Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-09-29

the Queen City. Ii the old walls
could only speak, what a tale OF life
they could unfold. Still, perhaps it's
for the best that they only remain
mute and silent. Wine flowed night
after night, as if so much water, and
it can be truthfully said that no man
in the vaudeville business ever pre-
sented the high-class attractions on
the Northwest circuit that John Cort
did. His salary list, at one time, dur.
ing the days | write of, per week,
would pay the expenses of all the 10
cent shows, and dance-halls running
in Seattle at the present time, for a
month, and then there would he some
left. Money was no object for talent
with Cort, if they we're good, and he
presented and produced the best vaud-
eville artists in their respective lines,
ever seen on the Pacific Coast. He
also had a chain OF variety theaters in
the Northwest, extending as far as
Victoria, b. c., to Eugene City, Ogn.,
and his name was household word
amongst variety people over all the
Oulteu OtaLeS.
Now it is o'clock in the evening
and We start towards All.night
town." Restrictedville," or the "Ten.
derloin."
Here comes q well-known Seattle
character, and hustler. It's Jimmy
Hetiener the newsman." Instead of
waiting for business to come to him,
he goes after it, and generally secures
his share. Jimmy" with his two
regulation bundles of papers swung
over his shoulders, is crying out his
wares: "St. Louis Globe, New York
World, Kansas City Star" and so on.
Just here some fellow yells at him,
and stretches his arms out, forming a
cross, and Immediately Heffener hol-
lers: "Irish World" Try Jimmy"
the next time you meet him, but be
cure and buy paper from him.
Now we make a fresh start for
Restrictedville." Arriving, we see a
great display of electric lights, daz-
zling in beauty and colors, which
light up the district" as the sunlight
of day. Here is the Strand dance
hall. Hundreds of people in groups
of six, ten, twenty, in any denomina.
tion you may wish, are here, and the
streets are crowded. And my! what
bits of conversation one hears as we
pass through the mass of human be-
ings.
Here is curbstone politician. half
drunk, saying that President Roose.
veit should not have used his position
in trying 80 stop the war, as he did,
between Russia and Japan, that Rus.
sia was getting what was due from the
"little brown men" and should have
not insisted on . peace conference
at all; Governor Mead should have
" fired" out the main gazabo," at the
Walla Walla penitentiary, along with
the guards whom he had discharged
for illegal registration that the next
Mayor of Seattle will be the candidate
who favors an " open town." that the
city of Seattle needs a big bundle of
money for public Improvements next
year, and that Taxpayers are becom-
ing disgusted with seeing Alaska
money hurrying to San Francisco, to
be gathered in by the Native Sons.
He has a good sized crowd listening to
his remarks, but at this moment
a " Blue. .coat.and. brass buttons" made
his appearance, and the crowd, along
with the tenderloin politician, was
compelled to "move on"
And here is fellow saying: "You
can rest assured there'll be no poker
games run in Seattle under the pres.
ent Mayors term Of Office. But he's
q dead one. politically, and you just
wait and see if my tip is straight"
Then there was the man telling OF
the wonders of the Tanana country /;
how fortune is bound to smile upon
one who will 60 and-find it. A fell
low, here, says that Walla Walla is
the most prosperous town in the in
land country. Another is telling a
crowd that Uncle Sam doesn't need
the Philippines and should sell them
to some other nation; then q gray
haired man with G. A. r. badge on
his coat, says: ave fought for them,
and with 'Teddy's' help, we'll keep
them, by gosh." And from the ap.
plause the old fellow received, the
crowd must surely viewed the subject
in the same manner.
Here an old sailor is recounting his
many ship-wrecks, and the endless
chain OF conversation and subjects
kept on.
The unusual now happens. A tone,
having the feature of once belonging
to an educated vocalist, floats out of a
cheap, dimsy-appearing saloon. We
enter. A disappointment. The form
of that which represents woman. fell
on our gaze. She is singing. The
voice denotes q once brilliant singer,
but now, blear-eyed, in greasy dress,
with nowsy hair and "chuck full OF
morphine" - as a bystander informs
us-"she sings nightly" "Salary /!
Well, guess not" our informant con.
tinues. "She takes what change any.
one hands her, but would much prefer
a "straight whisky" any time. We
now see her at best. Two hours from
now she will be asleep in chair some
place, fro m effect OF the drug and
liquor. Then We may only guess
what her dream may be. Perhaps she
sees little farm-h house, nesting near
the banks of the beautiful Willamette,
an old mother kneeling by the bed
side with uplifted hand imploring Him
who rules all, to guide and shield her
absent daughter from sin and harm.
If this be her dream, let her enjoy 1t
while she may, for when she awakes
from the stupor, it is only to drink,
use morphine, sing one or two songs,
then to dream again. A weary life is
it not? We answer yes, and as we
leave the foul.smelling resort, we hear
the poor, miserable creature singing
the Holy City" What q travesty !!
The fresh cool air How pleased we
we're to inhale it. The song dies softly
away.
Here is the Salvation Army with
singing and tambourines. 1t is now
half past ten o'clock. Isn't this some
what OF late hour for Christian peO'
pie to be exhorting in the den OF The