Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1880-04-08
IN A REMINISCENT WAY.


be disposed of at forced sale to satisfy some
judgments against its present owner, the
principal creditors being the Harris Brothers
and the Carson Savings Bank, the lrst named
holding a first and the last named second
mortgage The Judgments against the present
owner aggregate abou: $4,000. This
brings up long and an interesting cAaln of
"reminiscences John q. A. Moore, who was
among Carson's earliest and most venture
some pioneers, one of the advance gaafo OF
civilization to this then uninviting sage brush
region, built the Carson Theater IN 1860. 1t
was the first building of the kind erected III
what was at that time portion OF Otah Ter
ritory. 1t was opened in 1861 by James
Stark, who, assisted by strong {" 2pahy
from California. dedicated the theater with
Rielelieu. MIR. S, the star of the party, ap-
bearing as the schemlng Cardinal Ana IL Is
but Justice to this actor memory TO say ina
but few men on the American stage could play
the difficult part OF 'tlchellea as well as lie
could. Mr. Stark's first engagement hlea
period of two months OF the prominent ac
tors u actresses WHO nave he oiiS SAio NAtS'
appeared on the boards of this old Thesplan
home, covering period from 1861 to 1879,
we can now bring up IN review the following:
James Stark, Dan Setchell, Mexican Buchsh-
an, Bill Barry, Yankee Locke, MRS ". ii.
Leighton, Lucille Western (who played an en-
gagement Of twenty-five nights, netting $40
on bene6t) and Mrs. w. +. Stewart. On
all the above named the cartain was long ago
rune down for the last time, and the Stage
Manager whose name is Death has assigned
them their parts and positions ia the Great
Drama of which the plot ia mystery to all
the living. Among the professionals who
have appeared at the Carson Theater some OF
whom already had world wide regulations,
and MANY more of whom have won the crown
of popular favor since they appeared before
the footlights of this little theater, may be
mentioned Joseph Proctor (the original "Jlo-
benainssay') Lawrence Barrett, John 14cCal-
Tough, Joe Murphy, James A Herne, Estelle
Potter McDonald(ns living in retirement III
the East, We beieve), the Norrell sisters,
Fannie Price, Amy Stone, Maggie Moore,
Katherine Rodgers, Mrs. ID. p. Bowers,
Augusta L. Dargon, Rose Etynge and Mod
ieska All of the above are still before the
foothghts with the exception of Estelle Pot
ter. who retained her stage name after her
marriage with c. B. Mcdonald, one of Cali
fornia earliest journalists. Of course IN a
hastily written article like this it is not to be
supposed that we have e wen the names OF
even all the prominent theatrical people who
have appeared at the Carson Theater, and the
task of naming the lesser dramatic lights has
not been attempted.
OF the minstrel profession we call to mind
OF the old timers the following who have under
the burnt cork disguise amused the Carson
ties on the stage of the old theater: Birch,
Burbank, Backus, Ben Cotton, Wambod,
Lew Rather, Jake Wallace, Sam Well, P. b.
Isaacs, Charley Rhodes, Wm, Barker and
Johnny DeAngelis. The last FIVE are dead.
Phil. Isaacs, one of the sweetest OF minstrel
violinsts, died in the Ormsby House In 1865,
and is buried here. Sam Wells was killed by |
being thrown from horse on the Divide,
near Gold Hill-date forgotten-and is buried
in San Francisco.
The walls Of the old theater have re-echoed
the burning political words of eloquence of
Carsons favorite, the late Senator kye, alse
those of Hen. G. E. De Long, Judge A. w. |
('Sandy') Baldwin, Senator Q. P. Morton,
and others whose tongues long since were
stilled at the approach of the Silent Messenger.
Here too, have been heard the witticisms of
"Artemus Ward &C.. F. Browne), the ferid
elsquencs of Col Bob Ingersoll, and the
grand, schollary and masterful sentences of
Theodore Tilton. Here Republican and Dem
scrstic State Conventions have met, resolved,
nominated and emitted the patriotic froth
SO common to such gatherings. Third Houses
have also been held ia this old building; and
here Hal. Clayton, John James and others
now resting out in our graveyard have
said things funny and witty enough to be pre-
served for all time. MARK Twain" (Sam L.
Clemens) was Third House member, but
then he had no reputation extending over the
whole world, and there was not as much silver
in his drawl as now.
The Carson Theater, over which we have
perhaps become garrulous in scribbllng way
If this phrase be admissble-was never a
Princess Royal in architectural prstsnslons,
nor was it a Madison Square in the .'randeur
of its iuterior ornamentation but for MANY