The Osceola times., 1881-09-24
special Correspondence.
POPLAR PRICES.
4 superb Theatre Built for the Pe"ple-An
Innovation well Received.

tnnoy alton well Received.
ST. Louis. Mo. Sep. l0.-rhe Greeks
and Romans who compelled free admis-
sion t. their theatres had a clear concep-
ton Of the benefits accruing to the people
from instructive amusements. As places
Of amusement passed from Government
control to that of associations chartered
! by the government and then to corpora
tions and private individuals, prices foi
seats were advanced as the taste OF
managers dictated or that custom es-
| tablished. OF course il must be borne IN
mind that the tastes of the public OF late
wears have been very exacting and
managers have been at great expense 10
secure hrst-cass attra Htions, but 1t is also
safe TO say that in spite of such expense
and the multiplying of places OF ainuse'
ment, the price has kept pace win the
cost of the entertainment ana |ha'
theatres have never made so much
money as at present. 1t is almost strange
that the theatre going public have not
agitated the question Of prices with a
view to cheapening the cost OF seats.
Instead of any popular movement theatre
goers have drilted along until they have
been sharply divided into two classes,
the rich and the poor, made so by the
two prevailing kinds of amusements, on
the one hand the first-class theatre, on
the other the vile variety.
The engagement of celebrated stars,
brought across the ocean at the instance
of some enterprising manager, at huge
expense is phenomenal The great pub
lie do not ask it, nor do they care. Such
engagements cannot 1t seems so our
81.
prices that can be classed as popular
with the people, but the great bulk of
our travelling companies and combina-
tions are not in this catalogue.
II is but recently that any efforts have
been made looking 10 the erection of
theatres where the great public can see
such amusements at prices below those
that have prevailed heretofore.
Two years ago Mr.. Pope opened his
theater here and while not particularly
calling it peoples place, he did at mat
inees and on other occasions, notably,
Rial 4 Drarer's Uncle Toms Cabin, and
others, inaugurate popular prices, and
had il most handsomely demonstrated
that such prices tell at least in st. Louis
Now we are indebted TO Messrs Mitchell
Il Robertson for another new theater
dedicated to, and built for, the people,
called the Peoples" Tonight it was
formally opened. and if an audience IT.
any theater can be considered test of
approval, the audience tonight must be
highly gratifying to the managers, as the
house was literally iammed from pit to
dome. Alice Dunning Lingard, who
opened the house, was more than charm-
ing and acted superbly to the end in
LED Astray" The announcement is
made that popular prices will prevail,
%, 80 and - cents, and that no represen-
tation will be allowed upon the boards
that is not strictly lirst-class. 1t is to be
hoped the management will have the
success. that, for their enterprise, they
certainly deserve.
OF the building, il is safe to say il has
few equals in architectural design, which
is simply admirable, nor in interior dec
oration. 1t has a seating capacity of
2,i0O, distributed as follows: parquette
and parquette circle, 700; dress circle,
600; gallery, 100. The ventilation is
perfect. Besides the many openings, il
has seven air-shafts in each of the walls,
and at the bottom of each shaft gas-iets
are kept burning, creating continuous
circulation of sir up through them. The
width the stage between walls is 81
feet, and between proscenium boxes &c
feet, ifgntn 10 center of arch 40 feet
depth ~ feet 1t is stocked with forty
sets Of scenery. The two drop-curtains
cost 81 800. There are % different exits.
The orchestra is under the stage. The
ornamentations are fine, and the whole
together is as superb place of amuse-
ment as the people ask for. II is located
on the corner Of Sixth and Walnut
streets, is lighted by electric light, both
inside and ont, and cost Sl0o,0W.