The morning call., 1893-09-01
RUSH FOR SEATS.
The Grand Opera-House
Besieged.
THEY WAITED ALL NIGHT.
People Who Camped Out on Dry
Goods Boxes to Be First at
the Box-Office.
HEY WAITED ALL NIGHT.

The sale Of seats for the frat week OF
the Irving-Terry performances opened
yesterday morning at the Grand Opera
house at 10 O'Clock.
1t was on the afternoon before, however.
that the crowd began to assemble in an
ticipatiOn Of the event. All through the
long night watches that separated Wednes-
day evening from Thursday morning the
enthusiastic crowd camped out, with only
goods boxes or the dusty sidewalk for
resting places. Several of the watchers
sent for beer to beguile the weary hours.
Toward morning these swillers grew hilar-
ious, and the police thinned the crowd by
few arrests.
Shortly before dawn band of ladies
appeared and disputed the foremost places
with the men who were holding the fort.
Angry protests followed, but they were
quelled when the ladies cheerfuIly paid 20
cents each for the privilege Of heading the
line.
Daylight found the shivering crowd
swelling rapidly in numbers, and small
boys with campstools and dTy-goOds boxes
began to do rushing business by charg-
ing two bits for a seat. 1t was evident
that people had come 10 stay. They were
armed with lunch-baskets, books and
wraps, as If they looked forward to days
solid camping.
As soon as the box office doors opened
there was rush. TIE Specu atOrs got in
ahead, and for nearly an hour very few
ladies were able to buy tickets. After
that, however. more police came on the
scene and the crowd was formed into one
long file. which filed the alleyway leading
to the greenroom of the opera house. Be-
fore noon the crowd Overf1owed the alley
and extended round the corner of Third
street.
To circumvent speculation n one is al
lowed TO buy mare than ten tickets for
any one performance. Several of the spec
ulating gentry. however. had boys in the
line TO buy for them.
After the first hour So tickets were being
offered among the crowd for S. Places in
the line near the box-office could be had
for 81 each. Most of the purchasers took
tickets for all the performances. and if any
preference has been shown at all il seems
TO have been for Beckett"
1t was motley crowd that stood on
Mission street all through the heat and
dust of yesterday. Ladies with novels
and campstoOls, jostled by messengeT-bOys
and pOrters; young dudes and seedy men
In shirt sleeves, smoking and waiting with
philosophic patience.
I'VE have been here ever since half-past
O'Clock" said Que lady to a CALL re-
porter late yesterday afternoon. "You
see thew are letting the people in ten at
time. and we are about an hour off the
boX-nffice yet"
How can you calculate so exactly ?"
Was asked.
I'VE have marked our progress on the
wall ln blue chalk every hour" replied the
tired ladies. laughing. I'VE found that
ali down the alley the file moved at the
rate OF seven feet in two hours. That was
because people kept pushing in ahead.
we ought TO have gone faster than that"
oh! the speculatOrs pushed In first so
roughly, remarked one girl, and then
glancing forward she added, "Just look at
that poor old lady. Sne has beer here
since the morning. l have noticed her
once or twice look exhausted and fall out
OF line, but she always comes back" The
old lady did look very tired, but she was
near the box-office as the girl spoke, and
before the reporter LETT the spot she had
departed triumphantly with her ticket.
Henry Irving and Miss Terry are taking
life very easy this week. Yesterday Miss
Terry and Miss Wardell visited the Cliff
House, and on Wednesday evening Irving
realiZ-d the desire he expressed some ays
ago OF seeing performance in a Chinese
theater. He sat on the stage for a long
time and said afterward that he consid-
cred the entertainment quite enjoyable.
The rest OF lrving's Company is expected
to arrive here on Saturday morning.
Manager Henry Z. Abbey will accompany
them. Among the performers are several
whose names are household words TO
English theaier-POers. William Terriss, in
particular. is well known.
Terriss las often been called the hand
soonest and most shapely actor in London.
His picture is to be found in every station
er's store. 1t was Irving who first brought
Terriss prominently before the public. but
Tor years he has played as leading man in
some of the best London theaters.
Nine carloads of stage settings that will
transform the opera-house proscenium
into the stage of the London Lyceum are
expected to arrive on Saturday morning.