The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-08-04
DEPARTED DAYS.
SALE OF THE OLD MUSEUM FIX
TURES.
A Brief Sketch of the Theatre.

and costume rooms, divided up into lots, and
spread about the stage, auditorium, lobbies and
galleries. There were odds and ends of every
conceivable sort, from the spittoon in the box
Office to the elegant green curtain with its
heavy gold cord and tassels, and centre piece
representing musical instruments. The au-
dience was as motley as the property offered
for sale. There were youths with soap-locks
and big cigars in the corners of their mouths
who had probably "gone on" as supernumer-
aries in the good old days-merchants, lawyers
theatrical managers, and Mrs. LePau, formerly
Mrs. Stafford. The latter was the only MEM
Der of the fair sex who graced the occasion in
that building that formerly re-echoed to the
laughter of the most beautiful and most fash
ionable of the bellies of Portland
Precisely at 10 o'clock Mr.. Charles Allen
lifted the hammer with the remark CHOW,
gentlemen and ladies !'-with polite bow to
the only lady-"what am I offered for this
magnificent wardrobe ?" pointing to the varied
suits that were strung on clothes-line across
the gallery. "What am I offered for this
choice collection of raiment suited to every
taste from prince to peasant %
Twenty-Five cents" piped up little shrill
tenor voice.
Twenty-Five cents /" stammered Charles, as
If he couldn't take in the magnificent cheek
that prompted the offer, ''why the smallest
article in the lot is worth dollar. Come,
come, brace up, and give me a decent offer. I
can't waste time here
Thirty cents,' calculated Mrs. LePau, and
then the bidding fairly commenced and finally
the valuable wardrobe" was knocked down
to that person for the magnificent sum of $1.50.
Then followed in quick succession rubber car
peting at twenty-five cents yard, the wooden
chairs, with round backs, that stand in the
rear of the parquet aisle, for five cents apiece,
the wooden folding chairs at the same price,
and the orchestra chairs with red leather up
hostery for eight and a half cents apiece. The
latter were purchased by Mr.. Hooper. The
magnificent cavern scene in Aladdin" where
the youth discovers the wonderful lamp, and
which had done duty also for the diamond
fields of "Evangeline," brought thirty cents
The pretty cottage scene that drew so much
attention in "Kerry Cow" was bought by Mr..
Curtis for $3.50. He also purchased the "Rose-
dale" chamber, the grand audience room in
"Richelieu," and the handsome green curtain
For the latter, which cost $3.50, Mr.. Curtis
paid SAT. Mr.. Harbury, the manager of the
Lewiston Theatre, bought the act drop repre-
senting Lake Garda, with the phenomenal boat
in the foreground, and the stupendous noun
tains in the middle distance The set of Grim.
son upholstered furniture, that brought back
recollections of lied Astray," with Arnold as
Rudolph Chandoce, and "Camille,p with
Wheelock as Armande Duval, went to Mrs.
LIE Pau for $25. The Place st. Sulpice in the
"Two Orphans" where pretty Lizzie May
Ulmer agonized as the blind Louise, drawing
tears from the least sympathetic was sold for
song, about on par with a-lot of old unused
paints, a broken stage lamp-post and an old
fashioned spinning wheel. So they went,
every bit of scenery, and every fragment of
wood, full Of "reminiscences.
Fluent Block was erected after the fire Of
1866, and was, for several years, used as con-
cert hall. Here the Haydn Association gave
several oratorios, and the Rossini Club some of
their best concerts 1t was also favorite for
dancing parties and several sets of sociables
were here attended by our most fashionable
people. 1t was at this hall in February, 1870,
that large partywas in progress, given in hon.
or OF the officers of the fleet sent to Portland to
receive the remains of the late George Pea
body, when the Monarch and Plymouth ar
rived, and the event was duly chronieled by
local poet whose lines instantly attained cele-
brity. La one couplet he graphically took in
the situation.
"Coms down Mayor Putnam; come down! Gen
eral Brown
The feet IS arrived; the corpse 3 in town"
In 1874 Mr.. Ellis, who had been engaged
by Ward at his variety theatre, in what is now
known as the Portland Theatre, conceived the
idea Of turning the hall into a theatre. He
associated Mr.. j. L. Shaw with him in the
partnership and the place was transformed
into charming little opera-house. On the
18th of September of that year the new thea
ire was opened to the public with appropriate
exercises. Hon. w. w Thomas, Jr., made
few remarks, followed by an address from Rev.
G. W. Buck, pastor of the Park street Unita-
rian church. Miss Alice Witham delivered a
poem. The farce of "Sarah's Young Man"
and the opera of the Bohemian Grip filled
out the evenings entertainment. The farce
characters were taken by Mr.. and Mrs. William
Calder (Alfy Chippendale), Messrs. D. Oakley,
w. Lonsdale, and Misses Alice Newman and
May Gushing. The operate parts were as
sumed by Misses Clara Fisher, Blanche Eller.
man, Messrs. Tilla, Ellis, Birch and j. A.
Arnold.
From the opening programme the new place
OF amusement Caught on" as the slang
expression runs, to the theatre going public.
The opera Sc ason lasted a fortnight and Mr..
Arnold won many friends At its conclusion
the regular dramatic season followed. 1t
would be impossible in an article of this char
acter to enumerate all the attractions of the
season. Mr.. j. j. Bartlett became the leading
man and Miss Isadore Cameron leading lady.
Mr.. Bartlett was followed by Mr. Arnold, who
became great fayorite,. and when Messrs.
Shaw and Ellis gave up the theatre. The next
summer, Mr.. Arnold formed a partnership
with Mr.. Wwyer and engaged very strong
dramatic company. During the season of 1875
Mr.. Arnold left the city and Mr.. Wyer became
sole manager.
The company under Arnold and Wyer
embraced Isabel ,Waldron as leading lady,
Wioh iOAShCO Coi0ttouj 1llZ1lo May OlulCr,
Isabella Preston, Clara Rainford, Blanche FL
herman, Rose Gorham, j. A. Arnold, M. B.
Snyder, Chas Norris, Frank Curtis, H. l..
Bascomb, John Sutherland, A. X. Adams, f.
P. Barton, c. A, Morrel and FL c.. Bradley.
Chas. Grimmer was leader of the orchestra.
During this season there was really a double
company at the theatre G.. B. Waldron, Will
liam Calder and others were staying in the
city and several plays had remarkably strong
cast. ''The Wife" was put on the stage later
with Joseph Wheelock-who succeeded Arnold
as leading man-George B. Waldron and
Sophie Miles in the principal characters. Nor
did the company depend wholly on themselves
for attraction. The leading stars all appeared
at this house. When Mr.. Wyer became sole
manager, Miss Ida B. Savory was leading lady
and, for time, Felix Morris as comedian.
After Mr.. Wyer gave up the theatre Fanny
Marsh took it with George Fender as business
manager, and after two seasons she retired to
make room for Mr.. Frank Curtis who gave up
the idea of stock company and ran only
combinations, the policy he has and will con.
tinue to pursue at the present Portland
Theatre The building will now be devoted