New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-11

II i hieh time that something should be
donc-if anything in this wcll-govened city
can be done. except for r0wdics and rum sellers
IN urotcct the public ms well as the theatrical
managers, against the overwhelming nuisance
of theatrical ticket spectators The managers
are utterly powerless in this matter. They are
Obliged. except under circumstances that rarely
happcn, to sell to all applicants. Any person
not known to be disrcpuable OF disturbcr OF
the public peace may purchase thcatcr-ticketS
Sometimes indeed. "a regulation Is adopted, TO
the effect that no more than q certain stipu-
lated number of tickets shall bc sold To any one
person But this barrier l. practically of no avail
against the entcrpriSing Spectator. He resorts
10 all sorts of subtcrfugcs. He sends women, and
children. even, to purchase for him. He inn
presses the unsophisticated stranger into his
service, giving him one ticket free, by way OF
commission for buying many Once pos
.,scd of his prize there is no limit to his ras-
c.liy. OF course lac charges an extra price Tor
every ticket that he sells. Standing before the
door of the thcater, and sometimes ycntunng
into the ycstibulc, he accOstS everybody who
approaches. thrusts himself in eycryb0dy's way
camors like a town-crcr, makes himself gene
rally disgusting, and iinally-by dint OF good
luck in finding gTccnhoms from the country, or
occasional thcater gOers who are ignorant oil
his character or people who would rather pay
an extra price for ticket than wait turn at
the box-oilice-he cOntriycs To sell his tickets,
Mt very considerable profit to himself. But
this is not the worst of It, II
the ticl,ct-speculator would but sell honestly,
and be contcnted with such legitimate profit
as might be made without fleeing the igno-
rant and unwary, he might be endured, though
even then he would be "A supcrfuous and con-
temptible pest But honesty is no part of his
trade. For example: The orchestra admission
ticket, us most readers probably know, has
check for seat attached to 1t. The spccu-
lator will separate this checl, from the ticket;
will sell the latter rs reserved seat-Oi
course TO some greenhOrn, and OF course lor
large price; and will then sell the check, to-
gether with common admission ticket, for as
much money rs he can get from somebody else
Alterations with the manager or the uOor-
keeper, frequently grow ont OF tins form oil
swindng. The Spectator, oil course, cannon DE
found when the row begins, or, III found, can
not be identified. This brief illustration sum
GENTLY shows the character oil the imposition
70 which the public and the managers aresnD-
iected II goes on every night at almost every
place of public amusement We can scarcely
hone that the Law will do anything to aDate
this nuisance; but the public ought to oppose |
il in the stenest manner. Never, under any
circumstances, buy theatrical ticket from Il
speculator, is the Injunction that we would lay |
upon our readers Tickets can just rs easily, |
and much more safely, be purchased nj the |
box-oilices of the theaters. These are always |
open during the day. A little forcthought ana |
care will always enable the theater-goer
TO procure his ticket in advance ana |
thus to avoid delay or other Inconvenience |
at night To buy of spectators, on the |
contrary, is to pay extra prices; to incur the |
danger of being swindled; and, frequently TO
become the recipient of counterfeit money. |
We trust that a word of warning on TINS SUD
ject may not be- wasted. Many of the Dickens |
tickets have been bought by spectators, VINO |
are hawking them about now, at prices vary
ing from $40 to $50. We hope nobody |
will be foolish enough to buy them. There |
will be other opportunities Of hearing MI |
Dickens read; and meanwhile it would be |
a comfort to have the spectators discounted.
-
The great number of foreigners and persons |
Il..lI