Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-09-25
A CRYING Want in Augusta.


one of the most delightful cites in the South,
with as charming suburbs as VIC have eyer'sccn.
Her social, moral and literary status is highly en-
viable She is destined to be- one of the largest,
us sho is already one of tho mos. beautiful and
prosperous inland citic, of the Southern States.
We are delighted to witness--or rather to road OF
her great internal improvements and business
prosperity. Arc our people aware that o Street
Railroad is actually in progress in Augusta. Ac.
tnaly in progress! The Railroad Company to
which tho City Council, months ago, granted the
right of way through tho streets, and to which
they guaranteed manysrights, privileges and i'm
munities, have ut last begun their work in dead
earnest. Tho iron is now boing lnid, and the
cars arc now being constructed. And by tho close
of 1867, one may make circuit of four or FIVE
miles through the beautiful streets Of Augusta in
II few minutes and for few ccuts-ssaed in q
comfortable car-in the company Of polite and
social people. Delightful prospect for business; !;
delightful prospect for pleasure! Imagine, ladies
from rural shndes, how charmingly convenient Il
will be to issue from the incompatible Planters
Hotel, and take passage in luxurious car to
Gray Mullarkys. How much better this than
having to foot it, whother the weather be thick
or thin And how further charmingly convent
ent it will be, after you have almost expired in
ecstasy over Gray & Mul!srky's fine goods, to
sell l. Cos; 10 expire agnin And thence to Per-
kins' exquisite Art Gallery, for photographer
to Mrs. Fredericks, for bonbons-or Prontaut's,
for bracelct-cr, up tho street again, to Mrs.
Tweedy's or Madame Fillotes, for q bonnet-or
to Mosber and Schqub's, for n tca-sct-or 10 the
Richards Bros, for silks, sntins and laces-or,
down the street agair, to the lovely and nobly-
cultivated Cemctery-or, up again, to the Facto-
ries-or, perhaps, to tho Sand Hills. Through
Broad Street with its stores, and through Green
Street with its roses. En'rarcing!
But, really, VIC did not intend to mcnndor so
extensively through these aluring streets, nor SO
far away from our main point-the Crying
Want'-lhc want of a large, elegant and commo-
dious Opera House, or Theatre. Call it ono, or
call it tie other Tho same building might be
made, as in the German cities, 10 answer equally
we'll for tho lyric or histrionic drama
With this one want supplied, Augusta would
truly be place whittier country people might 60
to ruS tho rust OF of soul and body. For, lying
as Augusta does upon tho great route from the
Northeast to the Southwest, her Opera House
would always be in demand. The best artistes-
actors, singers, players, dancers, ccturers-would
undoubtedly visit her annually. And these ar-
tis,c.-to say nothing of the immense enjoyment
and edGcation afforded to tho resident population
would attract to the city hundreds upon hun
dreds of people from the country-aud thousands
upon thousands of dollars. Why, oven in this
little village, at this moment, We could lay our
finger upun dozen persons who would rush to
Augusta on tho approach of Parepa, Lagrange,
Ristori, Edwin Booth, or Dickens.
But, at this moment, how bad would be their
chance when they got there! As good, to be
sure, ns anybody's else. Natives and visitors
alike suffer under terrible di,ugrsrlcnts. Thea
tre.bulding, low, small, dark and crampcd; the
performers on tho stage almost jumping into the
mouths Of tho too adjacent audience; the stage
narrow, contracted and without any of the acces-
sorcs demanded by modern art; no place for the
orchc ira; nm orchestra Of moro than half n dozen
Instruments making q noise like the roaring Of
the bulls Of Bashan the most panissimo passages
of the singers sounding like railroad whistle {;
fairies jumping out Of the most unfairy like
places; and queens sitting upon most unqueen-
like thrones; the paint, and tinsel, and brass, 80.
wrinkles, and palpita;ors, all gluring ou. most
feariully.
And tie audience In perfect obscurity Style,
and dress, and elegance, and beauty, and fashion,
all lost! If portly Mrs. Shoddy were to come
aong-of course she would como from the North
and attend the opera or tho play in Augusta,
how Gisnayed and taken-in she would he. Rivers
of pearls might roll from her hair, Niagara OF
diamonds might flow over her mountainous bosom
rings might glisten upon her becfy fngcrs, and
bells might tnklc at tho enls Of her corpulcnt
toes; but in the narrowncss aud dead-levcl Of
the Augusta Theatre, all would be lost.
OF late, wo have read much in the Augusta pa
per, os different projects for building an 0rcrn
House in that city. The bare probability Of such
a consummntinn delights US. Are these projects
dead? At least they seem to sleep. And in the
meantime, Lagrange, who has returned to this
country, and whose vocal execution is the most
miraculous in the world, will, if she visits Angus
to- have to pipe ana trill in narrowness and gooiu
We humbly assure the capitalists of Augusta that
their city needs an Opera House, for temple CT
Ar, and all aesthetic festivals, far moro than she
needs acres of building, added to the vast wilder
nets Of trade.