Connecticut western news., 1880-01-07
Light on a Dark SnbiPet,
THE AMAZING PROFITS OF THE NEGRO
 MINSTREL BUSINESS.

Chapman, who s managing Barlow, Wilson, Primrose < Vests Minstrels. He is perhaps the best posted man on negro minstrelsy in the country, and gives us some interesting points
 "The highest salary ever paid to 8 negro minstrel" he said, |" is $500 week, and this has been paid but twice as far as know. Billy Emerson received it for a trip through the country, and his manager made money out of him. Of course he had his travelling expenses besides. We are now paying Cal Wag- ner $500 week, and it pays us to do it. His name is immense, and he is mimi table in.. his line. This is 8 salary larger than Grant used to get as President of the United States, and is equal to the combined salaries of two and a half cabinet officers, three ministers to foreign countries, and half dozen Gov ernors of States. It is over $25, 900 a year, and all expenses paid. Aud all Gal has to do is to black his face at night, crack jokes with the boys on the stage, and sing character song or two."
 "Do not the other members of the company get as much p
 ] "Our four leading men are partners, in the business. None of them draw salaries, but divide the earnings. Their profits will go to $10O a day each. The show will easily make $10O,0O0 during the year, counting in the salaries of the four partners. The other performers get from $25 to $20O week, Sam Price Of course, leading them all. You sec i. pays to black the face."
 "What are the expenses of minstrel troupe? ?"
 It would run, should say, from $350 to $500 day. It costs us to play about $46O a day, excluding the salaries of the four proprietors. If we included them it would run up to $700 or up- wards. One advantage we have is that we can play several nights in one city, and change the programme every night. This saves railroad fares and gives us better rates at the hotels. We played here six nights and will play at Macon six nights"
 "What are your receipts ?"
 ''It is poor show that can't get over $500 night. Ours gets over $1, ,OOC often. We have played for twenty nights and have had to turn away peo pie every night. have seen a minstrel business in San Francisco go up to oyer $7, ,000 week, or about $1, 300 night We shall average this season $7O0 tc $500 night"
 "What was the biggest minstrel busi ness ever done e?'
 "That is hard question to answer. went out with Jack Haverly's company and carried it from Maine to Mexico fol four seasons. I paid him $6O, ,OOO cleal profit one season and $90,O00 for th' other three seasons so that in four yeari he made $l5O, 1000 in net cash out of on' company. That company of minstrel is what gave Haverly his start. He be gan life as peanut-boy, was then ap prenticed to tailor, then became rail road butcher, and finally, as boss of { variety show in Toledo, Ohio. He wal doing nothing and didn't amount to mucl until he met Gal Wagner, who was jus beginning to make note as a minstrel Haverly went in with him and the shoy started out under Happy Cal.' It mad' money, but Haverly and Gal couldn' agree and dissolved right here. Haver ly then organized company witl George Wilson as his end man ant Primrose and West as his dancers. w. picked Barlow up in Texas, where h was in a variety show, and put him o1 l the end from Wilson. With this crowd backed up by @ frst-elass quartet, W made Haverly's fortune. He is now tn biggest manager in the country. H gambles very desperately, or he woul' ) be very rich man.
 "Who is the richest minstrel man il
 the oountry?"
 "Cal Wagner. In spite of his fail
 ures as 6 manager he has put aside ove $100, ,O0O. He will be very rich ma1 if he lives, as he has a good wife tha saves his money. If Billy Emerson ha' not gambled and drank to such an exten he would have been all that a man wanted
 He is still go od for $4OO or $500 week and may come out all right. Poor Lev Benedict, one of the handsomest an, brightest men that ever corked his face has scattered fortune from his fingers | 5 S.. o1 ,4 troupe. Barlow is young yet, but vii ; be rich man. He has probably $2O, 900 slowed away, and can add that muc! 8 year to it if he wants to. He has lovely wife, who travels with him
 Wilson is married alse, and his wife Ii } with him now. He is better off thal Barlow, perhaps. Primrose and Wes are laying up money rapidly, and have no bad habits. As dancing team theJ
 are considered the best in the business FIFE -HAetDx M Nr-qlae Detroit -Ere1 Press is loud in praise of the handy man who saves untold gold by doing his own carpentry, plumbing and glazing
 but it says nothing of the hours which
 the handy mans wife wastes in waiting for him to finish jobs which mechanic would do for quarter of dollar, no1 of the number of times she has to hum ply request the handy man to look after matters to whicL the mechanic would
 attend if once ordered to do so.
 ALIrTLE BOY starved to death, at Pitts
 burg, in consequence of throat disease , that prevented bis swallowing anything 1 HA lived fnur xueaks xuithnut aatino n