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Picture from the Past
Madams, prostitutes were everywhere in yesteryear
By John S. Baggerly
Today's column briefly revisits historical New Almaden Quicksilver Mine, which borders Los Gatos over the southeast foothills and is accessible by Shannon Road. The illustration shows an artist's rendition of a brothel that might have flourished during the early days of the mines, which predated the discovery of gold near Sacramento in 1848.
Gold led to the discovery of the riches of fish in the San Francisco and Monterey bays, fertile soil over the entire state and bubbling oil land in Southern California. The Bay of Smokes is what Spanish sea captains called the area that became Los Angeles.
The Chinese, previously barred from the state, were brought in as cheap labor to dig tunnels through the Sierra so Leland Stanford's railroad could hook up with westbound rails somewhere in Utah.
In San Francisco's DuPont Street, prostitutes working in tiny rooms called cribs paid off police by reaching out a window and dropping money in their pockets. Other women worked in nicer "houses," where piano music prevailed.
During the arrival of the Chinese in San Francisco, child prostitution became prevalent. Charitable local Donaldina Cameron rescued many by secreting them in her Ming Quong Home at the top of Loma Alta Avenue in Los Gatos. She also had other retreats for the girls in the Bay Area. Author Mildred Crowl Martin tells Cameron's story in China Town's Angry Angel.
Early in this century, a woman who called herself Sally Stanford became the madame of San Francisco. Another madame, Mabel Mallot, was boss of a top-floor establishment in the Marina district and attracted the recognizable limousines of celebrities. Stanford later lost her business and went legit--with a restaurant in Marin County.
San Jose, aping San Francisco, had its own DuPont Street, where the local telephone company demanded front door keys so that personnel could service the pay phone.
Los Gatan Deal Christianson Sr., former owner of Crislow's Department Store, once lived in Central California and tells of the busy brothels of Reedly that accommodated field workers. Some field workers even kept a small harem. Andy Lund, a retired local firefighter and native of the Lexington area, remembers how some Los Gatos mothers and daughters, if left with a home but no income, practiced prostitution.
When World War II broke out, GIs passing through Honolulu helped madame Mamie Stover become rich. The pleasant and generous woman was accepted by society but was denied a lifelong ambition: to join a country club.
GIs also wrote home about a street of brothels in Reno. Mothers contacted their congressmen and the houses of ill repute were closed. However, prostitution was later legalized in Nevada. A few weeks ago, Nevada's "Mustang Ranch" was closed--not for misconduct but for back taxes.
When the stock market crashed in 1929, at least one broker made a last visit to Polly Adler's in New York City, then went to his office and jumped to his death. It was said that rich fathers of sons at nearby Yale and Princeton set up charge accounts for their sons at Madame Polly's place.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
Old mining towns like New Almaden were once sites for brothels.
