Charlevoix county herald., 1913-03-15

Wnlcn nave MADE Reno, New
n synonymous with easy divorce
are likely to lose much of their
point soon. According to a re-
cent announcement the Nevada di-
Vorce law is to be amended and there
after the lid will be placed tightly on
the famous colony of divorce seekers.
Through the existence of the di-
vorce colony. it appears, Nevada has
been seriously injured in a business
way. Large numbers of prospective
settlers, hearing of the supposed go
lngs on at Reno, have been led to be-
1ieve that they were typical Of the so.
.cial life Of the state as a whole, and
nave consequently gone elsewhere. At
the present time Nevada is making
efforts to increase its population and
has many inducements to offer. Not
only are the states mineral resources
only partly developed. but through
the completion OF an extensive irri-
gation system enormous areas of for
mer desert land have been made fer
tile
Furthermore, Nevada is surpassed
In climate by few other states. its
summers being free from excessive
heat, while the winters are bracing
and delightful. In spite of these at
fractions, however, the Reno divorce
colony is better known than the other
features of Nevada, and so the stream
OF western homeseekers has been d.
verted to other states.
1T is for this reason that the people
OF Nevada have determined to put
some restrictions on the colony by
means of an amendment to the di.
porce law increasing the legal term
OF residence for divorce seekers from
six months to one year This amend
ment, 1t is understood, will be adopt
ed by the legislature at its approach
ing session. A further amendment
likely to be made will provide that no
divorce decree shall be effective until
one year has lapsed from the date of
issuance. This plan, 1t is believed,
would prevent the immediate remar.
riages which so often follow Reno
divorces and have been the cause of
much scandal
Attractive City.
Strange as It may seem, compare.
lively few natives Of Nevada get di.
vorced, most Of the people who take
advantage of the liberal divorce law
having come from other states. A
majority Of these make their resi-
dence in Reno because it is the larg-
est and pleasantest town in Nevada.
IL is an attractive little city-a town
or red brick so far as it's business dis.
trict is concerned The principal
streets are asphalted, the sidewalk
well paved and the whole place looks
unusually well kept. The residential
districts compare favorably with
those of much larger cities.
AS is we'll known, people of some
distinction in literary, musical, theat
rical and artistic circles, as well as
certain proportion of what is termed
"the sporting set" have been much
In evidence in the divorce colony. In
comparatively small town-for
Reno's population is scarcely 1900
the livelier members Of the colony
are naturally more noticeable than
they would be in a larger city. Sto-
ries of their doings have been circu-
lated far and wide, and it is on this
account that Reno in recent years has
become notorious. Colonists of the
lively type usually gather at such
resorts as the Colony cafe, the Del.
monico's of Reno, which has been the
scene of divorce dinners and the other
revels OF which so much is heard.
Having ample funds. they may be
seen dining any evening in what is
popularity known as the romance
room" They have filed the streets
of Reno with automobiles and have
kaken a foremost part in the local
good roads movement. They do much
toward supporting the various places
OF amusement and have proved such
N bonanza to the Reno storekeepers
that il is not surprising the business
people are protesting against the pro
posed change in the divorce law.
Women in Majority.
While 1t In difficult to estimate the
extent of the colony, il is generally
believed that between FIVE hundred
And a thousand persons visit Reno
every year in quest OF divorce. A
large proportion of these come from
New York, and for this preponderancs
OF New Workers various explanation.
arc given probably the most impor
Jant reason is the severity OF the New
York divorce law.
Women are In the majority, anC
most Of them live quietly enough dur
Eng their sir months term of resi-