New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-26
THEATRICAL LEECHES.
THE TICKET PEDDLERs' HARvEsT-How SEAS
ARE sECURED-ARE THE PUBLIC sWin
DIED 2-sOME LIGHT ON MYSIEhioo'

No goods sold at retail Is ho1o0' 49,
times printed in large letters, displayed In tnoso
where packages are not broken, and Judging run ~
presept scarcity OF tickets ito which the numbers Oh ~
ara aaixedl I'm the box offices Of many OF our pisces
amusement II would seem to be but an acs Oh e'inp
Justice TO their many patrons IL tho 'arou' ,orous
would hang out similar placard In SOME oo srn.,a
place which would prevent many an ihouisens nd.
and generous gallant from spending vaua' ,oh thew
inc in line In the lobby Of theater' VIM a,
,orortiv do on their way down Town ~
Tho morn,no hoping to secure desirable sea's .o
some evenings entertainments. Inc 49, a. Con-
information All the best seats are takeh' ,. c.
viewed TO you through small aperture oy 'ne y.
ond or Third Assistant Treasurer oAn' a., ,,rn has
beard by the man behind YOU ana nehce no IN 80 ,ho
., hvo rho same information impaired 10 him io' 'o
roaso, that Workers. as general ruie arc NV 80
,oouacious Frequently, as dern'er reso'' SUM 80 :,
man with the organ OF hope largely deVeiopcu 20,
scap the diagram (Which usually occupies se'o," -
utes, thinking that there may Dc some 10" -
soa,. nnscored All are disappointed ana as tney "en
s, ,.v down town they wonder TO themselves no" !"
60 that the seats are all taken" No matter what may
ho tho attracton-tragedy, comedy, OF negro M"
stresy-the choice seats are sold irequenuv W"
davs in advance. 10 is not believed 'ha'' Us .
General thing the theater going puDho Oh 'hiS
decide on going to place Of amusement ten days OF
even six days In advance, unless there Is some spec
attraction such single representation or an opening
night Now the mystery solve is Qf mystery it Isl in
whose possession are these thousands OF tickets every
day and how are they obtained. Time was when the
hon offices of theaters used for their legitimate
pyrpose that s the accommodation OF their patrons
In what are termed by theatrical fossils the pamy day
of the drama the elder Booth was the magnet OF
The old Park and Charlotte Cushman held audiences
spell bound only seats reserved were those IN me
boxes an exclusive portion OF the parquete circle divided
into sections which could only be reached by doors com
municatng with the lobby vgant and polite g'her
KEYS OF tho doors. and until he had closely
sefutinizcd the slip of paper on which was the holders
ala eufar Nav
In the offices. The Treasurers book Tor reserved
seats has become useless The pit where butchers
once sat In their shrtleeves. and satated newsbOys
snmbered until Kirby about to shuttle of his mortal
coil is the desirable part OF The house. Every
seat therein Is marked reserved ana tne n9oriV Vi
those held by speoulators ., ,.,.. D.,
Ticket speculatug has been lucrative business Tor
over 25 yeas and the many lodges rcsorted To by s
pioneers obtain tickets while opposed by the managers
were quito ingenious and worthy Oh more isgIln h
application one evening az the Park Iheater' when
Fanny Ellsers admirers had filled the house from PIT TO
dome one OF the ardenis had arrived late offered
ilo for front seat Ten dollars could bny something IN
those DAYS aud that evening II bought the desired seat
A Young German OF a speculative turn OF mind caught
H. Ses thai night ana has never lost II. Since then
hundreds have followed the business with success hhu
Of late an xoronato have the sidewalk operators be-
come that last year bill introduced in the Logsa-
ture making the traffic IN front OF the thcatets msG
Norton the bill was tabled. At Nbos Garden about 20
wears ago Anna Cora MOwatt was announced Tor one
svsning ony preyious TO her departure from the city
The only seats reserved the II boxes In the second
oircle. The price ~ admission was a. hst come hIst
served" THIS occasion Tor the exercise OF sOno
ingenuity on the part Of the Spectator above ro-
feSrea TO- During the afternoon preceding the
nerformanoe ne marshaed 1850 OF his friends every
Of whom he supplied with ST. with tho agreement that
they should witness the performance PROVIDED thef
would give up the seats which they would first occupy
when called upon do They oil assembled IN 'front.'
OF the box Office IN single ne. long before night ana AZ
The opening the dOOrs they had no difficulty IN securing
HE hest seats The boss took his position on the sldo
walk aud offered reserved seats ut - premium lhe
Treasurer ordered h- arrest as sWihdr buI TIE spec
uator dencd tie policeman and escorted parties of ten
and twelve at a time 10 the choice seats, whcn the former
GAIN Tie advent Of Jenny Lind. Julien and Mario and
risi made harvest for the speculation aud the scenes
m front OF Castle Garden where tickets were always
in demand. was quite exciting Then S , was
customary To hirc men to stand IN me ana onI e1VSe
by wos and our. and recently at tho sale OF tuo
Philharmonic tickets the same plan was adop'd patues
getting ON The Inc the etehns po'oe ,"o 800 u -.
naming all night Probably the most INGENIOUS coup
ever attempted by any spccuator 10 get possession vl
tickets occurred after The INDUSTRIOUS bAinuu uhueIooh
revive the fallen fortunes 81 ibe Cfystai Ihdee an
association was formed ana tho great snowman wa,
elected President The attraction tho monster
concerts Of julien, which were advertised ioF seven
nighs. subscription lst Was opened for The sale OF
hotels 10 help along the enterprise. The indie
fatigable manager advertised extensively In al tho
ihhr II~n eyceptions the papers received In pay
tickets OF admission 10 the number OF seycra thousands
lie purchased AT discount barganrd for them. and
enabled 10 purchase about 5000 at cents apiece The
newspapers we're glad 10 got rid OF them ~ we're the
boels aud the specuatOr rcapcd Inc harvest, selling
them 10 the public al - cents apiece ,,, -, -
Until recently. specnlaior have only sofa uokes on
extraordinary Occasions. ruch as benent or opening
night Then they compelled Ia obtain them through
tb,r frleuis whom they would Intercept on their way
down town importune them To buy two or four seats
They seldom made hrayy investments. NOT Wishing 20
IL stormy tickets we're sold at the regular price Tho
ir. Pacards we're posted at least they at tho
Winter Garden cautiOning the public against pok9ockes
h away from the front of the theater but to-day
that ouy literally enforced at one or two estab
ihnt ShTewd caculatng ingenious peddef OF quarter
century ago who obliged To watch the changes Of
The barometer or consult Merriam % BROOKLYN Heights.
novelties be presented aud he has no fear ~ tho
police He dresses Ia the hight Of fashion, aud lives
Ike thoroughbred lie makes ms money easily and In
many Instances risk for the nmple that
s s"s oIees during Tho day may be- Obtained
there at tho last minute, II not sold outside.
lie never Obtrudes himself upon you. or lowers
his dignity one atom. u there Is a procession
impatient patrons approaching the box office doomed
afairs. confident that you VIII seek HIM a. yon APP
proac him with eager steps, his chest s"es ylsbiy no
bandy reprOycs you for your haste ana remarks. ono
at tme gentlemen"
Besdes the sidewalk operators there are several offices
In where choice seals are sold during the day At
premium OF IS cents. Until recently one man had
an office under what are reported 70 be favorable
auspices by arrangement with tho trea1urers OF sew
all tickets Remaining unsod At o'clock the evening
aud for this privilege they pay as high as 500 year IL
Of choice seats for the OF guests
who might arrive late in the day There was no extra
Office OF hotel Now they ARE In possession OF the news
who Obliged TO pay t sGn% S ss
all may remain usold before the opening OF the
doors There very few amuaement seekers In this
city who have experienced or less annoyance
obtaining desirable seats bat often accompanied by
ades or their country friends they submit 10 the de-
| mauds OF the spectators under protest.
On Saturday lart AT o'clock IN the afternoon an en-
plOy6 OF THE TRIBUNE went far up town To purchase
three seats for evening entertainments The man In
charge OF the box office informed hun that he could not
sell them TO him then, he was busy making up the
house for the evening" The applicant did not understand
what he meant by making up the house" but remarked
that he thought 1t strange that he could not
obtain them. The informed him that he could have
| them at O'clock He inquired for seats tho Fifth
Avenue Hotel, but there they held ut premium OF
90 cents Waiting until evening he compelled rather
than dsappoint his friends to pay " 80 for three tickets