The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-22

WRITTEN FOR THE sUNDA REPUBLIC
Fifteen thousand pairs Of feet dancing
over three acres OF hoor every week is the
lowest estimate at q new dancing hall on
South Broadway. Twenty thousand is a
conservative maximum.
Tho hall. covering three acres of ground.
IL the largest In the Western country. r
1t took tho Hashagen brothers Just four
weeks to transform an old and dilapidated
street railway power-house Of the Broadway
line into the greatest dance hall IN the
world.
Before the power-house came into exist
ence. with the advent Of cable and cleo
tricity in St Louis. the structure was a car
shed and stable.
Where ~twinklinE feet now dance to tho
rhythm of the waltz. tired and WORKOUT
mules once dug their shoofs into a rough
straw bedding.
TIT change which has come over the place
Is astonishinE The dance hall occupies the
entire west side Of the building. The or
chestrs plays from the gallery projecting
from the middle wall on the south side OF
the hall.
The roof Is nat. of corrugated Iron. hand
somely painted in light color. The floor is as
smooth as glass. and always waxed to the
limit.
To tho left Of the immense dancing hall IS
a vaudeville theater. with gable roof and
latest stage improvements.
The never-weary dancers come here dur
ing the pauses. which are Just long enough
to give the musicians a chance to catch
their breath. for q vaudeville turn and re-
freshments.
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT u
IN THE BASEMENT. =
Dow In tho basement is.ths sIatest ma
proved machipeExrSAa electfiss1Sh3tpsanf,
which furnishes III the incandescent lamps,
for the establishment. and . heating appx-,
ratuA with IN attachment which ian, sths
heat through the large openings in,ths kr-g
ing into the hall. making It comfortable IN
fifteen minutea ?
This same fan arrangement r. 20 CON-
structed that In warm weather It can be
used to convey cooling drafts OF out-of-door
air through the same chambers.
Dancing. however. Is the chief object Of
every visitor to Hashagen'A The dancing
contingent IL made up from The young
working element Of South 81. Louis
The men and women are young Scarcely
beyond the girl and boy age. At least, they
all look quite youthful
There are no fat girls or boys among
them. In fact, dancing from thirty-sx to
fifty hours. week in and week out would
not permit any flesh accumulation to the
most thorough obesity inclined.
The young uen are wiry. muscular and
not tall The girls are slender. mostly short.
and trim from head to foot.
On week nights the dancing begins at
o'clock and lasts till after midnight. On
Sundays the first eager dancers appear at |
o'clock. ready to keep it up TIL after MIDI
night. \
The young fellows are aIway. ven |
dressed. A necktie Of high color, red, green
or blue. is a distinguishing and brilliant fea- |
ture of their makeup. |
me girls appear in neat. snugly fitting |
shirt waists Of white material. bedecked !
with pretty. brightly colored ribbons. = lot |
OF cheap Jewelry, pins. brooches. bracelets, |
pearl chains and necklaces. to say nothing |
OF rings Of make-believe diamond luster.
Som OF the young women are decked o,,+ |
IN old-fashioned ornaments, such an mother
used to wear when she was young, and
which evidently came from the homo treas
ure box Of family heirlooms.
There are now and then yisfbI. ru
opera chains. in fashion some TWENTY vesrs
ago. which. by the Hashagen girl of ,o.d,v,
are attached tc the inevitable fan. a neces. \
sary article to the mfor after the dance II
There are few long skirts. Where there 4 I
one. IT has to DO lifted out of danger. TOR IN /
the inevitable crush II would not last .lonserl
than . SNOWFALL in July.
WALTZ AND Two-srEP
ARE DANCED.
The waltz and the two-step arc the only /
dances danced at Hashagen's, and there is
no rushing. either. Quietly. with . gliding
step. tho couples almost walk through
them. Il
30 gentls and slow Is tho movement. that
two pairs of small feet could execute thet
revolutions on q dinner plate. II they chose.
Scurrying from one end Of the hall to the |
other II unknown here. The couples hold |
each other tightly. with each others arms
closely disposed around waists and Shout
ders.
Now and then a West End couple gets intoj
the place. adherins to its method of dancing
with left arms outstretched at full length.
They learn better before the first round is
over. i
Back up there. Bil!" is the good-natured
admonition given them by the male dancer
whose girl IS jostled by the extended arms
of the newcomers. " II
TIL dancing master. assisted on Big niehts
by a dancing mistress, IS ever on the alert
to see that the proper ecorum Is preserved.
Tho slightest attempt to ..pas-ma-la." as
tho wriggiing dance motion Is termed by
the Hashageners. II quickly checked. L
The dancing master ducks constantly IN
and out between the dancers. like a referee
in . prize light A 'paS-ma-la" couple is /
nut warned. then threatened With eject +
ment. which follow. promptly upon q third
cfensA.
The "wau-6owsf" y an unknown product
at HashagszfA There are no seats around
~ van nw hR to thrive upon. waiting till
her aannl1g nsd . inscribed with a would
- Dafsnars mama !;