El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-02-27
Here's The Much Discussed RoOming
House Ordinance; Whose Liberty Does
It Curtah If 1t Should Become Law

90 MUCH comment has been IN
; dulged IN about the proposed
froomiug house ordnance sug-
rested TO the city by Gen Howe. The
Herald has procured COPY ana mere
with presents ut. 50 that every tax
himself or herself II ct curtails the
rights Of anyone This ordinance
was drawn in the office OF the at
torney general Of the United States.
furnished to all military commanders
in the United States as model reEu-
lation- The ordinance was furnished
BY Gen. Howe to the city OF Fl Paso-
Nowhere does IL give the military or
anyone else the right to search a
Following Is the ordinance IN fun.
ORDINANCE 3.
An Ordinance providing for the regu-
lation OF hotels, rooming houses
and lodging houses within the
city OF ------.--, providing penal
ties for the violation thereof, and
declaring an emergency
The city OF ---------- does ordain as
follows:
section THAT no person shall con
duct. keep, manage. operate. OF cause
20 be conducted. kept. managed. OF
lessee, agent. or attorney any hotel,
rooming house, or lodging house
within the corporate limits Of the city
OF ------------ without having 1lrsc
obtained a license from the city OF
-----. so 10 do. All said licenses
shall be issued annually and shall
expire December 81 OF each year. The
fee for each license shall be one dol
lar tSLo0J. and no license shall be
issued for less amount
Section 2--For the purpose or this
ordinance the word person" shall
d
copartnerships, corporations, and as
sociations. and shall include persons
OF both sexes The word house"
shall mean and include hotels. room
ing and lodging houses
Section 3-The commissioner OF
public safety shall examine into and
investigate the character and quali-
Gcations Of applications for licenses
within the meaning OF this ordinance
and report TO the council his recon-
mendation as to whether or not
license shall be issued TO such ap-
plicant-
Section Nothing in this ordinance
contained shall be construed to de-
prive the city OF power to revoke any
license issued as herein provided
Section 5-No license shall be Is
sued TO any person TO conduct a
hotel rO0mlng house. or lodging
house within the city Of -...
good moral character and when ap-
plication for such license is made the
applicant shall present himself in
person to the commissioner OF pub
lie safety, and at such time present
TO said Commissioner satisfactory
proof OF good moral character. When
application for a license is made by
or on behalf OF a experimenting. cor
poration. or association. such applica-
ton shall be made by the manager.
officer. agent, or other person who
VIII have the charge and management
Of such hotel rooming house. or lodg-
ing house
Section $40 license issued as in
this ordinance provided shall be
transferred or assigned.
Section NO person TO whom a
license shall be issued, as provided
in this ordinance. shall suffer or per-
nit the hotel. rooming house. or lodE-
ing house to which such license
relates 70 be used as a house Of III
fame. brotheL bawdy house, or dis
orderly house, for the purpose OF
prostitution or lewdnesss or suffer
other immoral practice 70 be carried
on therein
Section g-Evcry person 10 whom a
license shan have been issued 10 con-
duct a hotel, rooming or lodging
house shall at all times keep a stand
ard hotel register, in which shall be
inscribed the names OF all guests OF
persons renting OF occupying rooms
II such house. which register shall
be signed by the person renting a
room or rooms. or by some one under
his direction such registration must
be made. and after the name or names
so inscribed or registered. the man
ager Of the house. or his agent. shall
y rite the number OF the room or
rooms which such guest or person is
10 occupy together with the time
when such room Is rented All OF
which shall be done before such per-
son il permitted 10 occupy such room
OF rooms Such register shan be az
all times open to inspection by any
guest OF the house wherein such reg
lister IS kept and &c any executive or
peace officer OF the city OF ..--...-
or OF the state OF ..-..-.-.--
Section st shan be unlawful for
any person 10 write or cause to be
written in any hotel register any
other OF different names than the
true name Of such person or the
name BY which such person Is gen
orally known
Section 10-aSo one room shan be
assigned 20 two persons OF the op-
posite sex except In the case OF chill
dreu- accompanied by parent OF
guardian. ualess such persons shall be
registered as husband and wife.
Section 11-.Any person 70 whom a
license shall have been issued. as
provided in this ordinance, shall
cause each sleeping room and apart
ment in such house TO which such
license relates 10 be numbered in a
plain and conspicuous manner. the
TO be placed on the outside
OF the door 10 such room. and no two
such doors shall bear the same
number.
Section 12-Where q license shall
have been issued 20 any copartner-
ship. corporation, or association TO
conduct a hotel. rooming house. or
lodging house, any person having
charge. management. or control OF
such hotel rooming house. or iocE-
ing house, shall be liable 10 prosecu-
ton for any violation OF this ordi-
nance
Section 13-For the purpose OF de-
termininE the liability OF any per-
son or persons 70 prosecution for
Of any OF the provisions OF
PinnIino