City Hall Moves to Bar Women from Saloon-Linked Restaurants
Citing 'disgraceful' practices, councilman aims to separate women from Tacoma’s open barrooms and attached eateries.
Councilman R. E. Jamleson of the city council police and license committee gave notice last night that he would introduce a resolution to exclude women from all Tacoma saloons after next Wednesday. It is widely expected the measure will pass. Heretofore, much trouble has resulted from men taking girls to restaurants run in connection with saloons, and this resolution will be framed to stop this practice, as well as the exclusion of women from open barrooms. Jamleson states that the leading brewers of the city have commended the action and expressed gratification at the prospect of cleaning up the city's saloons.
“Heretofore much trouble has resulted from men taking girls to restaurants run in connection with saloons, and this resolution will be framed to stop this disgraceful practice.”
This early 20th-century effort to 'clean up' public spaces by removing women reflects a long history of regulating public morality and social gender lines in Tacoma. It highlights how the 'dignity' of the city was often framed through the control of women's access to public, male-dominated environments.
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