The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

Negro Mtrstreis In General. and the San
Franciscans In Particular.


the entertaining level it now occupies great
many carpers have an idea that it costs but
little To run a minstrel show. / confess never
regarded the business as very risky myself. but
examination reveals the fact that n first class
band in flrst-class locality needs daily in
come OF Mt least $3.50 with which TO cover ex-
pcnscs alone. This amount ia not readily
picked up. 50 the vast majority OF minstrel
bands 60 to the pccuniary bow-wows very
soon.
The San Francisco boys. Birch. wambold and
Backus. are the big three in the business. Each
has his peculiar merit. and together they make
team not eluallcd in their line. l call them
boys" because to speak Of Birch M anything
else than Billy" would be popularity absurd.
and defy detective to find n man who ever
heard OF Charles Backus or David wambold
He might as well have asked for Hen Clay
Dan Webster. The minstrcs Of whom write
to-day are rs well known as any men in the
country. Their mission IL To pleasc the people.
Ia drive away dull care. 10 mako "a laugh-and to
earn living.
They work hard.
l know 1t seems n very easy matter for Birch
TO crack his " homes" and his jokes. for Wam-
bold 10 sing n sentimental song. and for Baekus
to open his mouth wide enough to swallow "A
church and grin 50 horribly as to scare n con-
ercgaton; and so it is easy. but it's their work
nevertheless and they have reached the point
whore practice makes perfect. A trades n
trade always, and this business is easy to them
because thy have mastered il. Perhaps II pco-
pie knew how many years passed before the
trade was learned. and could look over the roll
~ disappointed nuurcnti 80 who began lie
with them. they would b"tterappreciato its difli-
culties.
Ibelcve the first regular minstrel organiza-
contained Frank Brewer. Dick Pelham. Billy
WhltlYrk and Dan Emmett They played
Frankln Theatre So long ago IA lSl3.
Dan Emmett wrote u great many Of the
b' st songs, Dixie beng one. Ihcn Duin-
bottoms band played in Burton's Chamh r.
street house, and in Pama's op ra house. But
the best known OF all the old set were the Chris
tvs. L. I. Christy was hard. man-of-the-
world sort of fellow. IL. made money. saved il.
aud died regretted by very few. Georgr Christy.
whose real name was HARRINGTON, WIS better
hearted. and when he first SANG and cavortcd
was ~ froicsome an oyster as ever wor. n
made fortune after fortune. but money melted
in his hand like butter n the sun. Little 10y lit
Tie he yielded to tn inroads Of disease. taking
no care of himself. until death came to his re-
lease. ! think IL was in 1862 or 3 he played
an engagement in Brooklyn III the only bit of
Iramat72nI eyer ait,sqIed 1t was 9pr,
GeorgS chTisty played re, and mad" i Three three
" George and f. p. had some 'diiiiii,alty and they
separated. the former going with George Wood
in 1872 and 444 Broadway. lie and his party
travelled in Europe with Indifferent surcess.
and then returned to America whore misfor-
tune followed them. II was quite the fashion
who would as soon go To the deuce ~ to tho
theatrr to batronl5e the ministries and.l well
town ministers who throngcd the city in "anni-
Nersary week used Ia stare at the wonderful
and graceful eAtrava-ances OF the festive end
mon.
For years the mlnstrcls confined themselves
10 songs and dan -. Now and then they had
an at or 80, viii h wa tolerated by the pub
H. rather than enjoyed. The charm OF the en-
teriainment was the sinsnf. The old SONGS
mahp Uncle Nd ""'wa.y down un s de
and The rest. Why. every one Of them became
food for hand organs in lcss than n week. and
whole generations Of infants were soothed 70
sleep 10y their sweet melody.
In proof Of this point to the tremendous ap-
roiqon Of the sw5nse ky ar a. an en- M
core last summer in Gilmores Garden.
Well, little by little the first part OF the pro-
eramme WIS kept for sing NJ. and all he rest
was given ny to ysry bad aetins by very had sct,
fame and fortune, Dan made a hit in the Wan
d.ring Minstrel.' which was burlesquc on
mai life pushed many bad pts 10 successful fin
ish; but ms a rule the end .avors OF amateurs,
worth the time that IL wasted in looking at
them. / haven't space in which 10 60 further
into the d-time Histories. They are like the
Books OF Prophecy in the Bible scaled with
seal and Of no special interest Just now Ia any
body. However. So far a. permanent orgunz3
ton ana success are concerned the San Fran
cisco band. organized in ls54 and settled n
New York since the sth Of May, ls6O, il entitled
10 the champion belt, and deserves Just here a
notice.
There IRE twenty picked performers In the
company. which IL led 10y Birch, NHmbold, and
non H Who are re- paid from as to KS a week each.
This is better pay than theatre orchcstras get,
for the reason that these men must be on hand
bands men can send substitutes. A claronrtlst
who would g"t s2l in a theatre. gets f25 with the
OF the twenty performers Ave are the regular
choir. Each man ls a sol9lst, and is expected
70 sing AS su. - I required. And by the way.
ers are seedy IN their drnss. Their dress coats
never it,. Their trousers always shine. They
and rarely indulge IN smllr On me stage. IL
can't be for want of money. for the seedicst can
always command t35 II week. and many of them
popular clergym-n have. The female imper-
senator fellows always interest me. Whether
Eugene or Ricardo in cork. regard him with
awe; Those imp"rsonators are valuable when
modest. They are an Ipnsp"akable nuisance
who was as graceful ns a swan. and hs pretty.
when BACKED, as the most attractive belle on
the street ] don't know what became OF him
after UnswOrths death. He nude and saved "a
great deal OF money, and was, believe. very
good fellow in all rrspects. Ricardo ia the
youth who DOES th" fcmnlnity Ia III" minstrel
hall Of which write. IL has line presence.
good voice. somewhat cultivated and m g"n-
week and steady employment As ballad sing
ars thcs" mon are not gs good ns ihey might Re.
flourish OF execution coneeas defects in tone
The mddlemun ts generally an important
POSITION hut the best b'.ehus' tho most intrlli-
s"nt, IS. Ala lyman. regard Ryman ls an
To- hp tt he