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ORDINANCE NO. 689
AN ORDINANCE To define and regulate public dances and dance halls; prescribing
penalties; repealing all ordinances and parts or ordinances in conflict with this
ordinance, and declaring an emergency:
BE IT ORDAINED by the City Commission of the City of Port Angeles:
Section 1. The term "public dance" as used in this ordinance shall mean any
dance or ball to which admission can be had by payment of a fee or by the purchase,
possession or presentation of any ticket or token, or at which a charge is made for
caring for clothing of other property, or any dance to which the public may gain
admission with or without the payment of a fee or other charge; PROVIDED, that this
ordinance shall not apply to incorporated clubs, fraternal orders or other societies
occupying their otrn premises and who limit their dances to members of their own
organization.
Section 2. The term "dance hall," as used in this ordinance shall mean
any room, place or space in which a public dance shall be held.
Section 3. All police officers and probation officers of the City shall at
all times have free access to all places in the city where any public dance is being
conducted, for the purpose of preserving order and enforcing the provisions of this
or any other ordinance of the city and the laws of the State of Washington.
Section 4. There shall be no turning out of the lights or any use of
"dimmers" whereby the room in which any public dance is held is so darkened that
persons are indistinguishable from any part of the room.
Section 5. No public dance shall be conducted later than 1 o'clock a.m.,
nor between that hour and 8 o'clock a.m., PROVIDED, that upon the application of a
bona fide and reputable club, organization or society the Commissioner of Public
Safety may grant permission to such club, organization or society to continue a dance
until any hour on any other than the first day of the week commonly called Sway;
and PROVIDED, further, that all public dance halls shall be closed on Sunday.
Section 6. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, club
or association, maintaining, conducting or carrying on any public dance hall, or
having charge or control thereof, or for any person employed in or about the same,
to allow or permit any person under the age of eighteen (18) years of age, unless
accompanied by his or her parent or guardian, or any person under the influence of
intoxicating liquor, or any boisterous or disorderly person to enter, be or remain,
or dance at such public dance or in such public dance hall, or to suffer or permit
any person or persons at such dance or in such dance halls to engage in any undue
familiarity or lewd, immoral or suggestive conduct; and it shall be the duty of the
person maintaining, conducting or having charge or control of such hall, to eject
any person engaged in such prohibited conduct.
Section 7. It shall be unlawflil for any person at any public dance or in
any dance hall in the City of Port Angeles to engage in and it shall also be unlawful
for any person, firm, corporation, club or association maintaining, conducting,
carrying on any public dance, or its, his, or their agents, servants, or employees,
to permit at any such public dance or in any such dance hall, any of the dances
commonly known as "Turkey Trot," "Texas Tommy," "Grizzly Bear," "Rag Dance," "Rough
Dance," "Frisco Rag," "Camel Walk," "Cheek to Cheek," "Forehead to Forehead," "Chin
to Chin," or any other dance or like character or of a suggestive, indecent or
immoral nature.
Section 8. Nothing in this ordinance contained shall be so construed as
to mean any waiver of the rights of the City Commission as delegated to the
Commissioner of Public Safety to refase any, permit herein provided for or to with-
draw the same whenever in his discretion such action is necessary in the interest
of public welfare or social decency.
Section 9. Any person, firm, corporation, club or association violating
any provision of this ordinance shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of
not less than one dollar nor more than one hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the
city jail for not to exceed thirty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Section 10. All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict herewith
are, to the extent only of such conflict, hereby repealed.
"' w ORDINANCE. NO. 689, continued:
Section 11. Whereas, the dancing at the public dances, as herein defined,
has/become of such a character, as to be inconsistent with a true sense of decency
and to constitute a menace to the morals of the people of the City of Port Angeles,
and especially of the boys and girls of this city, NOW, THEREFORE, an urgency and
emergency for this ordinance is hereby declared to and does exist for the immediate
/preservation of the public peace, health and safety; THEREFORE this ordinance shall
be in full force and effect from and immediately upon its passage, approval and
publication.
Passed First Reading by the City Commission, May 4, 1921.
Passed Second Reading by the City Commission, May llth, 1921.
Passed Third Reading and Adopted by the City Commission, May 11th, 1921.
Approved and signed by the Mayor, May 11th, 1921.
ATTEST:
C. D. BEST, City Clerk.
APPROVED AS TO FORM
GEO. H. KING, City Attorney.
Date of Publication:
May 13, 1921
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H. M. FISHER, Mayor.
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