The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-09-26
New York World1
Brokerage In "Talent."
How Lecturers are Provided with Work
and the Public with Lecsur.ry.

| How Lecturers are Provided with Work
and the Public with Lecsur.ry.
On the door of a room opening into the main
hall of the Cooper Union building are the
| words, american Literary Bureau" People
hesitating, as people will, with their fingers on
the knob of the door leading into the tooth.
pulling establishment directly opposite, have
| doubtless wondered, in vague, preoccupied
sort of way, what manner of business this in.
scription invited, and other people, less en-
| crossed, have probably been brought to stand
still by this somewhat remarkable and alto
| gether unintelligible sign. An inside glimpse
of the room on any day during this season of
the year would, it is likely, still further mystify
| visitor.
"But, my dear madam" and the very pale
young gentleman who was speaking pulled a
pair of comely yellow side-whiskers with an
air of unmistakable commiseration, II really
cannot promise you anything like what your
imagination pictures. Science has yet failed
| to furnish means by which aught can be pre-
| dicted Of the public with any degree of ac-
| curacy"
| apartment and was face to face with young
| woman the cut of whose hair, together with
| certain other unmistakable signs, announced
very plainly that she was female with
| "views."
| 'But you forget, sir" replied the lady, pay
| ing no attention to the interruption, "that mine
| has been indorsed by the church. l dou't
| claim the right of franchise as measure for
~ know you don't madam, I know you
| don't. Indeed we will do the bes. we can for
| you. What (turning to the reporter) can do
for vou siro''
"Very well," replied the lady preparing to
| 60, 81 shall expect at least seventy nights, aud
| if possible will be obliged to you If you will
l arrange the route 80 as to take in Chicago at
| Good morning, sir"
"Whew" said the gentleman, "she's stick.
"Wants to lecture, suppose" said the re-
| porter.
''Wants to? She's bound to. That woman,
| sir, would lecture all night to three men and a
| boy in the gallery"
Sand won't you please tell me-" said the re-
| porter having introduced himself and having
been politely invited to take seat show in
the world you manage to crafty these extra
| ordinary whims?"
"Weil,' said Mr.. Vale (whom the reporter
| subsequently learned is junior partner and
principal business man in the management of
"the bureau") "this is quite business, sir
| quite business. Half aidozen years ago the
lecture field was the sole property Of one or two
| individuals. To-day it is flooded. Perhaps
| you won't believe me when l tell you that to-
thousand individuals who conscientiously be-
| lieve that their claims upon public attention as
lecturers, readers and singers are such as to in
sure them comfortable living"
| Sand do understand that your bureau rem
| ders assistance to this multitade?'
| "In one way, yes; in another way, no. This
| room is sort of safety-valye. Instead of rush.
| ing into hall the maiden lecturer comes here.
He wants to go before the public We tell
him politely that the public don't want him.
| 1t he is incorrigible we inform him that the
| door to the lyceum is not wide open and hand
him our circular In about nine cases out of
| ten-I speak of the saspirants for fame'-he is
astonished to find instead of offering him
salary or making proposition to divide profits
| with him we demand the sum of $40 and ex-
| press)y stipulate that we are under no contract
| to secure him an engagement, but simply agree
| to bring his name and the subject of his lecture
before the various lyceums and literary socie.
| ties of the country. This generally terminates
our acquaintance"
"But suppose he accepts?"
"If he accepts the terms we publish his
| name for year in a monthly magazine, which
| is mailed free to all the lecture committees in
| the churches, Young Mems Christian Associa-
| tions and colleges in the United States"
But if your list is made up Of novices l
| should think it would be of no earthly value
to any one, and would not therefore be read"
why. my dear sir, see you have no idea
Of the way the lecture business is conducted
Do you know that there is not single lecturer
| in the United States who goes on his own
hook as they say? There are two bureaus
Rsdpath's in Boston and this oue-that manage
the entire lecturing force of the country and
nine-tenths Of the concerts besides. Here (tak-
Ing book from the shelly is our account with
Theodore Tilton the year OF the trial You
| see he was booked and lectured every night
during the season. His receipts from October
to June were $42, 900 Now you must see that
| it would have been perfectly impossible for him
| t1 have made these engagements himself. 1t
| isn't q question of DO you want me?' and the
| answer, We do;' and the reply, Tll come on
such or such night Dates have to be made
to conform to the routes. That is our business;
| the towns in the country with lecturers, and
we offer to provide all the lecturers with en-
| gagements. Now, as our commission is col
lected from the lecturers and not from those
who engage them, you will see how senseless
1t would be for US to ill up. our list with un-
known names. If an engagement were given
| to person of no worth, you will readily see it
would hurt US more than the lecturer, and,
therefore, as l said before, we do our best to
keep silly men and women from entering the
profession
"And do understand you that all people
who have paid 500 and have been put on your
list are under special contract to fill no engage
ments except those which you procure for
them?'
Exactly"
Sand that all the lecturers and readers In
the country are controlled by two agencies
only"
(which agency has Beecher?"
"The Boston people, and he is the best card
they've got"
"How about DR.. Storrs?'
"We have DIR. Storrs. His time is limited,
but he will deliver few lectures this winter.
We've been compelled to refuse fifty engage
ments for him during the past two weeks"
what are his terms, if you don't object to
saying?'
"Two hundred dollars every time"
"Is that about the average price of lectur-
ers?"
.'Well. no, it's rather above it, Mrs. Scott
Siddons, whom we have already booked for
nearly full three months route this fall gets
the highest price of any reader or lecturer.
She ranges from 5000 to $3.50 according to the
size OF the towns. Theodore Tllton gets from
$l25 to $3.50. He is writing new lecture now
which he is going to call Hearts Ease, and
he's booked long way ahead. Dr. Talmage
Is good card at $3.50 q night. DIR. Chaplin
gets $l25 to $3.50. We have made great many
engagements this winter for General KIlpst-
rick; he's booked up to April at from S75 to
Sl00 night, De Cordovs is always good
card at $75 to $780,"
AT this point Mr. Vale was interrupted by
voice from the corner Of the room: "Oh, I
say, can Dougherty make Omaha from Chey-
enne?" 81 guess so," answered Mr.. Vale;
that's a good step, isn't it Harry?" "First-
class answered a gentleman in the other cor