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Show I Lake Incident in 1910 By HORACE VERNE mt?" inquired a tourist from Cincinnati, of the con-lt-sccing car which was passing along west Second he pointed toward a high board fence covered with I the man witli the megaphone, "is Salt Lake's red-ablishcd red-ablishcd on this spot two years ago." mean to say," replied the tourist, "that the city dc-1 dc-1 such a thing right here among all these residences? rty owners of this part of the city raise any objections, )rt to prevent it?" aid the megaphone artist, "they did all of that and :y sent petitions to the City Council. Religious so-rcsolutions so-rcsolutions against it, as also did the Board of Edu-r Edu-r institutions. These petitions and resolutions were City Council in rapid succession, but that honorable :crs deemed the case beyond their jurisdiction, and of the documents. In time the pigeon holes became , and it became necessary to rent a room in which to )nal ones. This room, though a large one, became overflowing with resolutions and petitions from the the council to act. Then the city fathers discovered crious predicament. There was no authority permit-rden permit-rden the taxpayers for more storage space, so there tcrnativc, which was to post legal notices to the cf-orth cf-orth no more resolutions or petitions would be re-all re-all such presented would be destroyed without promt pro-mt a blessing in disguise this decision proved to be." residents of this locality would tar and feather any ven dared suggest the removal of that institution from u might not believe me, but it is a fact that other rcsi-hc rcsi-hc best in the city, arc now petitioning that same old lar institutions to be opened in their respective lo-ist lo-ist week, a petition containing something like 20,000 icnted by residents of Federal Heights, one of our t aristocratic suburbs. This appeal, like all the rest suffer the fate of all its predecessors. Our famous break' its invariable rule, even though the pigeon-space pigeon-space behind the clock." for this unusual and peculiar demand for such insti-parts insti-parts of our city, is the fact that they are prone to en-of en-of adjoining realty, and the natural improvement in he people thus brought into intimate contact. On the n they were located, as formerly, in the business seethe see-the land was more valuable for commercial purposes, generation had very little or no opportunity to come contact with this beneficent moral factor, or to be its benign influence, our children return from school, they cast their in-pon in-pon this unsurmountable wall with much the same y do upon the canvas enclosing the circus ring. Fi-osity Fi-osity becomes the victor, and they seek out every ole, or crack between the boards. Sometimes they passageway underneath the fence sufficient to allow hrough, and at other times they secure entrance to mysteries by stealth, artifice or bribes to the sleepy fate. Once inside they romp about the grounds, cx-: cx-: and corner, play hide-and-seek about the buildings, icrccncd windows, and in fact, have a jolly good time, irn home, they relate their experiences to fond aturally commend them for their sagacity in ovcr-clcs ovcr-clcs placed in their way by an ungrateful chief of says to them, 'you arc naughty children and should ffs,' in a tone full of feeling, the impression upon the ig, as intended, that he could go and do likewise to-cared." to-cared." :r, who had listened attentively, replied: "I am thank-icc thank-icc has permitted me to visit Salt Lake City. I have ' impressed by your recital of its method of handling cial evil. A Methodist minister from your city on at my home town, Cincinnati, a couple of years told us that Salt Lake was nothing more or less than and Gomorrah, and that it was destined to be dc-ivc dc-ivc years by fire for its extreme wickedness. For a been possessed of a strong desire to visit this city so gs of interest, but after hearing that sermon, I feared 'procrastination was the thief of time,' and that my gone. While two years has elapsed since then, I have finally succeeded in consummating this long hoped for visit, and i I assure you that for the effort I have been repaid an hundred-fold." "The fact that this city has developed the idea of placing its red- 1 light district in the residence portion, and allowing the moral influence of the same to be the more easily disseminated by direct contact with your citizens and their families, shows the keen foresight of those 1 who brought about this ncble deed. Under this improved moral V status, that minister's proplucy must certainly fall short, and no doubt exists in my mind but that the fame of this city as a model of morality will ere long become world-wide, and that it will be a Mecca ! at whose shrine the elite of all nations will be wont to worship.. 1 "I shall return home at once, and urge my friends, one and all, to visit this wonderful city and its attractions, not forgetting to mention this moral factor in its makeup, and ask them to study the situation while here, that they may return home as fully enthused as I am now. As I am quite a prominent official in my home city and have more or less influence in municipal affairs, 1 shall draw up a petition with my own name at its head, praying that the red-light institution of that city may be removed to what is now a public park opposite my beautiful beau-tiful home. There arc many schools and churches in the immediate vicinity, and I am sure that, in case I succeed in the undertaking, the . benefit to that portion of the city will be so great and so thoroughly appreciated that my friends will see that I secure the nomination for the office of mayor this fall." The dignified tourist then bid a hearty adieu to his genial informant in-formant at Main and Second South streets, and transferred to the depot car. JS |