National Republican., 1885-09-26

faction as to the new theater and all its APP
pointments was manifested on all sides.
An opening address to the
Friends of the drama and patrons OF the art
Which paints the joys and sorrows OF the heart,
which was written by II. Penrose Vass, was
rectited by Mrs. Hughes, an actress OF fine
elocutionaiy powers, and then Macklins
comedy Of the ''Man of the Worldn was
presented with the following cast
Sir rertinax MacSycophant.""."Mr. haywood
EgeIton ......''.' '....'....'...''.'..,' ClinG
Lord lumbercourt".."."" Mr. Jefferson
Syuney Mr senior
hellvllle"... lhylOr
Counselor Plausible. e.,...........,,.....Mr Ebcrlc
SCrgt Eithefsidc,..,,..., ...,,........Mr, Knight
sam Mr. thompson
John. ............".. ....."."..""Mr. Caldwell
Tompkins, ..."."u...o...."...."..M Mr.. Weston
Lady Lumbercourt t""..."...."... Mrs. Hughes
Lady MacSycophant......, Mrs. Burke
Ionstantla. Mrs; knight
Betty Jefferson
Nanny bauSges
The entertainment concluded with the
musical farce Of "1urn OUT
The "Man OF the Worldn was succeeded
On the boards by 1.-The Stranger with Mr..
haywood and Miss Emma Wheatley in the
principal roles, and then came an engage.
ment Of Mr. James Wallack during which
were produced 1.-The Wonder! A Woman
keepsa Secret "The IIunchback," "The
Honeymoon "The Adopted Child "Ber-
iram,n "School for Scandal &c, which
constituted n brilliant comedy season that
was thoroughly successful. Mr.. Wallack
was succeeded by Mr.. Balls, light come
dian from the Drury Lane and Convent
Garden theaters, London. Then came the
great comedian, VIM. +. Burton, and after
him other stellar luminaries in the dramatic
armament.
The next year Mr.. Ward became man
ager, who was succeeded before the close of
The season by Miss V. Monier. who appears
10 have enjoyed great popularity here.
Among the attractions which she presented
We're Junius Brutus Booth, Burton, George
Vandenhofi the elder; Hackcut, and Ma
dame Celeste, who set the young bloods Of
that day and the old ones, too, for that mat
ter, perfectly wild during her entire en-
gagCment.
GEO. WASHINGTON PARKE GUSTS,
he proprietor Of Arlington, wrote play
called "Pocahontas," which was produced
at the National, under his personal super
vision, in the year 1897, and had very sue
cessful run.
A short time after the production of
''POcahontasn Gen. Alexander Macomb,
then commanding the armies of the United
States, desirOus Of adding 10 his military
laurels those Of the dramatist, and inspired
hy the success attending the effort of Mr..
Gusts, als0 wrote an Indian play called
pontiac; or, the Siege Of Detroit" and
this was also produced at the National, the
United States marine corps being utilized ii
the production.
OF those who witnessed the performance
few still survive, and they describe it as
lurid and bewildering display of rapidly
shifting scenes, yolleys OF musketry, heaps
Of slain Indians, &c.
OF course in newspaper article ii is i'm.
possible to follow closely the history Of the
building and II is sufficient to say that the
g..
1916, presenting during that period several
of the stars already named and Edwin For
rest, who made his first appearance here II
1889; Ellen Tree, Miss Davenport an Eng
lish prodigy, only II years old; Fonny ELS
Ter, the exquisite danseuse; Yankee Hill
James II. Hackett, Miss Hildreth, afterwar,
the wife OF Gen. Is. +. Butler, aud Others
1t YVES during the management of w. L
Burton, in ls4S, that the theater was
DESTROYED ny FIRE.
This was sad blow to the stockholders
for the managers did not carry heavy In
kurance, and II was some years before tn
theater was rebuilt. In fact not until afte
the Mexican war were steps taken to recon
struct the theater and then the movemen
dragged YEARLY. Finally, in 1850, Messrs
Willard and Reside hastily constructed
hall so that Jenny Lind, called the Swedish
Nightingale and the greatest songstress o
the present century, might give her concer
within its walls. The new structure wa
known as the 'New National Hail. an
the first entertainment there was the Jenn
Lind concert. This was perhaps the mos
notable gathering ever held in Washington
The President and his Cabinet and the ST
preme Court attending in body. OWN
10 the expedition with which the buildin
was thrown together, there was cOnsiderabl
fear that the walls and platform were no
sufficiently strong, and crowds of distir
guished statesmen occupied seats upon tn
platform as an assurance to the packe
audience below.
In the following year the hall was occr
pied by circus, and the catastrophe whic
had been feared at the Jenny Lind concei
actually took place, the west wall fallin
out and causing decided panic.
II was rebuilt as q theater and opened /
1852, with +. A. Marshall as manager, an
then there appeared long galaxy Of bri
liant attractions, including Nine. Celeste
Julia Dean, Lola Montez, Miss j. NJ. Davel
port Mrs Landon), Charlotte Cushmal
The segun Opera Company, Emma Fit;
patrick, beautiful English actress; Ann
Cora MOwatt, the Ravel family, Julien
concerts, GHsi and Mario, Edwin Forres
Mrs. Macready, and James F.. Murdoch
The season Of 1856 opened with briliar
with James L. Murdock, James w. Wa
lack, ir., Joe Jefferson, A. ii. Davenport
Edwin Adams, Miss Lizzie Weston, an
Miss Kate Howe in the cast. Later thcr
appeared Max Maretzek's Italian Oper
Company, headed by Madame lie Grange
Maggie Mitchell, Edwin A. Booth, whc
on January 12, 1857,
THR SECOND FIRE
took place and the theater was agai
"The fire this time,r said Mr.. Moxle,
"hegan in the property room, which was u
stairs, and was in the theater when
caught. ] shall not forget the excitement
A New York party was about to produce
spectacle called the Olympic Devils an
we were getting up the scenery and proper
ties for the piece.h
In the mean time the property had passe
through various hands, and portion OF th
ground not occupied by the theater build
ings had been sold TO Allison Nailor. Tn
board OF managers had changed IN sevcrl
respects and among those who participate
on one side or the other in the various deed
of trust were Thomas j. Semmcs. W. L
Davidge, j. b. II, Smith, Vim. II. Windel
A. Hyde, Thos. r. SutOr, James A. an
John T. Lehman. A decree OF sale wa
made by the equity court June l3, 1855, an
W. u. Dayidge and Charles Wallack WEI
made trustees. No sale was made, how
ever, at that time, and as on the breakin
out Os the war Mr.. Wallsck went suutl
Mr. John +. Ennis was substituted in Ia
place as trustee, and in 1868 Mcssrs. Da'
idge and Ennis sold the entire property {
W. i. Spaulding and w, w. Rapley 70
S35,10)
The theatcr was rebuilt In 1869, and opeue
on April 22 under the management {
Leona d Grover lie was succeeded b
Messri,; spaulding, ~ Rapley, W. /
while the latter was the lessee, aud durln
an engagement of Miss Alice Oates, that In
theater, on June 2S 1873, burned down IA
the third time. The whole interest wa
then purchased by Mr.. w. w. RIpley, an
Jebuil ling was at once commenced, d