, 1881-12-23

sptetal Dtspatea to 1ne CAaedeo TttSunt.
NEW YonK, Dec. ea-1}ooth's Theatre was
aold today for $40 600, less tall half its orig
nnl cost. The building will be devoted Ay
lts nnw owners 10 business purposes. and 1t
Is probable that ns early rs next May the
work Of altering 1t will be begun, although
It may be continued as theatre fnr another
year. 1t Is ratlor n singular coincidence
TINT one ut tho gentlemen interested III tic
present purchase Of tho property should bc
Il gentleman who
SO1.D TIE ORIGINAL BITE 70 MK. DooTtt
when lie conceived the itea Ut erecting the
atre TINT sllou1d be a fitting temple for tic
presentation Of the Stakspearean drama. j.
Augustus Page, lawyer, Ut M. Pine
street, bought the land on which tho theatre
stands III ts67, when It wns occupied rs sta
bfe, and belonged 10 tho Livingston estate.
A. few weeks after tho purchase, lie resoll 1t
to Mr.. Booth for s1t,5,0o0, and tho actor ps,r-
chased two snail adjoining lots, which III
creased
THE ruEcHAsE COST or TIE WHOLE srrE
to e940 QUO. Mr.. Booth desired TINT llts ptans
should lie carried 0ut In very liberal and
comprehensive 1nnnner, and, rs II well
known, spent his money with lavish gei,-
erosity to secure u building that would meet
with hts pet Idea. On July ], 1867, the work
of excavation was begun, and, about tsy0
years ia.er. the building was finished at a
cost Of S1.50o, 600. and thrown open to the
public ot Fob j, lsGl. Although
THE ACrroB's MASAGEluAE PLANS
were in one respect such rs to ent1tlc him
to the highest praise, and were carried ont
without regard to the EXPENSE they en-
tatlcd upon his private purse,
his laudable scllu.ncs unfortunately
failed. and sank Ills fortune. With their
failure i,y beca,nc financially Involved. and
o. Il result the file property was murtEaged
several times, aud ut length, by the forecIos-
IRE OF the fourth mortgage, passcd into tho
llailtts Of THE managers Of the Oaltes An1es
estate. and Until tNday It WIS owned by Oil.
yer AaIes al'd bis brotller tile Buils Of the de-
ceased Congressman.
sttsF0i.TuSE,
by some strange treak, Hetled to cling to the
building from its opefll!,H, nrd the owners
never realized uny considerable sum TN the
property, and often !nst 1nOley. 1t was par
tlc!tlarly Mnpro.ltahc utter tho closc Of thc
jarrett j. Palmer lease, being "iHbbcd out"
most Of the time to transient lessees. and It
appears the rental 0f tho sstMiEo.rOnn,B Aid
other business parts nf the structure nHver
secured much Of Il return OH tile Investment.
THIS theatre, which, ),as seen l,anY viciss1--
during Its short existence, has bcun tho sceno
MANY NOTABLE DRAMATIC PERFORMANCES
alld grind spectacular productions. 1t WAS
opened to the public for tile first time. rs be-
f0re stated, Fob. So 1859, when - Rolsiee a1,tl
Juliet" was produced with MI historical cast
ard au exqnIsit ssage-setting. Tile principal
parts we're thus dtstribntetl: Juliet. Miss
| Mary oIcVIcker; the Nurxe, Miss Fanny
| Morilnt: Ro,neo, Mr.. Edwin Booth; Nfer-
c!.tto, Mr.. Edwin Adams; Friar :Lts,4rc,lcc,
Mr.. Mark Smith; 1ub.!lt, Mr.. Frnnk
| LnWier. The opening was q
great event III theatrical oirctes, md the
scats for tho first. night being sold ut public
| auction netted si0,0Oo. Mr.. Anlcs' attotney
| said tonight that tho building .utEht be IT.
Amusement. hut ut the end OF that time the
work Of altering the ettitice would te begun.
| It would be altered Into q large dry-goods
house. for which ,purp0se tlG considered it
| would serve admirably.