Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-26

OF London's Leading Concert H.,
COLOSSAL Idea That Brought Hundred
Ballet Girls to This Country.
Among the frequenters of the cantao,
Dehind the scenes there figured an Ameri-
can, VINO, judging by the lavish yav he
spent his money, might well have been
taken Tor millionaire. This man cener.
ally had on his fingers no fewer than six
magnificent diamond rings, and not one of
these rings could have cost less than GOO
lie used TO make his appearance almost.
every night at the time the coros dc haIIot
trooped off the stage after the snectacIe
and many of these dancers were constaptIn
RECALLED by him with the best cbannaone
at 81 the bottle.
The way that American threw his money
about was-to use one of the ballet Girls.
language "a caution. He gave COSTLY
breakfasts at public gardens, and lived
hike lord" at the Langham hotel He
had Jewelry enough to stock a shon- and
many OF the girls received some rery COSTLY
trlnkets from his hands He used to hand
away these valuables with a princelv air
ana spent his money freely; every one in
Inc pace received something from his
hands.
popular notions of American pouyeauv
riches SO all sorts of rumors floated about
the nail respecting the position and riches
of the American Prince As the baIIat
girls termed the stranger Some ayerreJ
that he was n ''silver king from Nevada.
Others great ranch owner from Texas,
while others were sure that he was a pig
sucker in biz way III Chicago
Mr.. Sllas W. Steggs himself sa d nothing
about his antecedents. He left the al
mighty dollar" to tell its own tale. No one
was seen morS lavish with his'yno new in tn.
Alhambra canteen; and as time passed.
bud this man kept coming and going, his
face became familiar one at the Alham
bra.
IMPORTING \ BIG COMPANY.
With the manager, the late Mr.. Frederick
Strange, Mr.. Steggs maintained a close in
tlmacy, and one night he opened his mind
to him. The London ALEXANDRIA was. he
assured Mr.. Strange, the most splendid
place of amusement to he seen anywhere
and. as an American citizen he was sorry
they had no place to equal it in the Empire
city. A New York ALEXANDRIA, ne went on
to say, would certainly prove a good pay
ing concern if conducted on the same lines
as the London establishment.
He (Mr. StcGgs) had made it hi business
to study the management. In 50 doing he
had spent his money freely; that did not
matter a cent; he had an objec5 in view
which would repay him every dollar. He
proposed to himself to erect in the CITY Of
New York a large and palatial building, to
be called the New York Alhambra. large
sum of money would be required He had
enough and to spare. One favor he begged
of the Alhambra directors-perni ssion to
recruit his staff among the minor members
of the Alhambra company.
No objection was raised to this proposal,
and when 1t was noiSed abroad tn use of us
who desired to better our positions were
greatly excited. Mr.. Steggs lost no time
In making his arrangements, and negotia-
lions were al once opened with al manner
of people connected with the 4 hambra
All these people were to cross the Atlantic
in the same vessel. What 100 ballet girls
and number of barmaids were to do dur
ing the time the place was building never
seemed to be thought of.
However, we all believed we should be
paid up, work or not. / was one of the
officials Mr.. Steggs had engaged and of
course had to give up the place held IN
der the Alhambra directors. l did so, as /
was promised much better place in New
gave us a sumptuous breakfast at The Cafe
de PEurope. The next day we went to
Liverpool to embark Mr. Steygs had
taken berths for all on board a Cunard
screw steamer and he had spared no money
in making us all comfortable.
Everything went on all right during the
voyage, though ! noted with surprise that
the American had parted with all ais cost
ly jewelry.
MR.. STEGGS DISAPPEARS.
When we arrived at Sandy HOOK Steggs
went on shore to secure. so he said, lodgings
for us all at the Metropolitan and other no.
tells. All that day we waited for message
from him, but none came. The next morn
ing several of us landed and made our way
to the Metropolitan hotel and, to our aston
ishment and dismay we learned that no
person of the name of Steggs was staying
there, nor did the hotel people know any
one of that name
We returned to the vessel in hopes Mr..
StegGs would return, but he never came
back. Here we were in strange country,
and what to do became pressing ques-
ton. 1t was well for Mr.. Steggs he could
not be found, for the ballet ladies we're in
furiated, especially so the fine young wom-
an who was to have been the premiere
danseuse."
The greater part of these women were
sent back to England by the consul. Some
of the neil also returned Some o. us, in
Guiding Mile. Blank, determined to stay in
New York. This lady at once obta ined an
engagement at Niblos Garden in the spec
tacle of 1.-The Black Crook" taf5erward
produced at the Alhambra). The writer
obtained employment on the press
One bitter cold night in the succeeding
winter | was passing through one of the
streets at no great distance from the Bow
cry when my attention was drawn to the
painful spectacle-alas! as common now in
New York as in London-of number of
tramps waiting outside the police station
for nights shelter l do not believe l
ever seen such mob of wretched objects
as was gathered there that night
One man in particular was most pitia-
BILE object. He was dressed in filthy rags
held together by number of pieces of