Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-16
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
The Profits of PirrsburR Theaters The
Need for New Thenter-Mr. Maddsn,s
RecOvery-A Will Changed by False


The Profits of PirisburR Theaters = The
Need for New Thenter-Mr. Madden'r
RecOvery-A Will Changed by False
Teeth.
VERY few Pittsburgers realize what an
amount OF money the theaters of this city have
been making the last two or three seasons. A
gentleman who knows well enough the profits
OF making iron and steel remarked to me con-
cerning ddanager E. D. Wits statement that
he had cleared $4,000 last year: at is impos-
sible that he could have made such sum-"
But showed that gentleman that it was pos-
sible fer Mr.. Wilt to have made more than that
| in the Grand Opera House. AS to the correct
| hgure Oh that theater's receipts last season, 1
have no right to speak. Mr.. Wilt says he got
| $4,000 profits; there we must leave it, If he
got S20OO0 in the season of 1883. what will he
clear in lSS9-9O? Surely as much again, at the
| least, Tor this season has been better for
theatrical enterprises, and particularly for the
Opera House, than last, which was the Presi-
dental election year,
l. 4.z
BUT in Pittsburg there are very few capital
lists who know that the theaters-or most of
them-here are Veritable gold mines. Mr. Harris
has one, the Academy of Music pays handsome
dividends. and 1t can be said authoritatively
that the profits of the Bijou Theater last
season were in excess of $4,000, and some say
over S35, 900.
That is what makes it SO incomprehensible
that local capitalists do not seriously undertake
the building OF new theater on the ground
floor, with all the latest improvements, to open
at frst-elass prices. Once or twice week
someone confidentially whispers the plans for a
new theater to sundry newspaper men, but
nothing is done.
There are enough people and enough money
in Pittsburg TO support another theater. 1t
would not materially injure the business of the
other theaters, either, so long as they were man
aged wisely.
The story of Lillian Russells sudden de-
parture from the Casino Company in Chicago
ought not to surprise anybody. That young
woman is getting great deal more free adver-
tisement than she deserves. Her conduct in
Pittsburg did not make friends for her here.
and the hour of her total eclipse is probably
very near at hand.
No actress can work to any advantage on the
stage if she devotes her time to the antics
which usually wind up in the RusseIps case in
sudden elopement. The public tires of an
actress who makes habit of eloping.
E.@
THERE are good many people outside his
circle of co-workers in this Office and friends in
Mr.. George A. Mad den is certainly on the high
road to health. He has had terrible siege of
illness and about half dozen pitched battles
with surgeons and physicians have left him
THU and weak. But his spirits are as high as
ever, and every day his health returns to him in
solid packages.
Unless the improbable happens, Mr. Madden
will be abroad in Pittsburg newspaperdom
early in the coming year.
Rx&
THERE were days-and not so long ago,
either-when false teeth were not in general |
use, and in rural districts about this very city |
there were lots of men and women who had |
never heard of set Of ivorles that could be re.
moved from the mouth and reset therein at
will
A large fortune, which has largely been
spent by this time, was diverted from one
branch of a family in this county to another by
little mishap in which set of false teeth |
played leading part. The owner of the money
and also an upper set of false teeth was an ell
derly maiden lady. She had only two relatives
in the world-a nephew and niece. The latter,
who was welded to farmer, was her favorite
The nephew was city man.
1t happened about so years ago that this old
lady had a set of false teeth placed in her
upper jaw. 1t was a modest set and did not at
tract attention. and the old lady was very
anxious to keep their presence in her mouth
secret. Soon after she got them she went to
visit her niece IN the country. One evening as
she was sitting before the fire in the parlor she |
fell asleep, and somehow or other her head fell
back, her mouth opened widely, and the teeth
getting loose settled down on her tongue. Her
niece happened to enter the room at this juno
ture, and never having seen false teeth before
imagined that some fearful accident had hap
pened to the old lady. Like loving dutiful
niece she screamed aloud and all the house
hold came running to her assistance. The
climax came when the old lady, now wide
awake. had to replace the teeth before a large
mixed audience. She was awfully angry.
Next day she went home and altered her will
in her nephew's favor.