El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-21
WANT s. ELPASO
Street OPENED
Merchants Complain Army
"Deadline" Works Great
Injustice on Them.

Merchants of South FL Paso street
below Overland, which has been
designated as the soldiers dead line"
by Brig. Gen. George Bell. jr.. held a
conference with the directors of the
chamber OF commerce Wednesday eve
ming for the purpose Of discussing
plans to cleanup" undesirable places
On South FL Paso so that It may be
reopened to the army. The mer-
chants announced their willingness to
cooperate with the military and civil
authorities for the purpose Of elm
mating all undesirables from the
street, so that bootlegging and other
forms Of vice will be eliminated. If
necessary the merchants said they
would employ d detective for this pur-
pose.
After much discussion by the mer-
chants AMI directors, John NJ Wyatt.
president Of the chamber of commerce.
appointed a committee to wait on
Gen. Bell composed of George Ryan,
B. L. F2rrar and J. W. Kirkpatrick,
of the chamber of commerce; Philip
Bohn. H Jaffe and E ROSenbaum. of
the merchants. This committee viii
meet Gen. Bell this afternoon and pre-
sent a petition signed by practically
all South FL Paso street merchants
assuring him of their Willingness to
cooperate with the military to stamp
out vice below the dead line"
Hope. II Street Is aCIeaned.,
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. Wyatt who outlined its purposes
He said the chamber OF commerce de-
sired to do its part in aiding the mer-
chants of South Ell Paso street. Mr..
Wyatt said he believed il the street
vas Cleaned" and freed OF vice that
the dead line" possibly would be lift
ed to stamp out dens Of vice
Mr.. Bohn suggested that Mr.. Wyatt
appoint a committee TO wait upon Gen.
Bell He said the FL PasO street mer-
chants whose places of business are
below the dead line" are willing to
do anything possible to assist and CO.
operate with the military and civil
authorities.
Mr.. Wyatt then explained that Gen
Bell was unable to attend the meeting
owing to a previous engagement to
attend the Red Cross rally at Cleye-
land square
Promises Vice Elimination.
Mr.. Rosenbaum said he believed
with proper encouragement and as
sistance the military and civil au-
thorities could close all undesirable
not believe that the better class of
merchants should suffer because there
are a few places of vice on the street
Points Out Root Beer Joints"
J. Orwitz said that there was no
question but what there was bootleg
ging on South FL Paso street. He said
he had a number Of photographs TO
prove il. This can be stopped. he said.
IL the proper steps are taken He said
he did not believe the merchants
should act as spies for this purpose.
but that they were willing. IL neces-
sary, to employ a detective or TO aid
in any manner the military The
speaker said that many root beer
Joints" on the street were dens OF
vice. saying that a few places like
these would ruin all merchants.
H Jaffe said he had been in FL
PasO for 20 years He said he did not
believe the merchants Of South FL
Paso street should be Disseminated
against.
Complains street Is Neglected.
Mr.. Orwitz said he thought the mer-
chants Of FL PasO street had been
neglected by the chamber of COM
merce during public affairs; that
there were never any decorations on 4
the street and that parades never 4
were routed that way.
Mr.. Wyatt explained that the reason /
the parades were not routed there was 1
because the military said there was
not sufficient room for the men to 4
vancouver.
Secretary George H. Clements said .
ne had visited Gen. Bell and that he
was determined TO prevent his men /
rom entering dens Of vice. but that
De believed the merchants should see |
he military commander and that they
would undoubtedly secure his permis-
sion TO raise the dead line" on this
street If it was given a good house
;leaning."