New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-14
HOW PRICES WERE RAISED.
AN EARLY ADVANCE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ARGUMENTS.

ARGUMENTS.
Thirty years ago New-Yorkers paid 30 cents for
q seat in the best of the then few theatres III the
city, to witness performance which, rs REGARDS
quantity at least gave them more for their money
than at present they get for three times the sum-
Wallack and Burton, and one or two others, ABOUT
that time met together and agreed to charge twenty
five cents extra for reserving seats, but the pubic
would have none of it, and such an outcty
was raised that they were compelled 10 remit
the obnoxious charge. Some yearS after, however
when the war had raised the price OF everything
and the purchasing power of money was IN fact
vastly decreased, the managers like every ono
else were forced to advance the price OF their wares
The prces of admission kept on rising the practice
of pominally reserving all the besseats came in, till
some wears ago the regular scale of prices at all the
theatres became fixed at 81 80 for orchestra chars
81 for admission, and proportiouately smaller sums
for the balconies and galleries.
More than commensurate with the increased
charge for admission was the enlarged salary list
which had TO be paid weekly by the
manager Actors who in 1858 were salts
fed with $50 or $40 week, in 1868 de-
mapdcd and easily obtained from $50 to $50
Then came panic times and little by little re
sumption of normal values, and normal earnings on
the part of all but actors. They on the contrary,
added yearly increase to their demands, and got
H. so that to-day an explanation Is waiting for the
fact that while skilled labor of all kinds commands
less aud less reward every year; while the prices not
only of the neCessares OF life but OF tue IuGurles
also are being steadily reduced while even the
richer classes are retTenchIng aud reducing their
expenses IN every way ; while money IS scarce ana
trade dull managers charge tho puUnc the same,
aud on occasions more for admission To their thea
tres and actors are paid every year more for their
services than they received tue twelve months
preceding.
Managers have, as a rule, when talked to on this
subject contentcd themselves with saying that
they charged as little they could IN proportion to
their penscs they have referred To London prices
where they sayeNpeuses are lc-siand YetabOu % 90
is paid for a stall. The latter argument, advocates
of cheaper prices say, does not apply. English
theatres are not only conducted differently ana
have a different class OF patrons than American
theatres, but they are built on O'aily different
plan. The stalls for which - 30 each II paid form
a comparatively insignificant portion Of the house.
The Dit at 90 cents, the upper circle AZ hall
dollar aud the dress circle at dollar are patTonlzed
by the class who IN this city will SIT only IN the
orchestra chairs.
In order TO gain more detailed and exact infor-
nation regarding the first managerial argument the
views Of several leading theatTs-managers IN the
city were obtained. From all the burden Is the
same: " We pay too much lnsaiarIes aud Jhs reason
we O Is that there - too much competition and
the demand far exceeds the supply"