Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-05-30
gophinsuillc Aentilfkiail.
MAY 30, 1890.
ACTORS, BAGGAGE.


Trunk-smashing Extraordinary Mt IN
bcantown Thcntcr.
Columns have beon written about III
destructive exploits of tho baggage
smasher, who causes so much annoyanc
to commercial and other male travellers
ana weeping among female tourists VIII
Ind their pet toilet accom- mpaniment
broken or disarranged by the. careles
handling OF thoir trunks and valises
These people aro to be commiserated
but thoy know what to expect ON Jour
neys, and II thcy do not pack .heir be
iongings in way to meet events with
safety to their property they are hardly
TO bo pitied. a strong. well-made trunl;
will stand almost any thing in tho way
of handling.
But the average tourist has but bare
appreciation of the tribulations OF mcm-
bars OF peripatetic theatrical companies,
men and women alike in this respect.
They have not only the average railroad
and express spoilagc to bear, but added
is tho handling of their luggage about
the places OF amusement. They are, as
matters go now, on the move nearly all
the time, stopping barely q week at the
longest often but one night in
any one theater or hall. The conyen-
fences OF these theaters or halls are
spare, many of them being In second
and third stories Of largo buildings
with meager ground area to stand upon.
Some OF these have means to carry
trunks upstairs by hand; others have
hosting apparatus that Is very good.
All this Is very fine as the initiative OF
an engagement: but at the end the de-
parting tramps must pack up instanter;
the special train is waiting; the iron
bound trunks (for every actor or actress
of any age on the stage has learned to
hoop and brace them well) are sent pell-
NELL out of the building, sometimes al
lowed to bump, thump and make somer-
saults on the stairways, and on other oc-
casions ehucked from the windows.
Some are large, others small. and many
very heavy. Some tall baggage-smash-
ing has been recently seen in this city.
baggage has been tumbled out Of the
ater to the disturbance OF hundreds
OF dwellers in the vicinity. This
Is an annoyance TO outsiders; but
what source Of expense it must
be to the poor women, girls,
men and boys who have their
living to get on the mimic stage, There
s narrow alley at the side of the
heater, scarcely wide enough for two
people to walk in abreast There Is a
establishment occupying the
round floor. The stage level is prob
Ibly thirty feet from the walk of the al
ey. Every Saturday night. at perhaps
'leyen o'clock, company goes out
seems to be let loose. |
There seems to be no set arrangement
or going, but all go at once The trunks
being packed, are put on trucks and
oiled to some floor or window opening
IN the stage floor, and dumped over into
he narrow space, falling that thirty
eet with thud that awalsos all tho
leepers in the neighborhood. Tho exit
an affrighted household from blaz-
ne tenement could scarcely exceed the
aste with which this mass of properties
nd costumes get out OF this place of
musement Down thoy 60 upon tho {
ard brick, and are as uneeremonioasly {
emoved to the wagons in the street at
he end OF the passage. (
Tho wagon men seem to ga uqe the
wners OF the trunks by the boxes they
ote, as is evidenced by their remarks ,
hen handling them. A few nights ago
nree mon were endeavoring to lift a
onderous receptacle Of an actress tog- ,
cry into dray, and it was very heavy.
She must be daisy" remarked one.
That fellow is dandy" another said, :
} large and pretontiously ornamentcd !,
lckage went on tho platform. "Poor :
ling" was another romarls, as a plain
tile cloth-lincd box was more tenderly !:
inded to the man over the wheels
nd so 1t went on until the great load
'parted for tho railway. What COM
ent on theatricals in the salaried way! y
ct all these goods were dumped out OF o
Iat stage doorway-good, bad and in n
iferent just the same. Theater q
mpers are no respectors OF persons. II
no heavy iron-bound could stand it. p
ow about the poor thing?"
''Those who complain of the usage
cir baggage receives from the railroad . .
on should stop and think before they =
eak OF these wanderers and what they io
Q subjected to in addition to the perils
sfmpla travel --Ioatnn Tronuor;nt SN