Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-05-13
THE SIEGE OF PARIS.
1t is Attached and Closed to
the Public.
HISTORY OF THE PAINTING.
Valued at 100000 and Sold at New
Orleans for 16,000-Its
Record Here.

"The Siege of Paris" the great pano-
rama on Main street, which has doubt'
less at some time or the other, been seen
by every Angelefio, is closed up by order
of the Sheriff. The history of the paint
ing is an eventful one. 1t was painted
some five years ago by Philippoteaux,
the great French artist, aided by eleven
painters, and at its completion was
valued at 100000. When the Worlds
Fair opened in New Orleans in 1885,
it was brought to the Crescent
City, and remained on exhibition
there until the festivities lasted. 1t then
became sort Of white elephant, and as
an open purchaser was hard to hnd, IL
was put up for auction sale and bought
for $4,000. 1t was then brought to Los
Angeles.
sideration, and Mr.. w. s. Maxwell made
a good offer to the company which had
secured the painting and which incorpo-
rated under the title of the Los Angeles
Panorama Company. He had leased Tor
ten years from Mrs. Hughes, on the east
side of Main street between Third
and Fourth streets, large piece OF
land, on the conditions that he was to
erect two-story brick building on the
property, one-half of the value OF Which
ne was to receive from the Hughes es-
tate, on the date when the lease expired.
There was a circle l35 feet around, at the
back of the building, and this MIR. Max
we'll leased to the Panorama Company.
for the consideration of $500 month,
ground rent. They then put in an cleo
tric light plant, the working OF which
would cost them $57 q week, and en-
gagged a lecturer at SIS month, and
staff of minor assistants. The show drew
like wildfre when it WAS first opened
and, although the adult admission fee
was SO cents. a big throng crowded to
see the painting, which was certainly
most excellent. So great was the sue.
cess of the affair that rival was induced
to come in town in the shape Of 1.-The
Battle of Gettysburg" which was placed
in position near the Washington Gar.
dens. 1t also did we'll, but in the course
of time, after the sightseeing public had
visited it, it began to lose money, and
one day it was compelled to close up.
DISASTER COMES.
The Siege of Paris about the same time
began to meet with disaster. The re.
ceipts decreased, and, the expenses being
so heavy, it was necessary to cut down,
but deal, which at this time was going
on, was effected, to the great delight of
the stockholders. The panorama was
disposed of to Messrs. Childress & Baker
for $50 900, net profit on the transaction
of $4,000, besides the revenue for the
year.
The rev company ran it until the close
of 1888, when the receipts were daily
falling off, an effort was made to dispose
of it. Jack Haverly was in town at the
time and made overtures to obtain it,
with the intention of turning it into q
Tiyoli or some such popular place of
amusement, but the ground rent of $4O0
monthly was too much for the minstrel
man to tackle. The electric lights were
about this time cut off and the lee
tnrer disposed of, thus cutting down
about $500 q month expenses, but even
this would not make the debt and credit
side balance. To add to the dilemma
Mr.. Maxwell, it is said, got into financial
straits and he borrowed money from Mr..
DAu I6oAdu, UuAhbu6 WV " AAAiI sAAo
Panorama building in lieu thereof. Then
the painting passed into the possession
of Mr.. q. 7. D. Wilson on financial
transaction, and he tried to make it sup
port itself. The ground rent, however,
became due and there was nothing to
settle it with and, as Mr.. Wilson
let it run, at the end of three
months Mr. Freeman went to the Sher-
hoA ~ atfon Hn
agreed to let it run one month more,
however, and an old man named
"Benny' was put in charge, and the
show closed after nightfall. The month
of April passed by as disastrously as Its
predecessors, and on the LIST of May,
another months rent being due,
Mr.. Freeman decided to close
the place down. 1t will probably
be put up at auction very shortly. and it
ia said that Messrs Maxwell and Hark-
ness will purchase it and take it to the
City of Mexico.
AMI UINE