The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-10-11
HOW BURNT CORK PAYS.
Salaries Received by Some Leading
Minstrels-.-W What 1t Costs to Hun
n Troupe or ethiopian Delinc-


In negro minstrolsy, and the fact that the num-
Der Of organizations arc increasing, while each
is strengthening itself numerically and other
wise, Ia fair evidence that tho managers have
confidence in this line OF amusement, and that
all its possibilities are not yet exhausted. Last
year there were not moro than eight minstrel
parties in the United States; this year there
are fifteen, exclusive OF the little ny-by might
concerns that hang to the coat-tails OF the
others, and manage one way or other TO keep
themselves in tho land Of the living. The COM
panios give employment to nearly 1000 per-
sons, and their weekly expenses for salaries
run from $3.50 TO 81 200 To this must be
added board and lodging at the rate OF l.5O
per day, and transportation, which will aver
age " for each person. In employing min
stres the management always provides for tho
board and travelling expenses Of each perform
or. Contracts are very rarely made, because
tho managers say there are few men in the
business who have sufficient respect for con-
tract to observe it's terms
| Il wouldn't have contract with any Of
them except Billy Emerson and one or two
Others" said prominent manager the other
day "You might have all the contracts in the
world with niger singer, and if somebody
| offered him sSa week more he'd run away
from you, or II he got stuck on girl in town
he'd tell the show to go to the deuce and stay
behind to bask in the sunshine of her smiles.
Poetical, bnt fact"
Still they are m orderly family like class of
people when on the road. They seldom be-
come intoxicated, and whatever little indiscre-
tons may be charged against them they are
covered by the darkness, and have none OF
the footlight glare OF scandal that now and
then follows people in other walks of the pro-
fcssion. Thoy have not remarkably easy
time, but earn all the money they get and Of
ten obtain less Of the lucre than they are really
worth. Think of minstrel company being
obliged, after long hours of travel to begin
performance at lO:43 p. m. and play until 80
a m. The original Mastodon minstrels did
this in Omaha two years ago, hurrying from
the railroad depot to the theatre, where
an audience of |, 100 people had been waiting
in warm weather ever since $ p. m,
and going on the stage, in street
dress, The entertainment closed with statue
clog dance by twelve dancers in long taied
coats and broadcloth breeches, and the only
recent parallel they had was the performance
al Watcrown, Conn, a few months ago. of
Hamlet by Edwin Booth and his company, who
were compelled, by the absence of their ward
robe, which had been delayed, to give Shakes
pearo in modern society dress. The salaries
of minstrcls are usually thought to be cnor-
nous. The amount paid weekly to the famous
40 Count En-" known as IIaverly's Masto-
dons, was 81, $50. Colonel Jacks present
Mastodons do not include some of the high
salaried men OF three years ago; therefore tho
expenditure in this direction is considerably
diminished, andif his artists draw 81 coo week
from the treasury they are doing we'll For
such an organization as Thatcher, Primrose e
Vests company 500 may be set down as the
amount paid in salaries. Rice & Hooley have
n salary list of about 500 Song and dance
men get from IS to s225 week, clog dancers
who do nothing else from Sl2 TO $50 per week.
musicians from sl2 to SIS, and vocalists from
sl5 to S35, these amounts beng of course ex-
elusive of their hotel and travelling expenses,
which are paid by the management
A performer, who can play musical instru-
ment and does so in the band, gets IS a week
extra. The principal people are still almost
rs well paid az the stars of twenty years ago
were From one Of the members of Haverly's
Mastodons, a ST. Louis Globe Democrat re-
porter obtained certain figures, which are hc~o
given with others gathered from other
sources:
Joe Emmett, to whom week of work is now
worth several thousand dollars was formerly
very glad to get $40 or $50 when he BACKED
his face, and be got even less at the old Broad
Ua BBTT ysfys in this Si. lis salary was what
the boys call "away up"
Gus Williams, who played one week with
the Mastodons in Chicago four years ago, was
a week for ten years, and this comedian can
still get the same salary any time he desires to
take it He is now in California with troupe
of his own.
Billy Rice, the fat moke, who enlivened The
bone end of tho Mastodons for several sea
sons, was paid 500 week. He and Richard
Hooley are now running company that is
playing in the smaller towns. Primrose and
" est, for several years in business for them
selves, formerly received s75 week each J.
w. McAndrews, the watermelon man" got |
s75 a week from IIavory He is now in |
London getting Si&5 at tie PanliOn music /
hall George Thatcher, the suffering come
dian, whom George Wilson initiates, received /
1925 week before he became proprietor and |
Sam Deverc, the haHjpist, got slC0 |
a week when he was with the Mastodons, but |
Hyde & Behman arc now paying him sljG |
Billy Carroll, playing the banjo with the Tony |
Pastor combination this year. is paid SO
week lie was formerly Il partner of /
Billy Harris, with whom he did quick |
change act from white to black face.
Barry Maxwell, an excellent odd man." |
was paid a25 Il week by Haverly year ago |
IN
in the same line with Maxwell, was paid $40 q
week before he formed a copartnelship with /
George Wilson, who refused 500 week to
travel with the MastoaOns. Il. NJ Kayne, the |
well known stage manager and inta,locutor, |
has a salary of $40 week. Frank Cushman, |
who is to take Billy Emcrsop's place on the |
minstrel stage when Billy retires, got $50
week last season, il getting S15 now, and will |
soon have sluN, Pete Mack, the comedian, gets
$50 week G. S Shattuck, the basso, whose
song ~One Hundred Fathoms Deep" was such |
a success, is paid $40 a week for his singing
and the direction OF all the vocal music OF the
san Francisco Mnstrcls George W. Harley,
the soprano voiced gentleman, has $50 a
week. Paul Vernon, who impersonates fe-
males, formerly with the Mastodons gets
s35 week William Welch and John Rice
song and dance mon, were each paid $50 a
rectors of amusement for the two Calender
troupes. Daniel +. Thompson song and
dance, gets $50 week: Thomas Sadier, song
and dance, si'; James Walsh and Billy /
King, song and dance, go each; Robert
Hoo!y song and dance, aI.j; and among the
SO; William Willis, $50; and Alfred Holland
S2o The three German brothers, song and
dance and general utility, receive Joint sal
airy of SIS week. Charles Queen, who leads
the clos-dancers with Thatcher, Primrose Il
West, and dances on y pedestal, is paid 81,
week. George W McAuey, pedestal clay-
dancer, gets as week. Alexander Ranfretta,
the clown who appeared with the Mastodoms
last season, got 500 a week while in Eng
land, and during three months in this cuun-
try lie made n second contract running
to the end of the season at Sl00 week
The only Leon, female mpcrsoaator, receives
s $50 and expenses for = weeks work. Harry
Kennedy, the vcntri!HiElsl, who is with The
San francisco meslrri$, receives $50 a Week
Manchester and Jennings, who arc now on tho
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