, 1879-02-02

rent IN nroeure special license Tor that pu'-
nose. AS legislative action "ss 1n"usns ~ ~
possibly necessary to carry out 'llc su.
s1;aonrinor Observation-Disclosures, the outlines Tor 4
1.,,, ~, +,,e snn,cct- were given. The proposed
49, ~rbi1e n would have been general as to
o,,crr n,rt of this State, was designed specially
:, ,fTect thc CITY Of New York. AS 1t was not
nrescntcl TO the Legislature Of this State, so lar
os t},c wrter has any knowledge, 1t was never
octcd upon by either branch Of that booy. BE-
fora c;vinr the outlines Of that proposed law Tue
re.de lis Informed that in this city, anu orooa-
bly in other cities, it is common practice lor
theatrical managers to sell the . OUTSIDE Oh tte
house.r This is transaction where, for con
sideratton, ticket-specuiator buys o. a,ts
manager the exclusive privilege to SC IL tlcKets
~ front of tie house. or at the entrance,
~ in the ycst'buc- The consideration pa1a
varies: It may be 4 sum in gross. Or II may oe u
division OF tile profits between manager ailtt
sosculutor. Usually the speeq.latott naa Thnse eise
ticke.-dcaers who keep the news-stands III tue
hotels are required to return their unsolu TICK
cts to the boz Office Of the theatre lev min-
utes before the rising Of the curtain. Itere is
also the iudepeodent speculator, VINO oa5s ,hl, ~,
theatre as early in the evening as NC ean SO as
NOT to be t.etuck u with unsold tickets. Id
this city the tickets for those theatres which arc
advertised at $l.50 each are sold by the specula-
tor at -, giving him L profit OF 33H per cent
It Waliack's-and VIC are all proud Of our
Wallack's-onc and the snne man Tor Inc past
dozen wears has sold tickets iusidc tie entrance
or ycstibule. Or course, rs he is there at every
performance, in pursuit OF his BUSINESS Us
ticket-speculator, it is Dy the conseut OF the
management The object of the writer in send
ing to TUE TRIBUNE the outlines OF Ia" which
came to lis mind more tfian eight years ago Is
to give to the good people Of Chlcaso susses-
ton which, il carried out SO as to become iaw
OF Illinois, mar rid them OF a class OF m'uale
men kuown'a as ticket-spcculators, VINO are OF no
benefit, nut positive burden to the theatre
going public. The writer is aware that audt,
1ious and amendments may DC advisable, aa,u
these ought to vary SO as to meet the necessi-
ties Of different localities. The following are
the outlines Of proposed law: ,,.-
l. All persons engaged In the traffic OF buy-
ing or selling tickets Of admission to theatres or
places OF amusement must procure spec'aa
liccuse Tor that purpose.
3. The license shall specify the name OF the
person to whom it is granted, and the part!ctl4
lar street and number therein where ne proposes
to carry OIL the business OF dealing III tickets,
and it shall be unluwful for tue person receiv-
ing such license to sell. or attempt to sell,
tickets Of the kind herein mentioned at any
other place than that mentioned in his license.
g. No license shall permit any dealer IN tickets
to carry on his business within distance OF
$50 yards from any entrance 10 tne plasG u
i. Licensed ticket-dealcrs shall be privileged
to buy aud sell tickets to places Of amusement
without limit to price.
5, Managers Of places Of amusement shall be
priyilencl to appoint agents to sell tickets, ouI
not within the limits prescribed in Sec. 3 above,
in which case no license shall be necessary; but
each manager shall make the appointment in
writing, which shall distinctly designate the
time and place when and where such agent WILL
offer tickets for sale. and he shall keep printed
COPY thereof conspicuously posted ut or near
the box ard ticket Office where he usually sells
tickets. Agents must sell tickets at the same
prices and rates at which they are SOLD at
the Office of the theatre for when tney
are agents. 1T is dcbatable question whether
this last clause should be changed so as
permit managers agents to charge an advance
OF not over 10 per cent on the ticket o1flce
rates.)
s. Licensed ticket-deale:s shall not be per
mltted TO placard OF advertise their business ut
or about the entrance to any place Of amuse-
ment.
i. No manager shall issue ticket permitting
the holder thereof to occupy scat in any aisle
or passageway within the auditorium OF his
theatre. ........
s. A violation Of any OF the provisions men
toned in this act, or the dealing in tickets with
out license, shall be punished By fine not ex-
cecding $780, or by Imprisonment in the County
Jail not exceeding thirt. days, or By both s4cti
fine and imprisonment IS may be with the dis
cretion of the Court
9. Nothing herein contained shall in any way
Interfere with the present mode OF selling tick
cts at the regular box and ticket Office of any
theatre or other place OF amusement, nor shall
ANYTHING herein contained be construed Us
obligatory upon q manager to sell tickets to
licensed dealer.
u. Any person convicted the second time ofa
violation Of any ot the provisions Of this act or
the dealing in tickets without license, shall be
punished by fine Of $3.50 and Imprisonment in
the County Jail for thirty days. A. T.