United labor bulletin., 1913-01-16
WORKING PRISONERS.
Interesting Report Made by Legis-
Iative Committee of Assembly.
Denver. Colo, Jan. Il. 1918.
To the Officers and Members of the

Denver. Colo, jan Il. 1918
To the Officers and Members OF the
Trades and Labor Assembly;
Your legislative committee. to whom
was referred the matters of the mayor
working prisoners on the streets and the
municipal lodging house proposition, beg
leave to report as follows:
So far as your committee has been
able to learn. the mayor has not made
any efforts to put his proposed plan OF
working prisoners of the city and county
of Denver on the streets. into operation.
which we understand will have to be
done through an ordinance introduced in
the city council Should such an ordin-
ance be introduced. it is the opinion OF
your committee that it would not meet
with very much favor at the hands of
the supervisors and aldermen. but should
such an ordinance be passed. 1t would
then be necessary TO petition the people
for a law prohibiting the city from work
ing its prisoners in competition with free
labor In view of the fact that the COM
mission form of government is about to
come before the people for n vote. it is
possible that there will. be a change OF
administration, and on the advice of an
attorney. your committee believes that
il would not be wise to attempt to have
such law put in the charter at the COM
| ing election. in view of the fact that
there are so many things before the peo-
pie that ii would not be given the proper
consideration and might suffer defeat.
Your committee would recommend that
this matter be kept in mind by the as
sembly so that immediate action can be
taken should the occasion arise.
In regard to the municipal lodging
house matter, will say that considerable
investigation OF this matter has been
made. We find that the city has started
a municipal lodging house in a small
way and as an experiment. Ii is located
Mt 1907 Larimer street and will accommo-
date at the present time about seventy
five people. and will be enlarged as rap
idly as possible. AS yet no meals are
furnished. but it is possible to open a
restaurant in the lower part Of the build
ing Many homeless and friendless men
have taken advantage of the city's lodg-
ing house. and with the exception of a
few. all have been found worthy of the
hospitality offered. While this plan will
in n measure AFFORD some assistance to
the needy this winter. it is only an ex-
pertinent. and hopes are entertained that
it will result in the ideal municipal lodg-
ing house for men and women, and par
last Monday night, during the very cold
SMELL that the fact that women are in
need OF assistance at times as well as
men. was very forcihly impressed on our
minds. when a young girl was found on
the streets poorly clad and In need of
shelter Your committee believes that
the city officials who have the matter OF
municipal lodging house in hand are
headed in the right direction. and while
1t would be possible to have the matter
put up to the people at the coming cleo
ton. your committee feels that IL is ad
visable to wait while and watch the
experiment the city is now engaged In
before further action should be taken.
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