The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-12-03
card, from Manager.JameS FitzSim'

uVAbt
regpectfulIy. declined publishing any
card relative to the late company OF me
Opera House until the present, as 1t Yonld
nrobably have detracted from that public
sympathy 80 eagerly sought as q pecu.
riary aid to their benefit. But now that
their benefit Ii over, l would here remark
that II had been talked. around the Opera
House for some time that the engagements
Of the company would terminate before
they did, as certain parties had frequently,
Of late, suggested to me that change OF
company was desirable, and as tile only
plan leit to me was toanotiiy the com.
pany OF the conclusion Of their en-.
gagements and pay them for their services,
which ] did. Though the official notice
Of the conclusion oil their engagements
might perhaps have been placed before
them earlier yet 1t was suggested to me
to have done so earlier would have been
very questionable, from tho fact that q
company Of any kind knowing previously
for o lengthy period Of their disbandipg,
that avery negligent and careless style OF
performance would be pTejudicial 10 Q
company, Unsatisfactory 10 the public and
hurtlul to the amusement establishment.
Consequently the official notice, however
long expected, was not put up until the
time suggested to me. z (
During the time Of the expected notice
any of the company seeking other engage
ments considered they had right 10 do
90. and II they had wanted to have gone
Mt any time preyipus (aa several oil the
important ones did) they could have
done 80, and I am Of the opinion they
were al perfectly aware OF that iact:
For when artists or employees OF
any kind are anyways dissatisfied with
city they are In or the approval Of a
public or carlessness in their situations
they should speedily as possible Beck
for themselves more satisfactory sitna-
tons. As to q benefit, offered the COM
pany the Opera Honse free OF any charge
from me for benefit; but as they sur
missed the public sympathy could be
awakened for them by having It else
where, they did so, to which | urged no
objection, merely waiting until the benefit
was over to make lew remarks In expla-
nation to the public and in Justice tony
self and friends, though knowing that the
entire affair can be viewed in a matter o.
fact way, and that Is when q public does
not see sufficient attraction In CON-
pany 1t Is the personal business OF a man:
ager TO secure such attractions as will
more satisfactorily please them, and the
first step to that would be to pay of the
old attractions and secure in their place
new ones, and that Is Just exactly what ]
have done. Though the old company
may have pleased the public, yet the cit
liens had 80 repeatedly seen them that
1t was suggested 10 me to secure some
thing that had'not lately been seen here
andI have precisely done 90, and when
the public have seen these attractions
shall pay them of also and bring others
to supply their place, and so continue
to furnish, as far as obtainable, the
current attractions of the day. But
cannot retain all these people here, Of
more hotels would be required anu. my
losses would still be heavier, for fifteen
thousand dollars, from the first time
stepped into Wheeling relative to thu
Opera House nearly two years ago, woult
NV repay uo luI tuo Ouhuy III hAet Aoh
ey and labor. To do what Is right 7
the public as a Manager, to merit thel
patronage and esteem, despite any pres
sure that may have been brought agains
me to injure me pecuniarily, or my busi
ness, or any popularity I may have OF
tanned as an amusement Manager, 0!
1t Is well known 10 the citizens that
am the rightiul Lessee Of the Opert
House, and intend to continue SO unit
the expiration OF my lease, unless ] SHOULD
be honorably bought out, for shal
make public any plan that may be uset
10 crush or force me out, not only through
the public press Of this city, but Of TIL
leading theatrical journals Of the entir'
country. Hoping to continue to meri
the public esteem, l am respectfully
the public's obedient servant,
JAMES FTTzsIsIMoNs,
Lessee and Manager of the Opera House
| Wheeling, W. Va.