS
pers to her companion. with whom she
has been on a short trip. and who have
come in on the same train.
IT can tell divorce every time, tho
citizens tell you after you have been
there few days, "as soon as lay my
eyes upon one"
"How?" you eagerly inquire.
| II don't know-its Just a feelin'.'
As a matter of fact. the plan is to
believe everybody guilty until she has
( proved herself innocent as there are al
ways from three to ten prospective d.
lvorcees living at the hotel. Every ar
rival with the prefix Mrs and a hat
OF gown not of Nevada production is
classed as one. When you go into the
hotel to- register, all the chairs stop rock
| ing. and the hum of conversation dies
down, and IL you should turn around I'M
expectedly. you would intercept several
significant smiles and glances
| Reno Is town of about 1900 people,
| but there are in it thirty-one hotels ~
VARYING class and character. In one,
which is the favorite for divorce seek
ers. an obligng waitress points out the
Divorces There Is whole table OF
women. all establishing residence. who
have become acquainted with one an
other. and who prefer to eat together In
stead of in solitude. Over at the side
is a woman of 40, who is suing. and who
Is chaperoned by her grown daughter.
Two covered trays leave the dining
| -r<.,,, ..Iust cot here day before yester-