The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-08-17
NEWS AT THE METROPOLIS
Doings of the Week as told by
the "Gazette's" Special
Correspondent:
PORTLAND, Aug. Is, 1894.

| PORTLAND, Aug. 10, 1874.
) Last week the local sensation
was the Turkish muscle dancers
From New York to San francisco
these stomach contortionists have
run the gauntlet of the courts anC
| police departments, and, if theil
4 story may be believed, have beer
freely bled by officials in securing
immunity from interference. The
manager more than hints that the
bleeding process was continued
here and after a satisfactory sun
had been paid the official changed
their minds as to the immortality
of the show. At all events, after
being arrested and the dancers
stopped for two days, it was
resumed. The uninitiated may
draw what conclusions they choose
from this fact. In connection
with this it may be remarked that
the proprietors of the places where
these dancers exhibited themselves
were not arrested, though just as
guilty of giving an immoral exhi-
bition as the persons whom they
paid to do the dancing. 1t is sug-
gested by those who pretend to
know about such things that the
reason for this IS that those places
contribute handsomely to the po.
lice, and secure immunity fror'
arrest thereby. The dancers were
in the county Jail for short time
and claim that this is the first time
they were ever actually locked up
though often arrested on similar
charge. AS to the dancing itself
Its valgarity depends upon the
frame of mind of the beholder.
will say from personal observat on
that it has no grace and little art
TO recommend it as a dance
About all that is interesting in it
is the abnormal development OF
muscles usually but little used
With one in the proper frame oil
mind certain of the contortions
are very suggestive Of lascivlous-
ness, but the evil depends largely
upon the evident intent of the
. performer. | have seen far more
vulgari'y and lascivious suggestion
conveyed in a nod or a wink or a
song sung by ''serio comic" with
words whose double meaning is
brought out by some slight GESTURE,
Such singer drew crowds for
weeks at a time to one of the same
resorts where these dancers ap-
peared, and there was no sugges-
ton of an arrest being made by
anyone My verdict is that the
dance is not as vulgar as many
other things mere frequently seen.
but that it is devoid of grace and
contains nothing that any person.
who cares at all to see a nice
dance, would go across the street
to see a second time.
Quite a controversy has been
maintained between some of the
persons who went to the top oi
Mt. Hood and certain other indi-
viduals who did not, as to whether
the former saw Shasta from Crater
rock. The doubtful ones began to
figure on the rotundity of the
earth and proclaimed that Shasta
was below the horizon and sugges-
ted that the Mazamas had been
deceived by a cloud. To this the
Mazamas answered that the object
retained its form and place for
five hours and could not have
been a cloud. At least one of the
United States engineers made a
careful calculation and declared
that the peak of Shasta was not
below the horizon of Crater rock,
or at least that the usual allow
ance for refraction of the rays of
light would bring it within view
ing distance, but he expressed the
opinion that Mt. Jefferson inter
vened. There is where the con-
troversy now stands. The Maza-
mas saw The top of a large snow
peak. There is nothing in that
direction so far away as this must
have been that will answer the
description except Shasta. If
Shasta is hidden by Jefferson what
did the Mazamas see? 1t is proba-
bly, too late this season to throw
more light on this subject, as the
smoky atmosphere prevents seeing
so far. When the Mazamas were
on the mountain an unusual com
bination of a thunder storm early
in the morning and very clear
day afterwards enabled them to
see as far as the true horizon line
and as much farther as refraction
would permit. Only early in the
season can clear weather be count
ed on. Next year perhaps this
mooted question may be settled.
An effort is being made to secure
much lower rates on grain from
the Inland Empire this season.
The railroad freight agents are i'll
consultation about it and the mat
ter may be settled in few days