Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-11-03
A PLAY OF THE MINES.
DAN L. HART'S COMEDY DRAMA TO
APPEAR IN FREELAND.

The Most Successful Theatrical Sensation
of the Season Will be Seen Here on
Monday Evening-A Synopsis of Gun
derground."
Underground" which was written by
Dan. L. Hart, of Wilkes-Barre, has won
for itself another praise from the press
of all the leading newspapers of the
country, and its tour through the large
cities has been one of the most successful
it theatrical history. Alter mnch hard
work, Manager Davis has secured it for
Monday evening, November Z. Upon
its appearance in Detroit, Mich, where
it played two weeks, commencing Sep
tember 10, the Tribune of that city said
of it,
Underground" was given its first
presentation before a Detroit audience
at the Lyceum theater last evening and
was greeted by large house. "Under-
ground is clever story of conflict
between labor and capital in the Penn
sylvania coal fields and appeals to the
public with special interst at this time.
while the recent fierce battles at Home
stead remain fresh in the public mind.
The plot is woven around the life of
Hen Stroh, an old inhabtant of the
country, who as the result of blow on
the head twenty years earlier, is an i'm
beetle and a deaf mute. The scene
opens at the home of James Reid, a
miner in the employ of Charles Broad
head.
Thomas Dawson forms union among
the miners and is threatened with dis
charge. Dawson falls in love with Mel
lie Reid, the daughter of James Reid,
the sturdy miner, but is broken hearted
to learn that she is already betrothed to
his friend Joe Tonkin.
The second act has for its scene the
exterior of the breaker by moonlight.
Her Stroh recognizes in Thomas Dawson
the features of the latter's father who
had been his neighbor many years be-
fore. His attempts to make himself
understood are pitiable in the extreme,
and futile as well, but the recognition
has restored portion of his lost men,
ory and he goes and digs up several
valuable papers which had for years Law
hidden in the gronnd.
These prove his own title to the entire
lands under which Broadhead's mine is
located and where he has for years op-
pressed the people until at last they
rise in open rebellion.
The interior of the mine is potrayed
with great fathfulness in the third act
The deep, dark recesses and the long
chambers appear more ghastly in the fit
full glare of the miners lamps, while the
immense columns of anthracite add to
the realism. The men are all at work.
Mr. Broadhead descends in the car to
renew his former attempts to induce
Dawson, of whose power among the men
he is fearful, to leave the place. While
he is there cavern occurs. Dawson
proves himself hero in the work of
rescue. Nellie Reid has descended to
the mine to warn Dawson that war;
rant has been issued for him for melting
riot among the men.
While the latter is engaged in his
work of rescue, Broadhead seizes Nellie
and places her in the car, gives the sig
nal for its raising. Dawson forsees the
owners intention to leave him to suffo-
cate in the fire-damp and saves himself
by clinging to rope dangling from the
bottom of the car. Before they reach
the mouth of the shaft an explosion of
tire-damp occurs and immense pillars
crumble and fall with reverberation
that is terrible.
The elimination of the story strongly
resembles the recent scenes at Home
stead. The men have struck for an in
crease of wages. Their demad is refus-
ed. The troops are called out Dawson
forces the writing of forged order for
the withdraw temporarily, of the mill
tia, between whom and the strikers
battle is imminent. Hen Stroh has had
a third paralytic stroke and recovers his
reason. He asserts his title to the land
and Broadhead is deposed. The COM
pany throughout is very good and the
play captured the audience.
Reserved seats can now be obtained |
at Christy's store. No advance in
prices.