The Delaware farmer., 1883-12-28
a FLOATING THEATRE.
Tho Grand scheme Which is TO be Inaug-
urated on the Gladiator.

A startling innovation is to be intro
dueed into the histrionic world in the
shape of a floating theatre company,
saws the New York Times. A certif-
cate was filed in the County Clerks OF
fee incorporating the company, OF which
the Trustees are Mr.. William B. Stone,
Mr.. S. Conant Foster, of the firm OF
Otis & Co. ; Mr.. Ross c. Stone, Mr..
Robert M. Fryer, and Mr.. Sydney Neer-
gard. The company's capital is placed
at one million dollars, to be divided into
LOG. 900 shares. The first boat, designed
by Mr.. R. NJ. Fryer, is to be built on
the catamaran principle, and the struc-
ture will be supported on two steel cyl
inders of 20 feet each. The dimensions
will be 276 feet in length by Sc feet IN
width. The motive power will be acom-
pound engine of 2,5OO-horse power,
while the draught will be u feet State
rooms for a company Of 100 will be
provided, while the seating capacity OF
the theatre itself, including parquet and
two balconies, will be for 1 800 people.
The parquet is to be on the front OF the
vessel, taking mp little more than one
third its length, and the stage will be IN
the middle. The engine-room, state
rooms and dining-rooms and kitchen Will
occupy the after part. The boat is to be
built by contract in N. Y. city and will
cost $3.50, 600. 1t is to rejoice in the
title of the Gladiator.
eve have the sympathy of some very
eminent theatrical people" said one OF
the Trustees. "I may say that they are
enthusiastic on the subject. Our OBJ
ject is simply this: There are 100000
people outside of New York and Brook
Ivn. distributed in towns of from 10000
to 10000 inhabitants, who have no op-
portunities of witnessing a good per-
formanee without coming to the great
cities. This IS always inconvenient on
account of the late return at night.
Moreover, great actors will not go to
small towns. Do you think Boothwould
plav in Newark? He would positively
decline to do so. We shall visit such
towns as Newport, Albany, Newark,
Paterson. Stonington, and Fall River,
anchor alongside the dock, and give
them a tirst.rate performance, such as
could never be heard in the miserably
appointed theatres of such towns. We
shall have a regular stock company, who
will live on the boat all the year round.
The appointments of the theatre will be
simply sumptuous. All that art and
modern theatrical improvements can
suggest will be found on board the
Gladiator. We shall rival Wallack's and
the Fifth avenue in point Of complete
ness. while our company will be a sec
ond Madison Square troupe and con
Quoted upon exactly the same principles
as those which govern that theatre. We
can move from place to place during the
summer months, but we shall keep the
company in action 365 days in the year
The cost of running it will not be nearly
so much as that Of managing theatre
on land. There will be no land taxes.
and we can therefore afford to builO
a very fine boat, and a theatre which
will be one of the best in the world
This will be only our first structure, an6
we shall not venture upon the oceaI
with it. Later on we shall have boats
to take in the Delaware and Chesapeake
Bays. We shall elect our officers il
December, and next spring we hope tc
he able to launch the Gladiator.