The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-10-29
MIR. ANTON REYlIANN
Talks Of His Plans for building Block on
His Atheneum Property,

Mh- AAlVN hhl liam
Talks Of His Plans for building Block ON
His Atheneum Property,
Mr., Anton Reymsnn was seen by an
ISrELuIoEEcER man last night with ref.
erence to his purchase Of the Atheneum
property, and the use he proposes to
make Of it, Mr.. Reymann first stated
that he has not yet gotten possession Of
the property for the reason that the
part which no buys from the Handlan
heirs cannot be transferred until the
signatures OF all the heirs are obtained.
In case these signatures ara affixed to
the deed, there Is still q lease on the
property which runs till next
spring, Mr.. Reymann intends to
erect o building covering the en-
tire property, and six or seven stories
high. In case the Baltimore 4 Ohio
tracks are removed from Sixteenth street,
Mr.. Reymann's building will include a
monster music hall, This will be done
provided even the freight traffic is trans
lerred to some other route, He reCog-
nizes that with the trains passing along
Sixteenth street, q music hall ut that
place would be badly located, and will,
II the tracks remain there, cut one story
up into small halls, lie has not as yet
begun to think Of a plan for his great
building, but has decided to build, some.
thing, and proposes that 1t shall be u
credit TO the town and TO his enterprise,
The Atheneum was built in 1915, by
Gill and Hartman, who were at that
time prominent in many public enter
prises in Wheeling, 1t was a very hand
some structure In Its day, and in its APP
pointments compared taVorably with
the largest theateEs west OF the noun
tains, There were two galleries, com.
modious pit and a large stage. II would
seat comfortably 1900 people, many
more than either OF thetwo present play
houses.
All the prominent stars OF the day
appeared on the stage OF this house, in
GLIDING the perennial Maggie Mitchell,
who was then In her prime, and who has
not yet let 20 all holds on her prime,
Judging by her recent marriage. George
JamisUn, who was 1.-THE Hamlet" OF his
day, and who was afterwards made more
famous by coming between the cele'
brated Edwin Forrest aud his wife, strut
ted the boards, Eliza Logan was favor
ito at this house, and Justly, too, because
she was the Mary Anderson OF her time
In 'Juliet," aud many maidens who
sighed over her tragic death then are
now sleeping In the marble cities"
Hauchett and Duilield then had the
lease OF the house, aud both played In
the casts. Edwin Booth, when lie was
yet callow "Richard," mumbled his
lines on the boards at the Atheneum.
Every celebrity IN those days had a
weeks habitation Ia the "green room"
OF all these celebrities only Maggie
Mitchell and Edwin Booth remain.
When the clouds Of the "Irrepressi.
BILE conflict" were gathering the stage OF
the Athencum frequently became the
hastings OF the politicalspeakers. Party
spirit was strung up to higher tension
there than II has ever been in recent
years, and the meetings were necessarily
OF a very fervent character. One notG.
BILE occasion was the joint debate on the
issues Of the day between Hon. sherrard
Clemens, then Congressman from this
district, and Hon. Roger A. Pryor, who
afterwards became prominent figure In
the ConfederaCy.
Here Hon. Thomas Corwin, OF Ohio,
addressed an enthusiastic meetingin 1860.
When the war broke out the theatre
was turned into u military prison, and
many citizens OF Wheeling, whose sym
patbles were with the South, spent an
enforced seclusion within its walls for
expressing their opinions too freely, No
doubt the jolly and good natpred ex-
Governor jackson win remember that
he swallowed u poem In bean soup and
crunchCd asymphony In hard tack within
those prison walls. Lewis Baker, the ex-
editor OF the Register, was also confined for
time In the prison, and many others
who were adjudged out OF line with the
strict rules Of the Government al that
time. But these noteE aye only Of q
reminiscent character.
After the close Of the war the Atha-
nssum was converted into malt house,
the ground floor being occupied by the
commission firm Of podsoh Brothers.
In 1867 the building was entirely de-
gtroyed by FIRE, only the northwest cor
ner Of the walls being left standing. The
history OF the location from that time Is
too well known to be repeated here.
Now a building will rise from tho ruins
which promises to be a monument 10
The builder and the pride Of the CITY.