The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-11-18

ceives this enormous tax from the gross
receipts of all theatrical enterprises, is
one Of the richest charitable institu-
tions in the world, and like all institu-
tions of this class, overloaded with
wealth. it is so fettered with red tape
that it does comparatively little good.
In addition to this poor tax there is a
window tax, which was very large in
Nhe case of the outdoor American show.
Wis show, when finally placed occu-
pied a vacant space of land between
Night and ten acres in size. The Win
low tax charged against the enter
y>fJriSe involved a tax upon as many
a windows as could be counted in build
Rings of normal size, and in Paris they
~ere nearly all Of one size, that could
have been built upon the land itself.
Then there were taxes for water for
sweeping the sidewalks, and, last of
all the patents.
The patents is an old tax that comes
dropping in on you at the close of the
season when You probably fancy that
you have paid all your just dues and
have nothing more to expect The pat
ants is a tax which represents the act
raj amount of money taken in by a
theatrical enterprise if every seat were
Oiled by cash paying visitors. The tax
Agent comes in and counts the seats,
nIultiplies them by the prices, and pre-
sentS the amount to you in the form of
a bill, which has to be paid at once
without any question.
For a republic France has one of the
most paternal of governments. From
the first you are in the hands of the
authorities and the number of pelmiss-
tons that are necessary to be obtained
before any foreign show can address
itself to the French public is absolutely
appalling. I worked twelve hours a
II, IL,
place to place for three months in OBJ
tanning the permiSsions that were abb
solutely vital to giving the show. To-
wards the last great risks had to be
taken for the reason that the delay in
obtaining these permissions was So
great that if we mad waited for the last
of them it would not have been pos
sible to have opened the show before
midsummer 1t was arranged to
open it on the 10Th of May and it was
not until the 18th of May that the last
permission was obtained, although !
began early in January Of that year.
= HARD SEARCH FOR SUITABLE
a GROUNDS.
III The first greatest difficulty was to
Z find a piece OF land large enough for
our exhibition which should not be at
the same time too far from the center
of Paris. AT first a conditional per
mission was obtained to going into the
great Bots du Boulonge Park. but while
the location was beautiful just this side
of the fine stretch where the Long
champs races are given, vet it was
found that the city tramways came no
nearer than a quarter Of a mile, and
that it would have been perfectly hope
1eS 10 have given night entertainments
depending upoL people who could afford
cabs. Inc tr2mways people promised
TO extend their lines, but under Very
rigorous and expensive conditions. But
this plan was soon brought to naught
by the fact that the owner of a private
estate in the park, Sir Richard Wallace.
objected, and without his permission
nothing could be done. This permits
sion was difficult to obtain. because he
was always travelling and his private
secretary never knew where he was. He
was sure, however, that his master
would rsver consent, and so that MACE
was dropped.
TWO MONTHS REQUIRED TO GET
USE OF SOME GROUND.
y 1t finally became clear that the only
Aplace possible to be had was upon the
Military zone which encircles Paris and
PILLOWS the line of the old walls which
fkrmeTly encircled the city. This tract
df land. about an eighth of mile in
width, is under the direct control II the