Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-11-09
To
SEND PETITION
AGAINST IWILEI
Manufacturers and Other In
duStries to Ask That Restrict
ed District Be Closed
IMPORTANT INTERESTS
10 JOIN IN ACTION
Demands Will Be Presented to
Grand Jury, Judge and
Sheriff as Well

Chief development in the crusade
against commercialized vice today
was the information that heads Of
manufacturing concerns and other lus-
mess houses in Iwilei. are circulating
a petition to be signed by the various
business houses in that section OF the
city asking that the restricted dis
trict shall be closed. 1t is expected
that all or nearly all of the houses OF
that section will sign it and it is to
be presented TO the sheriff, the grand
jury and Judge Ashford. Following
its visit to the restricted district yes
terday no report has been rendered
as yet by the grand jury and none or
its members talk of what progress has
been made in their Investigations.
Sixteen Probable Signers
It was learned today from reliable
sources that petition is being circu-
lated among the IS manufacturing con-
Germs and industrial corporations hav-
ing their establishments in the lwile1
section, asking that commercialized
vice in Iwilei be abolished and the
district closed up.
This petition will be presented be-
fore the close of the week to the grand
Jury, Sheriff Rose and Judge Ashford.
1t is being circulated by the heads of
several of the largest manufacturing
firms in the Iwilei section, who real
ize the evils of commercialized vice
there and the harm it has done in de-
preciating realty values and in giving
the district a bad name generally.
The petition. il is expected. will be
signed by all or at least a large ma
iority of the concerns having their
chief business interests in the lvilei
neighborhood. The petition requests
in emphatic and forcible language the
abolition Of vice in Iwiiei and the en-
tire closing up of all places in the dis
trict where prostitution is carried on.
Large Interests Represented
Among the manufacturing firms and
industrial corporations located in Iwi-
lei and who it is expected will sign
the petition, several having already
done so, are the following. represent
ing the biggest business firms in the
territory:
Oahu Railway & Land Company, Ha-
Wdlldn GlH6dpple SOHpdHy, hawai-
ian Preserving Company, Hawaiian
Fertilizer Company, Honolulu Gas
Company, City Mill Company, Levers
& Cooke, BituIithic Paving & Concrete
Company, Waianae Lime Company,
Honolulu Soap Works, Associated Oil
Company, Standard Oil Company, I'm
ion Oil Company, American Can Com
pany, Coyne Furniture Company,
Gould & Ash. ~"
Grand Jury Makes Trip
Taking the first step in their inves-
tigation of Honolulu's socalled re
stricted district" the members of the
territorial grand jury on Wednesday
afternoon visited Iwilei, led by Fore
man William II. Mcclellan They re-
turned to the grand jury room in the
Judiciary building shortly after 3
o'clock. Another meeting Of the grand
jurors is scheduled for o'clock to-
morrow afternoon, at which time Il is
expected the investigation will be con-
tinued The investigation was recon-
mended by Circuit Judge Ashford at
the request of City Attorney Arthur
NJ Brown