Daily Republican., 1886-01-14
Runninx o Theaare

There are many persons In overy
community who have an ideA thai
each theatre In their city pays the
owners an independent fortune every
season. Such persons are ignorant OF
the grest expense Of producing good
play, with first class company, and
II there should chance TO be good
sized audience present ct n perfor.
nance, they conclude that somebody y
has m sde big pile Of money. That
such Ia not the fact will be seen by the
following extract from the annual re-
port Of the Masonic Hall Company:
"We regret that the financial con.
dition Of the company is such (arisiDR
from the fact that the receipts during
the past year have not been sufficient }
that We can not declare q dividend,
and We fear that the receipts during
the coming year will be still less, In
consequence Of the competition there
will be, occasioned by the erection OF
another building for dramatic purposes.
1t .csnpot be expected that two snch
buildings can be profitably occupied In
. city the size Of Wilmington. Daring
the past year nothing has been expend-
cd for additional scenery or stAgs
settorrnents, and As little for repairs o.
We possibly could with due regard 70
the preservation Of the property and
the demands Of the pablo.
notwithstanding this, the rooeiptl
from all sources during the past yesi
have exceeded the expenses (not inolud
ing that paid for bonds), by only ts96.
80. There was In hands Of treasurer
December 1, 1888, %, ,2ib.63; due by sun
dry parties for rent TO December l.
o. ,52l AZ; due by company for accrued
interests and gAs TO December, 81. 300
Owing to the continued depression II
business. and the limited support that
citizens OF Wilmington give 70 frst
class entertainments, many companies
have been deferred from renting, Ant
would only make arrangements for th'
use Of the auditorium by agreeing b
pay . percentag 70 Of the amount received
In All cases where the hall has been
rented for percentage Of the receipts
the best ternas possible were made will
the companies renting.
Negro Ninstrels and companies o
. like character, almost always hav
full houses, and prefer 70 pay the regu
lsr rent Of the hall, but hrst-clAss en-
tertainments are not well patronized, =
- was recently the case with tha
given BY Clara Morris Zone Of tn
greatest, II not the greatest of Ameri
can actreeses) }, which Was received Wit
Q very poor house, resulting ip loss I
the Hall Company Of $5 o.. The sam
was the case with the first-class oom
papy that RAve May Blossom whic
also rrsulted IN . loss to the Hall Com
Ipany of $25.75. We refer 70 thea
instances TO show how hrst-class pei
formanoes are Z appreciated by th
Ipeople OF this city.
During the year the auditory wa
occupied 100 times, exclusively Of Sur
days, averaging $50. 10; Of this numbt
107 times were on . percentage, th
averAge for which was e26 30 Believin
that II was expedient, in order to plAc
tho hnAnsiAl condition Of the compan
on sound basis, IL WAS thought best ,
lessen the bonded debt by the purchai
Of q lot OF bonds that were offered At
Iprico considered low, and -, ,675 Of q
fnnds 10 the treasury were appropriate
. for that purpose. This. however, vi
, done before it wAs known that thei
would be another opera house 70 cor
peto for the limited and At present nj
profitable business. 1t will BE- -
! from the report Of the treasurer, thl
"a. .5286 SO have been paid during u
year for insurance., county, city NJ
0 watar tax, and State license"