Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-01
THE SOUTHERN CIRCUIT.
What One Manager At
tempted to Do.
HOW HIS EFFORT SUCCEEDED.
An Undercurrent of Feeling That
Has Been Going the The
atrical Rounds.

The members of the theatrical proies
sion on the coast are very much in
terested just now regarding the move
ments of an individual named F. D.
Fiske, who, it is stated, has been trying
to run things all his own way during the
past few months. Southern California is
especially interested in the affair, mas
much as the principal seat of his opera
tions has been in this territory with
losses to all concerned, and, as it now
appears, equally to himself. Fiske
made his appearance on the Coast some
four years ago, and located in Fresno,
where by judicious investments in prop
erty he managed to run up the neat little
total of about $4,000 for his
bank account. He interested himself
deeply when the proposition of putting
up an opera-house in that place was
talked of, and soon had the affair floated
a stock company formed and the house
put up and opened. Then assessments
were brought into play so often that his
associate stockholders dropped out of the
venture, he buying up their shares at a
minimum rate, and finally becoming the
proprietor of the Thespian resort. OPP
position appeared on the scene, however,
for Charley Riggs, gentleman of high
standing in the profession, and with
whom he had once had some business,
decided to open another place
of amusement, which was fin
ally launched in the mimic world,
with the title of Riggs Theatre.
Mr.. Fiske, it is said, made up his mind
that if his engineering could accomplish
it he would close up the rival establish
ment. His first step was to make his
debut as theatrical manager and he, in
that role, made trip to host of what is
known as water-tank towns in the north
ern part of the State, and secured the
halls in them for his attractions. He
then wrote to Manager Harry Wyatt, of
the Los Angeles Opera House, and made
overtures for a combination of powers
which, as he expressed it, could be made
to corral all the show houses on the
coast. Mr.. Wyatt declined, with
thanks, but Fiske evidently mis-
read or misunderstood the situation,
for he blossomed forth into letter.
head paper which read as far south
as bakersfield as coming from the firm
of Fiske & Wyatt, and from Los Angeles
and San Diego as from Wyatt & Fiske.
Then, unknown to Mr.. Wyatt, he made
a trip through Southern California, and
visiting all of the show-towns, made ar
rangements with the proprietors thereof
by which he was to receive five per cent.
of the gross receipts, and in return guar
anteed to play all of the shows that came
to Los Angeles. Quietly closing up these
contracts tor twelve months, Mr.. Fiske
returned to his headquarters at Fresno,
and then opened correspondence with
managers of the shows on the road, and
signed agreements with them to play the
Southern Circuit, it being expressly stip-
ulated on every occasion that none of the
attractions were to play at Riggs Theater.
UNEXPECTED RESULTS.
The result was very astonishing-that
is to say, to the proprietors OF the houses
in the southern circuit with whom Mr..
Fiske contracted. Along came Haverly's
minstrels, and, after playing at Mr.. Wy
ats houses in Los Angeles, San Bernar-
dino aud San Diego, they went on their
way. The proprietor of the Williams
Hall, at Pasadena, the Riverside, Santa
Ana and other Fiske towns wondered
why the attraction did not come to them,
but no loud complaints were made, it
being thought that some unexpected
issue had arisen. Other shows, however,
dropped in and out of Mr.. Wyatt's houses
in Southern California, and still the
Fiske people were ignored, so they be-
gan to get anxious about the matter.
They have just got their investigations
to a head, and, judging by the
correspondence that is going on
things will be very lively for Fiske. Mr..
Wyatt states that he has made no con-
tract with the Fresno manager, and also
that he will not allow the Fiske attrac-
tions to play in his houses. This leaves
Fiske in the situation of having made
contracts all around without any good
prospects of fulfilling them, for on ac-
count of Mr.. Wyatt's stand the theatri-
cal troupes of course, discarded the Fiske
concert. Manager AL. Hayman has
also taken firm stand on the matter,
and has made the notification that he
will not allow any of his attractions 10
play in the houses controlled by Fiske.
In Santa Barbara matters have been
remarkably unpleasant, for Fiske had
contracted with the manager of the house
there, and of course Mr.. Wyatt would
not lett his shows play in the place. An
arrangement has, however, been nearly
completed whereby the seaside to- own will
be able to regain her hold on the amuse-
ment world, for Mr.. Wyatt has interest
ed himself to bring about satisfactory
settlement.
Mr.. Fiske, it is related, attempted to
make his sway felt in Los Angeles, but
ignominously failed. He wrote to Mrs.
Neal, of the Los Angeles Theatre, and
asked her to make arrangements with
him for his shows, representing that Mr..
Wyatt was worthless fellow. Mrs.
Neal, however, astonished him by her
action. for she handed over the letter to
Mr.. Wyatt, stating that she was perfectly
satisfied with the present arrangement.
The members of the profession are very
indignant over the developments, for
they say Fiske's conduct has not only
been injurious to them, but also to the
towns where he tried to reign.
ALI sorts of stories are current about
the water-tank town manager, one being
to the effect that he is on bis way to Eu-
rope in connection with an affair of the
heart. His present wife laid the foun-
dation to his present wealth, for he was
a bookagent in New York when he first
met her. He then laid siege to her
mothers affections, that lady being
worth about SIC, 900, and induced her to
turn over her fortune to the daughter
whom he subsequently married, at least
that is how the story goes.