The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-10-24
AMERICAN PARTY
MORAL INFLUENCE
Riotous Scenes Under Previ-
Gus Administrations Are
Now but Memories.
SALT LAKE BETTER CITY
Clean Civic Government
Works Wonders in Build
ing UP of the City.
SALT LAKE BETTER CITY


wonders in Salt Lake Cify. That II
bas made il modern city cannot pe
questioned. II has devised ana car,
ricd on, many plans for the physics
improv emcnt Of the city. accom- pl'sn-
ing in this direction MORE tnan 'IcuIe
all done by all previous administrations
since tbe entry OF Brigham rouhS a"u
his pioneers IN ls4i.
Clean. progressive business men ~
tho head of affairs in Salt Lake naNe
ACCOMPLISHED more than th9t ~ the III.
rectinp OF the moral advancement OF
the citv They must have short mem
ories indeed who cannot recall now
yice stalked abroad in daylight. prior
90 the incoming OF the American party
IN 1906.
Who is there vino cannot remember
tho riotous scenes undcr an absolutely,
" ile open town in the DAYS of the oin
regime, Gambling houses were open
dav aud night. prostitution bourisned
on thc principal business streets, anI
liquor was sold indiscrimlnately, III an
hours of the dav and night. TO men,
women and children alike. r
ThcYc were seven big gamphne
houses omen dav aud night six years
ago. Some OF these. such as the Red
Onion. the Green Light and the wa,
sxteh club. we're patrouizcd by al'
grades Of society. II was not an un.
common sight. on davs when some OF
rho bic concerns paid of. 10 see scF'
cral hundred workingmcn lined up
around the tables with the green clotn'
throwing away their hard earned dol
lars. Mauv wives and children wen,
hungry IN those DAYS because the hrcad
winner. before reaching homo with h's
weeks paw check. had wandered INTO
ono OF the protected gambling dens
For fhev were protected. There was
no attempt 10 disguise tho busiuess.
Thrv were 10 the business heart OF the
city. rassersby could hear the click 81
ihc roulette wheel Anybody could
wander in the vide.opcn doors ana
watch the plav at the faro. keno. crap
or noLer tables. There was TO form of
gambling that WAS not provided a,
times members Of the police force could
he seen standing around leisurciy
watching tho play.
Boosters Were Busy.
About rho street corners. in the lob
hics OF the hotels. and saloons. were
cacncrs and boosters for 'the various
Games. These knew the paw days OF
the BIG establishments and wcre ready
with tho suggestions OF "a httc
There WAS no check whatever
10 their activities. -,
II remember walking INTO the wa
satch club from pure CURIOSITY on -
of occasions. said pronn-
mont citizen Yesterdsy. lone night
estimated fully zoo persons. mostly
ranged about and taking
part i'm an exciting scene aboni a keno
table. At tho time the faro layont was
and tho other games were
emallv we'll patronized Nearly all the
men in the place were laborers. In inc
Rcd Onion on tho same nIDbt the same
scenes were being enacted. Work ing
mcn were the chief patrons OF the
II is significant that these places
closed on the day that Mayor Ezra
Thompson and the American city coun.
ell took control Of the administration OF
civic affairs Gambling was 10 longer
openly INDUCED in. The valuable ap,
parntus used in these places WAS stored
awav or sold and II has since been i'm
10 6nd a fully equipped gamb-
ling establishment anywhere in salt
Lake CITY. An occasional poker game
has bcen opened and would flourish tor
q short time. but was speedily closed
nut bv TIE police. There are no more
gambling houses.
No Flourish OF Trumpets
There was no flourish of trumpe,S
about closing M these rlnces. The
knew that their day WAS
over when Ezra Thompson became
mavor. that there would he no more po-
lice protection There has been uoue
since.
Commercial street 10 those days was
a fostering sore Nobody liked 90 ira
1 cTse it AZ any timc. and il seen there,
~al ready with an excuse for being in
tho vicinity Children going 10 aud
from school could see sights both on
4 Commercial and State streets that were
enough 10 mako the most hardened per
son shudder.
Women in various stages of deshs
billie sat on tlic stairwavs or leaned out
of the windows and called 20 passersby.
Foul language filed the AIR. Aud thc
iaY was nearly as bad ss al night.
Ladies rarely. when they could avoid IT.
would pass bv either of the entrances
20 Commercial street or to Victoria
aTiev on State street and men out with
their wives and families would avoid
there plague spots.
Few citizens there arc who can say
that. az one time or another. when 90.
ing home. they were not accostcd by one
or uore painted females These piled
streets. without molcstatiou. They had
paid their regular stipend TO the police
aud knew tfcre need be 20 fear OF
consequences.
wide Open Town.
salt Lake was known the continent
over ns wide openn town. IL was
. retreat for the underworld. Crooks,
wanted in other places, can,c here 10
hide for time. or 10 plan operations.
They were received with open arms.
There were thieves haunts iuuumer
able. where they were safe. after they
had seen the powers and made the
proper arrangements for protection.
Commercial street IL y safe thorough.
fare now. 80 is State street. The
worst of vices is not hnunted in the
faces of the wives and families of Salt
Lake citizens. What xice exists. and
Of course n certain amount doe. exist
j. not carried on in the open. and IL j.
punished when IL docs uprear It's head
Victoria alley and Commercial strcet.
10 the heart ot the business district
arc no longer the headquarters os Wee.
The women Who solici, on the streets
DO - f0rtivcly. with careful ey. out
fnr an approaching oflicer. There i NO
protection aud they kuow that they arc