Commercialized Prostitution in New York CityKneeland, George J. (George Jackson)
History
Commercialized Prostitution in New York City
Kneeland, George J. (George Jackson)
Prostitution -- New York (State) -- New York
The managers of these establishments are sometimes sober and industrious
men. They have been selected by the brewers to open saloons because of
their personal qualities; for they are hail fellows well met, "good
mixers," who make and hold friends. But these qualities do not always go
hand in hand with business sagacity. The "good mixer" soon finds himself
in debt to the brewer who set him up in business. The iron-clad mortgage
which the brewer holds on the fixtures hangs over the saloon keeper like a
menacing hand. He finds that he cannot make any money in the ordinary
business of selling liquor over the bar; sales are increased if women of
the street are encouraged to use the rear room as a "hangout" where they
can enter unescorted to meet men. In addition, the proprietor finds that
he can still further increase his profits by renting rooms over the
saloons to the women and their customers. "We have to evade the law to
make any money,"[69] remarked the owner[70] of a resort in East 116th
Street.
Some of the saloon keepers, of course, need no forcing. They started out
to exploit prostitution in connection with the liquor business. Their
business is organized with that in view. Prostitutes are attached to the
rear room, as to the hotels previously described, by certain rules and
customs. For example, one woman is not permitted to entice the customers
of another; the girl who is unable to hold her customer is gradually
forced to saloons that are less exacting. When the prostitute has secured
her customer, she must in certain saloons order fancy drinks. This has to
be cleverly done so as not to offend. The girl intimates that she loves to
drink wine because it makes her jolly and companionable. If she is
personally attractive and well dressed, the man does not object. "You
know," she murmurs, "I hate a cheap skate who won't treat a girl like a
lady." If she is unsuccessful in persuading her customer to buy expensive
drinks, the proprietor puts her out as a poor "wine agent," discharges her
from his employ, as it were. This is the practice of the manager of a
well-known saloon in East 14th Street.[71] On the other hand, the
proprietor protects the successful prostitute, just as does the hotel
keeper, previously mentioned.
The giving of commissions to prostitutes on the sale of drinks to their
customers in the rear rooms of saloons does not appear to obtain as a
general practice in Manhattan; but it is understood that women do receive
commissions on bottled wine and beer which customers order when occupying
with them the rooms upstairs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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