The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-05
BURTON'S OLD THEATRE.
One Of New York's Favorite Land
marks for Sale.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST
Vicissitudes in the History Of a
Temple of Momus.

being 5000, 900. There were no bidders ana the sale
indefinitely postponed. The property extends
from Chambers Readc street and covers about six
full lots Interesting and pleasant memories cluster
around the old building Except to residents Of New
York. with long and tenacious memories, its past
history is little or but vaguely known. 1t
built in 1912 by Pamo who FIRST intro
duccd Italian opera in New York, and was
called Palmo's New York Opera House. AT that time
it occupied central location, as much so as Days
Fifth Avenue Theatre does The boarding houses
and hotels all around within five or ten min
utcs' walk Beekman street was fashionable prone
made that the march OF business had not yet invaded
Palmo had a cook in Pintos saloon Broadway,
where he cooked 10 purpose, he finally started
a restaurant and free and easy OF hts own in near
proximity his old employer lie very
fond of music, especially OF tho operate order
His great ambition was TO Introduce Italian opera
in New York. Having accumulated considerable
wealth he resolved put his darling project into effect
for this purpose he built what he styled the New
York Opera House, which was afterward TO pass
through many vic:ssitudcs OF fortune There
Italian opera company performing at Havana and this
he managed for the dedication or the New
York public The following was the very brief form OF
announcement with programme included, OF the intro
ducton of opera in the United States
rALxos OPERA
First night Of the Italian opera In consequence OF the In
% ssno! r. a'f or ss %
admired opera Lucia d Lammermoor," will be performed
Sir Edssrdo sisnOr Anso9nini
First tier boxes parquet ST. tier OF boxes
SO cents.
Palmo's ambitious enterprise like many OF a similar
character in recent years proved utter fnan-
cia failure. Pamo was ruined, aud it is but a few
years ago since he died in downtown tenement
house. in state OF restitution. After Italian opera
had been surrendered bad speculation the theatre
passed into the hands of travelling Snowman, who
gave variety performances nightly, and finally aban-
doned the place for want OF luck. 1t then taken
possession Of by troupe OF model ar.
lists from Paris, who drew large audiences
| by the novelty OF their performances. The
present anteduvian Commissioner of Police, Matsell,
was then Chief OF Police and on its being represented
him by n delegation OF pious and decorous citizens
that these exhibitions were OF lewd and dcmoralizng
character he up night force of officers, who
arrested both artists and audience and marched them
through the streets-the former in state OF semi.
nudity-to the station house, BY degrees the Cham
bcrs Street Theatre descended in reputation until it
1 came TO be regarded miscrably low resort But
the day Of its glory coming, and as Buron's Thea
trc IL celebrated in after years as the home Of
the GREAT CENTRE OF ATTRACTION
for the best class OF citizens and the scene OF Burtons
greatest triumpss. Old New Workers revert TO the
performances there with feelings of tender delight
Some 20 SO far as to maintain that there is nothing
produced nowadays on the boards of our fashionable
theatres up town to equal in strength of cast and per-
lection OF acting the performances that made the Cham
bers Street Theatre the joy and PRIDE of the IL
was a small theatre compared to Booths In fact, il
could hardly seat moro than eight hundred persons 1t
lacked the light brightness and convenenccs OF the
modern temples of Terpsichore; but for its day and
generation 1t was behind none in America
BURTON THE MASTER SPIRIT
OF the place, well known character both of and
on the boards II was emphaticaly "Burton's Thea
trc and such will long be remembered by old play
goers Among the many incidents related of the great
comedian reference to the working of tho tec
graph in those days The night of the opening of the
play at his house in Philadelphia lie waited with
feverish impotence for the telcgraphic despatch
nouncng the fate OF the venture Finally he received
the ollowng:-"New play No. 90" Over this Burton
and his company cudgcllcd their brains considerably
between the acts, until John Brougham, who had been
\ in a brown study the puzzle all the evening
| up glowing with the discovery that 1t
meant New play no 20, which was as much relief
The sketch OF the would be incomplete without
reference to Burtons PRIOR and subsequent
TO his connection with 1t.
BURToS's
Burton made his first essay the theatrical boards
OF New York at the old National Theatre in Leonard
street. then under the management OF Mr.. James Wal
lack. When the theatre burned Burton returned
TO Philadelphia and fitted Cookies Circus building in
Chestnut street for theatrical representations, and
called IL the National Theatre In 1s41 he leased the
theatre this city at the Of Leonard and Church
streets which after burned and all OF Buron's
splendid scenery consumed. He went again to Phila-
dcpha and became manager OF the Arch Street Theatre
the theatre at Washington and the one on Front
street. Baltimore Next TO tho Park he had the best
company the country and was distinguished for the
liberal way in which he mounted now pieces. He did
sIondon Assurance with real aviary and real foun-
tans that tho birds would sing and the foun-
tains would not play. The result Of Burton's mana
geriai speculatons in the provinces pccunar-
lily satisfactory and he resolved in 1S4s have dash
at the metropolis He selected spot between the fires
OF the Park and Bowcry theatres-namely. Palmos old
opera house Burton's speculation was regarded
suicidal affair. He full of pluck, however and
alter expenditure OF considerable money he made
the following announcement in the HERALD OF July,
1s4s:-
OPENING or THE THEATRE.
sBurton's Theatre Chambers street. will open for
the July TO- ls4s. The whole OF this establish
mcnt has undergone thor ish renovation. A
proscenium has been erected, private boxes con-
struccd; handsome gold ornaments. highly Furnished,
by William G. Long, decorate the interior The seats
have been newly stuffed and covered. the obbics
poted and chandeliers supplied. drop
scene has been painted by Mr. Hezc The company has
been carefully selected and will bear comparison with
that any principal theatre in America for superior
comic talent vocal ability and powerful ballet de-
partmcnt Stage manager. Mr.. Brougham; musical
director Mr.. G. Loder balletmastcr, Mr. Fredericks;
principal machinist, Mr. De Wilt: acting manager, Mr.
/ Burton =
Most OF the actors VINO in after years wallacks
and other theatres in New York made distinguished
regulations graduated, so TO speak, under the
/ agement of Burton. II great school Of comedy
aud turned the best comedians-Joe Jefferson and
Lester walack among the numbcr-now living on
American soil During the lrst part OF the season he
lost money nearly every night he worked on unccas
ingly and almost ubiquitous. He acted one night
here another in Philadelphia and another in Baltimore,
and then repeated the operation week in and week
Though the theatre in Chambers street was opened in
July the regular presentation Of legitimate plays did
not take place until September, when the following
programme was issued. Prior 10 this the theatre had
been given up for some weeks TO variety busncss:-
BuRroS's THEATRE, CHAMBERS STREET
"wednesday evening; september 9, will be played the
Michael Bradshaw Nicknson
T Tcsy fssss Nt R Ka, s1ssG
Dame Bradshaw y Mrs vernon
Hftcr which the farce ii Mischief Making"
pe ey Mr Raymond
Nine Manucttc. Miss Chapman
To conclude With humorous fairy extravaganza called
The Iniantine Furtbond Mr. Burton