Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-11-14
JEFFERSON'S YOUTH.
How Lincoln Saved the Great Actors
Father from Financial Ruin.

How Lincoln Saved the Great Actors
Father from Financial Ruin.
Springfield being the capital OF Illi-
nois, it was determined to devote the en-
tire season to the entertainment of the
members of the Legislature. Having
made money for several weeks previous
to our arrival here, the management re-
solved to hire lot and build theater.
This sounds like a large undertaking,
and perhaps with their limited means it
was rash step. 1 fancy that my IA
Their rather shrunk from this bold en-
terprise, but the senior partner (Mc-
Kenzie) was made of sterner stuff, and
his energy being quite equal to his am
bition, the ground was broken and the
temple erected.
The building of a theater in those days
did not require the amount of capital
that it does now. Folding opera chairs
were unknown. Gas was an occult mys-
terry, not yet acknowledged as fact
by the unscientific world in the West;
second-class quality of sperm
oil was the height of any managers
ambition. The footlights of the best
theaters in the Western country were
composed of lamps in a float with the
CONFERENCE.-The. When dark stage
was required, or the lamps needed trim
ming or refilling, this mechanical con-
trivance was made to sink under the
stage I believe if the theater, or
times called, had suddenly been illu-
minated with the same material now in
use, it's enemies would have declared
that the light was furnished from the
sold Boys" private gosometer.
The new theater. when completed,
was about ninety feet deep and forty
feet wide. No attempt was made at or
namentation, and as it was implanted,
| the simple line of architecture upon
which it was constructed gave it the ap-
pearance of large dry-goods box with
! a roof l do not think my father, Oh
Mckenzie, ever owned any thing with a
roof until now, so they were naturally
proud of their possession.
| In the midst of their rising fortunes a
heavy blow fell upon them. A religion:
| revival was in progress at the time, ano
| the fathers of the church not only
/ launched forth against US in their ser
mons, but by some political maneuvel
got the city to pass a new law enjoinins
a heavy license against our ''unholy'
calling; forget the amount, but 1T wa
large enough to be prohibitory. Here
was a terrible condition of affairs-al
our available funds invested, the Legis
! lature in session. the town full of PEG
pie, and by heavy license denied TIT
| privilege of opening the new theater.
In the midst of their trouble youn'
LAWYER called on the managers. He hat
heard of the injustice, and offered, /
| they would place the matter In Ill
hands, to have the license taken OF, de
claring that he only desired to see fal
play. and he would accept n
! fee whether he failed or succeed
ed. The case was brought up befor
the council. The young lawyer bega
his harangue. He handled the subJee
| with tact, skill and humor, tracing tn
history of the drama from the time whe
Thespis acted in cart to the stage {
to-day. He illustrated his speech wit
number of anecdotes, and kept tn
council in a roar of laughter; his goo
humor prevailed, and the exorbitant ia
was taken off.
This young lawyer was very populs