Chris Hall

464 Clinton Avenue #2F

Brooklyn, NY 11238
(18! 8"#"23
$hris%$hrisahall&$o'
2,8(( )or*s
The Ba r ba r y Coa s t :
S o i l e d D o v e s a n d D a u g h t e r s o f J o y i n
G o l d - R u s h S a n F r a n c i s c o
By Chris Hall
+very ,eneration likes to think that it invente* not only se-, .ut /erversion& 0ust
as 'ost /eo/le $an1t i'a,ine their /arents 2u$kin, like 3il*$ats, they have an e4ually
*i22i$ult ti'e i'a,inin, that se- 3as *irty an* 3eir* .a$k in those eras that 3e learn
a.out throu,h the rose#$olore* lens o2 nostal,ia& 5he /eo/le in /ast eras invaria.ly are
sho3n as so si'/le, so ,enteel, that se- see's to have little /la$e in su$h a ti'e at all&
6an Fran$is$o1s re/utation as a haven 2or /erverts an* 3eir*os 3asn1t .orn 3ith
the 6u''er o2 7ove in 1"688 nor *i* it .e,in the *e$a*e .e2ore, 3hen the Beats set u/
sho/ in North Bea$h& 5he $ity has .een synony'ous 3ith the stran,e an* *eviant sin$e
the 2irst .oar*s 3ere lai* *o3n, an* .e2ore& Althou,h the 'o*ern $ity 2athers like to
2ra'e 6an Fran$is$o1s history as one o2 $haste 4uirkiness to $ater to the sensi.ilities o2
tourists an* .usiness interests, 6an Fran$is$o 9 .oth literally an* 'eta/hori$ally 9 is a
$ity .orn 2ro' the 3o'.s o2 3hores& :n the 18((1s, a son, su''e* u/ 6an Fran$is$o1s
history as neatly as $oul* .e;
The miners came in forty-nine,
the whores in fifty-one.
Chris Hall (Barbary Coast) Page of !
"n# when they got together,
they $ro#%ce# the &ati'e (on.
But even the son, ,ets the story a little .a$k3ar*s; the 3hores 3ere there .e2ore
the 'iners& )hen 6an Fran$is$o 3as still a s'all, 'u**y villa,e na'e* Yer.a Buena,
/rostitutes 2ro' Chile, <e-i$o, an* =eru 3orke* out o2 tents on 5ele,ra/h Hill& :n 184(,
>i$har* Henry ?ana, author o2 Two Years Behind the Mast 3rote that :n*ian 'en o2ten
.rou,ht their 3ives *o3n to the Bay an* sol* their servi$es to 3hite sailors&
@ol* 3as *is$overe* in 1848, an* in 184" over 4(,((( AAr,onautsB saile* to 6an
Fran$is$o to seek their 2ortune8 3hole $re3s Cu'/e* shi/ as soon as they lan*e*, ea,er to
Coin the @ol* >ush& Dnly (( o2 those 3ere 3o'en& 5he 2irst /rostitutes 3ere, o2
$ourse, the 7atin A'eri$an an* :n*ian 3o'en 3ho ha* .een there .e2ore ,ol* 3as
*is$overe*, .ut 3hite A'eri$an an* +uro/ean 3o'en .e,an to 'ake their 3ay into the
$ity in late 184"&
:n the early .oo', 3o'en o2 any kin* 3ere so rare that Aa woman walking along
the streets of San Francisco was more of a sight than an elephant or giraffe would be
today
1
and even whores got social respect& 5he ne3s/a/ers $arrie* announ$e'ents o2
shi/s .earin, ne3 /rostitutes into /ort, an* 'en 3oul* a.an*on .usiness en masse to
3at$h a sin,le 3o'an /ass .y on the street& Not only were men willing to show
deference to the public women they would have shunned elsewhere, but that they were
willing to pay enormous prices for their company. In the gambling houses and saloons, a
woman could get one ounce of gold, worth about $16, simply for sitting next to a man
while he drank or played cards for the evening. One Frenchman who visited San
Francisco, Albert Benard de Russailh, was outraged at the situation, especially with
respect to the French professionals: Nearly all these women at home were street-walkers
of the cheapest sort, he wrote. But out here, for only a few minutes, they ask a hundred
times as much as they were used to getting in Paris. A whole night costs from $200 to
$400. He charitably concluded that There are also some honest women in San
Francisco, but not very many.
2
De Russailhs account stinks more of sour grapes than morality, but it does give
an accurate picture of how much the Argonauts valued female company of any kind. It
implicitly illustrates another point, too: a racial and ethnic hierarchy was quickly
established among prostitutes and their customers. Race was the defining factor in how
much money a woman could charge for her services, with the original Mexican and
Indian prostitutes as the lowest of the low in the sex economy. Black and Chinese
women were slightly above them, with white American and European women at the very
top. According to the sexual mythology of the time, redheads were the most sexually
passionate of all women, and the brass ring was a Jewish redhead. One madam named
Iodoform Kate exploited this mythology in the 1890s by setting up about a dozen
redheaded women in cribs small cubicles that lined the streets and claiming each
and every one as Jewish. How much truth there was to this is anyones guess, but within
1
Barry, Theodore Augustus and B. A. Patten. 1873. Men and Memories of San Francisco in
the Spring of 50. as quoted in <en;)o'en in +arly 6an Fran$is$o,B online e-$er/t 2ro' C?#>D<
A6ha/in, 6an Fran$is$oB (htt/;EE333&sha/in,s2&or,EeFineE3o'ensE,n*r18G(E'ain&ht'l!
2
De Russailh, Albert Benard. 1931. Last Adventure: San Francisco in 1851. Translated by
Clarkson Crane. San Francisco: The Westgate Press. online e-$er/t 2ro' C?#>D< A6ha/in, 6an
Fran$is$oB (htt/;EE333&sha/in,s2&or,EeFineE3o'ensE18G1E'ain&ht'l!
Chris Hall (Barbary Coast) Page ) of !
a few years, Iodoform Kates redheads had made enough for her to retire comfortably
from the business.
3
The hierarchy of race was more long-lived than the boom, and within a few years,
as San Francisco moved from being a collection of shacks and tents to a formalized city,
it became more important to at least present the appearance o2 res/e$ta.ility to the ne3
i''i,rants 3ho 3ere $o'in, 2ro' .a$k +ast& Bet3een 18G( an* 18(, nearly all o/en
vi$e 9 ,a'.lin,, *rinkin,, an* /rostitution 9 3as $ontaine* lar,ely in a thirty#2ive .lo$k
re*#li,ht *istri$t ni$kna'e* A5he Bar.ary Coast,B a2ter the /irate#la*en $oast o2 Northern
A2ri$a&
# # #
:2 the $reation o2 the Bar.ary Coast *re3 a ,eo,ra/hi$al line .et3een the
res/e$ta.le an* the unres/e$ta.le /arts o2 6an Fran$is$o, the le,al an* /oliti$al lines
staye* .lurry 3ell into the t3entieth $entury8 the /oliti$ians, .usiness'en, an* la3'en
res/onsi.le 2or runnin, the $ity o2ten stoo* 3ith one 2oot (or other .o*y /art! in ea$h /art
o2 to3n, 3hether throu,h /atrona,e, ,ra2t, or un*is,uise* e$ono'i$ interest&
5he 2irst anti#/rostitution la3 in 6an Fran$is$o, Dr*inan$e G46, /asse* in 18G4,
ins/ire* .y a $o''ittee 3hi$h *e$lare* a nee* 2or AHthe i''e*iate e-/ulsion or
re'oval o2 Chinese Ie'/hasis a**e*J /rostitutes to a 'ore uninha.ite* line o2 streets&B
4

+ven thou,h Dr*inan$e G46 3as ulti'ately /hrase* to tar,et /rostitutes o2 all ra$es, it
3as en2or$e* only a,ainst Chinese an* <e-i$an .rothels, 2or$in, the' onto o.s$ure si*e
streets an* alleys 3hile 3hite .rothels re'aine* on the 'ain avenues& Further le,al
e22orts also e-/li$itly sin,le* out Chinese /rostitutes, es/e$ially in 1866, 3hen the Boar*
o2 6u/ervisors /asse* ADr*er to >e'ove Chinese )o'en o2 :ll Fa'e Fro' Certain
7i'its o2 the City,B 3hi$h 3as 2ollo3e* .y the 6tate /assin, the AA$t For the
6u//ression o2 Chinese Houses o2 :ll Fa'e&B As 3as state* .y the Chie2 o2 =oli$e *urin,
the $reation o2 Dr*inan$e G46, none o2 these la3s 3ere inten*e* so 'u$h to a.olish the
/ra$ti$e o2 /rostitution per se, .ut rather to $o'.at Aoutra,es to /u.li$ *e$en$y
G
&B
5he se'i#le,al status o2 /rostitution *urin, the Bar.ary Coast era 'eant that
street3alkin,, at least, 3as so rare as to .e non#e-istent& <ost 3o'en 3orke* o22 the
streets in $ri.s, $o3yar*s, or /arlor houses& 5he $ri.s re/resente* the lo3est en* o2 the
in*ustry, /rovi*in, only the 'ost .asi$ servi$es 4ui$kly an* ine-/ensively& =ri$es in
<orton 6treet (no3 <ai*en 7ane!, the 'ost notorious $ri. alley, 3ere 2G $ents 2or a
<e-i$an 3o'an, G( 2or a Bla$k, Chinese, or 0a/anese 3o'an, G $ents 2or a
Fren$h3o'an, an* a 2ull *ollar 2or a 3hite A'eri$an& For the sake o2 s/ee*, $lients ke/t
all their $lothes on e-$e/t 2or their hats 9 only the 'ost *e,ra*e* 3o'an 3oul* 3ork
3ith a 'an 3ho re2use* to take his hat o22& 5he one e-$e/tion 3as in the A$ree/ Coints,B
3here a 'an 3oul* .e not only /er'itte*, .ut en$oura,e* to take o22 his /ants an* $oat
an* han, the' in a s'all $loset& Dne o2 the /rostitute1s $ronies (/erha/s her /i'/!
3oul* sli/ in throu,h a s'all /anel in the .a$k, an* 3hen the $lient le2t, he 3oul* 2in*
his /o$ket e'/ty o2 his 3allet, 3at$h, an* anythin, else that $oul* .e s/ent, tra*e*, or
3
Asbury, Herbert. 1"33& The Barbary Coast Ne3 York; Al.ert A& Kno/2&
(htt/;EEF/u.&$o'Es2G(Es2Eh.t.$1(&ht'!
4
Leigh, Carol& A6an Fran$is$o 5ask For$e on =rostitution Final >e/ort 1""6; A Brie2 History o2
@overn'ent =oli$ies 5o3ar* =rostitution in 6an Fran$is$o&B 0une 8, 2((3 L
htt/;EE333&.ays3an&or,Es2hist&ht'lM
G
:.i*&
Chris Hall (Barbary Coast) Page * of !
ho$ke*& :t 3as tra*itional, ho3ever, to leave one *i'e in the su$ker1s /o$ket so that he
ha* $ar#2are ho'e&
Dther than :o*o2or' Kate, one o2 the 'ost 3ell#kno3n 3o'en to 3ork the $ri.s
3as >otary >osie, 3ho 3as $onsi*ere* e-traor*inary 2or her level o2 e*u$ation& :n the
early 1"((1s, >osie 2ell in love 3ith a youn, stu*ent 3ho 3as atten*in, the Nniversity o2
Cali2ornia8 2or several 'onths, she entertaine* hi' an* several o2 his 2raternity .rothers,
askin, askin, only the /ay'ent o2 havin, ea$h rea* /oetry to her 2or hal2 an hour&
>osie1s ,reat yearnin, 3as to leave the $ri.s an* ,o .a$k to s$hool& But 3here Kate ha*
triu'/he*, >osie 2aile*8 the ,ri'ness o2 the $ri.s 2inally over3hel'e* her an* she kille*
hersel2&
# # #
5he other en* o2 the s/e$tru' 3as the /arlor houses, the aristo$ra$y o2 6an
Fran$is$o1s se- tra*e& 5hey 3ere the 'ost e-/ensive, the 'ost e-$lusive, an* 9 2or .etter
an* 2or 3orse 9 *is/laye* the 'ost ela.orate ran,e o2 hu'an se-ual in,enuity& Dne o2
the 'ost 'ysterious 3as a re,ular $lient o2 the =arisian <ansion, a /ro'inent house on
Co''eri$al 6treet8 every 'ornin, he arrive* at the .rothel, *resse* in 3o'en1s
$lothin,, an* $leane* the entire /la$e, /ayin, a sin,le *ollar .e2ore he le2t&
A stran,er an* 'ore *istur.in, re,ular 3as 5heo*ore ?urrant, a 'e*i$al stu*ent
an* res/e$te* 6un*ay#s$hool tea$her 3ho visite* various .rothels several ti'es a 3eek
throu,h the early 18"(1s, $arryin, a /i,eon or $hi$ken in a $a,e& 6o'eti'e *urin, se-,
he 3oul* slash the .ir*1s throat an* .athe in the .loo* as it ,ushe* 2ro' the 3oun*&
+ventually the .loo* o2 .ir*s 3asn1t enou,h 2or ?urrant8 in one 6an Fran$is$o1s 'ost
in2a'ous $ases, he 3as $on*e'ne* to *eath in 18"G 2or the ra/e an* 'ur*er o2 Blan$he
7a'ont an* <innie )illia's, t3o youn, 3o'en 3ho atten*e* the $hur$h 3here he
tau,ht&
6
<ost o2 the /arlor houses in 6an Fran$is$o 'a*e so'e /retension at ele,an$e an*
$ivility, no 'atter 3hat other a$tivities 3ent on, .ut i2 it 3as /ossi.le 2or a .rothel to
a.i*e .y Oi$torian $o*es o2 'orality, it 3as the one run .y <a*a' Bertha Kahn on
Co''er$ial 6treet& Both $lients an* /rostitutes 3ere e-/e$te* to .e 3ell#.ehave* an*
,enteel at all ti'es& )hereas other .rothels 'a*e 4uite a ti*y si*e /ro2it o22 the sale o2
.eer an* li4uor, <a*a' Bertha 2or.a*e al$ohol o2 any kin* in her house, as 3ell as
un,entle'anly $on*u$t o2 any kin*& 6i,ns on the /arlor an* .e*roo' 3alls re'in*e*
visitors to 'in* their 'anners;
ND ON7@A>:5Y
A77D)+?
:N 5H:6 +65AB7:6H<+N5
Be$ause o2 its ele,an$e an* ,entility, <a*a' Bertha1s house attra$te* the 'ore
elite 'e'.ers o2 6an Fran$is$o1s .usiness an* /oliti$al $ir$les& 7ess ele,ant, .ut no less
su$$ess2ul, 3as <a*a' 0ohanna )erner1s .rothel on 6a$ra'ento 6treet& <a*a'
0ohanna 3as kno3n 2or .ein, a.le to /rovi*e her $usto'ers 3ith es/e$ially youn, ,irls 9
6
1! 5H+ A?A:> CDNN5Y N+)6
0anuary 12, 18"8 Colu'.ia Kentu$ky
2! 5he <innesota 6tate 7a3 7i.rary; 5rial Colle$tion Bi.lio,ra/hy
htt/;EE333&la3li.rary&state&'n&usEar2(((Etrial.i.6.&ht'l
Chris Hall (Barbary Coast) Page + of !
usually .et3een the a,es o2 14 an* 1, an* /erio*i$ally au$tione* o22 the vir,inity o2
,irls even youn,er& 6he 3as also the 2irst <a*a' to /u.li$iFe her .rothel throu,h 'ass
'ailin,s o2 $ir$ulars throu,hout the )est Coast, a ha.it that soon $au,ht on 3ith her
$o'/etitors& Bet3een her talent 2or sel2#/ro'otion an* her re/utation 2or s/e$ialiFin,,
0ohanna )erner 3as a.le to /ros/er in 6an Fran$is$o 2or a ,oo* ten to 2i2teen years, until
the $o/s Caile* 0ohnny 7a3less, her 'ain su//lier, 2or sellin, a 14#year#ol* ,irl to a
=ortlan* .rothel&
+asily the 'ost uni4ue .rothel to o/erate in 6an Fran$is$o 3as one run .y an
el*erly .la$k 3o'an $alle* Aunt 0osie& Aunt 0osie1s .rothel 3as a 'aster/ie$e o2 role
reversal that see's *e2intively 6an Fran$is$an; here, 2e'ale $lients $oul* $o'e an* sele$t
a 'an 2ro' a .ook o2 /hotos& ?is$retion 3as Aunt 0osie1s 3at$h3or*8 the entran$es
3ere hi**en 2ro' the street, the hall3ays 3ere *arkene*, the $usto'ers 3ere ke/t
isolate* 2ro' one another, an* they 3ere ,iven silk 'asks so that their i*entities 3ere
hi**en even 2ro' the 'en they hire*& Nn2ortunately, even in 6an Fran$is$o, there 3as
little *e'an* 2or su$h a servi$e, an* Aunt 0osie1s only $usto'ers 3ere a 2e3 /rostitutes
2ro' the other houses 3ho 3ere intri,ue* .y .ein, on the other en* o2 the /o3er
e-$han,e 2or on$e& 5he .rothel o/erate* 2or a 2e3 'onths a2ter the 1"(6 earth4uake then
$lose*, /artly 2ro' la$k o2 .usiness an* /artly 2ro' /ressure .y the /i'/s 3hose
/rostitutes ,ave Aunt 0osie 3hat little .usiness she *i* ,et&
# # #
Althou,h /rostitution 3as allo3e* to e-ist o/enly 2or 'any years, an* so'eti'es
even ai*e* .y the $ity ,overn'ent, it *i* not *o so 3ithout o//osition 2ro' 'e'.ers o2
A/olite so$ietyB& 6an Fran$is$o1s 'ost enthusiasti$ $rusa*er a,ainst vi$e 3as one
>everen* 5eren$e Caraher, 3ho 3orke* to /rote$t $itiFens not only 2ro' the threat o2
/rostitution, .ut *rinkin,, ,a'.lin,, roller#skatin, rinks, an* trolley $ars& 5rolley $ars,
a$$or*in, to Caraher, 3ere Cust 'a*e 2or sin, .ein, nothin, 'ore than A*an$e halls on
3heelsH 2ull o2 le3* 3o'en an* .eastly 'en&B

As the $ity .e$a'e less o2 a 2rontier

.oo'to3n an* attra$te* 'ore Au/stan*in,B $itiFens, Caraher an* other re2or'ers 3ere
'ore su$$ess2ul in shuttin, *o3n .rothels an* other ele'ents o2 the re*#li,ht *istri$t& :n
the early 1"((1s, Caraher 3as res/onsi.le 2or shuttin, *o3n t3o o2 the $ity1s 'ost
/ro2ita.le $o3#yar*s; 5he Ny'/hia, 3hi$h hel* 3(( $ri.s, an* the <arsi$ani, 3hi$h
house* 1(( 3o'en in 33 $ri.s& 5he .attle to $lose the <uni$i/al Cri., a $o3yar* 3ith
133 $ri.s on 2our 2loors, 3as 'u$h lon,er, 'ostly .e$ause the /ro2its 3ent *ire$tly an*
o/enly to $ity o22i$ials& 5he list o2 $ity /oliti$ians an* .usiness'en 3ith so'e interest in
the <uni$i/al Cri. 3as en*less8 in 1"(6, it 3as reveale* that Her.ert 6$h'itF, the
'ayor1s .rother, o3ne* a 4uarter interest in the /la$e& A$$or*in, to Her.ert As.ury in
5he Bar.ary Coast, AHsaloon kee/ers an* others 3ho 3ante* to $urry 2avor 3ith the
/oliti$al /o3ers a*vertiFe* the .rothel 3henever /ossi.le8 stran,ers 3ho aske*
/oli$e'en 3here 3o'en $oul* .e 2oun* 3ere *ire$te* to it&
8
B A2ter a nu'.er o2 rai*s
an* in4uiries into $orru/tion an* $ronyis' 3ithin <ayor +u,ene 6$h'itF1s
a*'inistration, Caraher an* his su//orters 3on, $losin, the *oors o2 the <uni$i/al
Brothel 2or ,oo* in 6e/te'.er, 1"(& :t 3as the last lar,e $o3yar* to o/erate in 6an
Fran$is$o&

As.ury, Cha/ter 1(, /a,e 11

8
As.ury, Cha/ter 1(, /a,e 14
Chris Hall (Barbary Coast) Page ! of !
# # #
Al'ost as $onte'/ti.le to >everen* Caraher as the <uni$i/al Cri. 3as the
<uni$i/al Clini$, 2oun*e* in 1"11 .y the Boar* o2 Health to $o'.at 3i*es/rea* venereal
*isease& For any 3o'an to 3ork in a .rothel, she 3as re4uire* to 2irst ,et a $lean .ill o2
health 2ro' the $lini$ an* $o'e .a$k every 2our *ays 2or a $he$ku/& 5he su$$ess that the
<uni$i/al Clini$ ha* in re*u$in, the rate o2 in2e$tions in 6an Fran$is$o1s 3horehouses
see'e* to outra,e the $ity1s 'oral ,uar*ians even 'ore than the e-isten$es o2 the
3horehouses the'selves8 the >i,ht >everen* Caraher hi'sel2 *a'ne* the <uni$i/al
Clini$ as Aa .lo3 at 'arria,e&B 5he senti'ents o2 >everen* Caraher an* others like hi'
$arrie* the *ay, an* the Clini$ 3as 2inally $lose* in <ay, 1"13&
# # #
By the ti'e the <uni$i/al Clini$ an* <uni$i/al Cri. 3ere shut *o3n, the
Bar.ary Coast1s ,lory *ays 3ere lon, ,one, an* the 3ritin, 3as on the 3all& 6an
Fran$is$o1s *ays as a 2rontier .oo'to3n 3ere over, an* the in2luen$e o2 'oralists an*
re2or'ers like 5eren$e Caraher 3as ,ro3in,& 5he o/en /rostitution an* vi$e o2 the
Bar.ary Coast an* N//er 5en*erloin areas see'e* like an u,ly .lot$h on the $ity&
6tartin, in 1"11, there 3ere a series o2 $rusa*es a,ainst the re*#li,ht *istri$t, in$lu*in,
la3s restri$tin, 3o'en 2ro' 3orkin, in .ars an* li'itin, saloon li$en$es to 1,G(( (there
3ere at the ti'e, over 2,8(( le,al saloons in 6an Fran$is$o!& =rostitution 3as s4ueeFe*
into s'aller an* s'aller areas o2 toleration&
5he *eath#knell 2or the Bar.ary Coast $a'e in 1"14, 3hen the Cali2ornia
le,islature /asse* the >e* 7i,ht A.ate'ent A$t, 3hi$h hel* lan*o3ners res/onsi.le 2or
the use o2 their /ro/erty an* allo3e* authorities to i'/oun* /ro/erty that 3as use* 2or
/rostitution& 5he la3 3ent into e22e$t on ?e$e'.er 18, 1"14 an* 3as i''e*iately
$hallen,e* in $ourt .y 6an Fran$is$o lan*o3ners& +n2or$e'ent o2 the a$t 3as sus/en*e*
until early 1"1, 3hen the Cali2ornia 6u/re'e Court han*e* *o3n its ver*i$t su//ortin,
the A$t&
Dn Fe.ruary 14, 1"1, the 6an Fran$is$o thre3 a $or*on aroun* the Bar.ary
Coast, kee/in, out anyone 3ho $oul*n1t /rove that their .usiness insi*e 3as le,iti'ate&
5he .rothels 3ere rai*e*, leavin, 83 $lose* an* /uttin, 1,(3 3o'en on the streets&
"

<ost o2 the 3o'en 3ho 3ere $ast out o2 the Bar.ary Coast either 3ent to .rothels
s$attere* else3here throu,hout the $ity or turne* to street3alkin,&
For all intents an* /ur/oses, that en*e* the Bar.ary Coast an* o22i$ially#
san$tione* /rostitution in 6an Fran$is$o& 5he ,lee2ul li$entiousness o2 the /la$e never
le2t, thou,h, an* the *es$en*ants o2 the @ol* >ush 3hores an* 'a*a's 9 su$h as <ar,o
6t& 0a'es, Carol 7ei,h, Annie 6/rinkle, an* Carol Pueen 9 are at least as i'/ortant to the
$ity1s heart as any o2 the 'ore res/e$ta.le $ivi$ lea*ers& :n the en*, they 'ean 'ore to
the $ity than 5eren$e Caraher or his heirs ever 3ill&
- 30 -
"
Mullen, Kevin A)hen =rostitution )as 6e'i#7e,al in Fris$o&B 6an Fran$is$o +-a'iner,
?e$e'.er 2", 1""3; A#1