The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-15
Amusements in Early DAYS.

OF which was made in yesterdays CALL.
and who was contemporary with the earliest
theatrical days on this Coast, makes a brief
reference 10 the good old times" interest
ing The first popular amusement in San
francisco was circus. Early in 1919 and
1850. respectively, two horse-shows were
established. one by Joe Rowe on Kearny
street, near Clay subsequently converted
INTO theater), and the other by Mr. Foley
on Montgomery street, near California The
prices paid were SIS for pit seats, So for box
places and $50 for private stall. Steve
MasSett gave a concert in a school-room on
June %, 1919, and the piano used
was the only one in the country.
he borrowed 1t from Mr.. E. Harri-
son, then Collector of the Port, and
paid SIC for removing it from the Custom
house to the school-room, the buildings
being situated on opposite sides of the
plaza. The first theatr cal performance In
San francisco was representation of THE
Wife and Charles IL" by small COM
pany under the control of MesSrs. Atwater
and Madison, January, 1850, in the second
story of a building al the rear of the old
Alta Cali 'orna office then located on Wash
lngton street, about midway of the plaza
known as Washington Hall. A company of
English actors Of und0ubted merit opened
the theater, including Sir. and Mrs. Handle
ton, Mr.. and Mrs. Batters, Mr.. and Mrs
McCron and others. Mrs. Stark. then Mrs.
Kirby, soon after arrived and appeared at
this place. The lady now the wife Of Mr..
sion.
IN SACRAMENTO,
The stage had taken the lead, and it was
here the late MIR. MeCabe began his theat
real career IN California. Shortly after
Washington Hall was opened in this city
the Eagle Theaier was built on Front street,
Sacramento, followed by the Tehama Thea,
ter under the management of Mr.. j. II.
Kirby. Mines. Bingham, Hambleton, Kir-
by and Messenger. and Messrs. Atwater,
Bingham, Byers, DOwnie, McClosky, Stark
Ninsun and Zabriskie appeared on its boards
Then came the Pacific" and American"
theaters in the following winter.
IN SAN FRANCISCO
April, 1850, a neat little theater was estab-
lished on Washington street, near Mont
gomery, and on the 4th of July, same year,
MessrS. Robinson and Evrard opened their
Dramatic Museum, on California street
near Montgomery, with company of anna
tours Evrard, long since dead. came from
MitchelPs Olympic, New York, and after
remaining a few years on our stage left 1t
and Joined the police force, where he at
tracted attention by the correctness of his
department and neat dress. In September
following the original Jenny Lind was
opened over Maguire's Parker House Sa-
loon, kearny street, near Washington. Dur-
ing the fall ana winter another small thea
ter was opened on Clay street, near Mont
gomery, by Ned Bingham. Ali these thea
tiers were destroyed by the fire of May,
1851. Two others hastily run up were re-
duced 10 ashes by the fierce fire following
in June. MIR. Thomas Mcguire then con-
structed the large stone Jenny Lind
Theater. now the old City Hall, and
opened it October 4. 1851. Before this the
Adelphi was erected on Dupont street, be-
tween Clay and Washington. The American
Theater on SansOme, between California
and Sacramento streets. on the corner of
Haleck, was opened October 90 1851 In
the fall of 1853 the Metropolitan, on Mont
gomery, between Washington and jackson,
was opened by Mrs. Caiharine n. Sinclair,
wife OF Edwin Forrest the tragedian. Mrs.
Sinclair also conducted THE San Francisco
HalP' on Washington street (afterward
known as Maguire's Opera House, in 1853
The French population likewise had a
theater, first the Adelphi, then the
Union" on Commercial street, above
Kearny, where Laura Keene, Edwin
Booth aud Dave Anderson played In 1858,
Jast before the party made a trip TO Aus
tralia. The MelodeOns came later-Mordo
aud Johnston being the pioneers in Vernon
Hall, over Genella's crockery-store, op posite
the Metropolitan, about IS5S-J9