Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-22
NO ROOM FOR MORE.
Why Capitalists Are Slow to
Invest in Theaters.
THREE THOUGHT ENOUGH,
And Manager Williams Plans Have
Knocked Them Out.
THREE THOUGHT ENOUGH,
NEW LIBRARY SITE IN VIEW

1t is definitely ascertained that Pitts
burg syndicate, with E. o. Converse as the
New York end and Dr. C. S. Scott as the
local representative, is making great effort
to secure a lease of the Jackman property
on Penn avenue for opera house purposes.
kilograms from New York were flying
thick and fast yesterday, and it was the
opinion of several Pittsburg gentlemen that
the project had been unsuccessful.
Mr.. Gulick, of the BUou Theater, was
seen last night in regard to the rumor, and
said that in his opinion the advertisements
inserted in the New York dramatic papers
by Manager Williams, announcing that
time for frst-class attractions could be filled
BY him for a new theater on Penn avenue
had had the effect of putting the Jackman
theater project in the mulligatawney.
THOUGHT HE WAS BLUFFING.
Mr.. Gulick added that the Pittsburgers
had been going right ahead with the secur-
ing of stock in the enterprise, with the
belief that Manager Williams was blufing
in the announcements recently made locally.
But wher MIR. williams came forward with
announcements of time to fill in 81, it began
to look like business, and the Pittsburgers
called halt
"There are two good houses here now"
said Mr.. Gulick, ''and if Mr.. Williams
builds q frst-class theater it would make
three. ANY other plan would be ridiculous
in such condition Of affairs. Again, Mr..
Jackman wants a great deal of money for
his lease, and would not be a party to a
lease unless $50, 600 was spent in remodeling
his property. No manager could do liv
ing business under the circumstances.
Pittsburg is not New York by any manner
of means. So the scheme has fallen through,
so far as the Pittsburg people are concerned"
WHY IT FELL THROUGH.
A telegram received from New York last
night tallies exactly with what Mr.. Gulick
said. 1t was from E. o. Converse to DR..
Scott, and read as follows:
Enlist no more stock. Three is enough. Thing
is settled.
This is the first definite assurance that the
Jackman building negotiations are off and
is also strongly confrmatory of Mr.. Will
iams' good faith and intention to carry out
his plans as published. The members of
the Pittsburg syndicate are not theatrical
men, and their backdown is considered to
be final, so far as the Jackman property is
concerned.
Mr.. Ed JacRman was seen last evening,
and reluctantly admitted that the pending
negotiations had been broken of. But he
stated that he was still dickering with East
ern parties, and that he took no stock in Mr.
Williams reported intentions. 1t was his
opinion that he would ultimately succeed
in placing his property advantageously, and
he said that it could be set down as an as
sured fact that if a theater was located on
his property it would be first class.
LOGIC OF THE SITUATION.
''The logic of the situation said Mr..
Jackman, sis simply this: Within two wears
the Bijou Theater will cease to exist. There
may be long contest before Diamond street
is opened, but it is certain to be eventually
widened. That will settle the Grand
Opera House. Even if a new theater
should be built, at least one more will
be a necessity-perhaps two more. That
there will be three combination houses in
Pittsburg inside of three years is consid-
cred certain. My property has the location,
and it is in such shape that can hold the
fort indefinitely whereas leases do not run
forever. / am going slowly, because 1 want
it to be frst-class theater or none at all
Without doubt, the negotiations now in
progress will msterialize. I hope to see the
new theater open its doors next fall. And
that is about all that can be said"
ANOTHER THING IN VIEW.
1t was stated yesterday in regard to the
opening of Diamond street, that Mr..
c. L. Magee had recently paid Cap
tain j. j. Vandergrift $4,000 for
IS feet frontage on Diamond alley, adjoining
Central station-the latter being already the
property Of Mr.. Magee, who also has the 80
feet front adjoining the Jackman property.
He offered it TO a neighboring property
holder for s., 500 front foot.
1t is considered a certainty that il Dia-
mond street is widened, the Grand Opera
House, will have to go. The chances for
speculation in the theatrical line become al
most boundless, with so many changes i'm
pending.
Curiously enough, the Carnegie Free Lii
brary site seems to be brought into close re-
lations with the current gossip about thea
ter sites, A gentleman who processes to
have absolute knowledge of what
he is talking about, says something
very interesting in regard to Penn avenue
property and its relation to the Carnegie
Library. He indulged in the following
prediction:
A LITTLE PREDICTION.
"Mr. Henry Phipps, Jr., and Mr.. n. q.
Walker own the Central Rink property, on
which Mr.. Williams has a lease for 16
years. Mr.. Williams, to nv certain knowl-
edge, is waiting anxiously for Mr. Carnegie
to ask to have the lease cancelled. 1 heard
to-day that the 75-foot frontage of Mr..
Jackmsn's property and the 3O-foot frontage
of Mr.. Magee's property would be secured
for the library site. The depth is 120
feet, with a 15-foot alley. But the |
plan is to buy right through to |
Liberty street. Mr.. William Finn !
owns the 30-foot front on Liberty street, |
corresponding to the Magee property on |
Penn avenue. Several estates hold the |
property corresponding to Mr.. Jackman's. |
The site would be costly, but its location |
would be unrivaled. There would be two |
fronts to the library, one on Penn avenue |
and one on Liberty street.
PLENTY OF LIGHT.
Gas the alley at the side of the property |
is to be videned, and the Citizens traction |
loop moved to Fifth street, there would be a |
fine light at the side of the library. This |
may be speculation, but hear that there is |
something in it. No more central site could |
be imagined. People from the West End, |
Oakland, Lawrenceville and the East End |
and Allegheny could be delivered at the |
door of the library. Not SO much can be |
said for any others of the sites heretofore |