Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-12-22
THE ADVANCE MAN.
An Important Person in the Theatri.

An Important Person In the Thcatrl'
cal WOr1d-P. +. BarnUW's Opinion.
Just before the death of +. r. Bar.
mum the Snowman remarked that he
did not know what his business was
coming to. as there were no more good
advance agents.
"The advance agent" Mr.. Barnum
was quoted as saying. "is the mainstay
of all shows, whether they be circuses,
dramas, operas. or lectures, and the
Office Is exclusively an American one"
These remarks were caused by an ac-
count of a railroad accident In news
paper that Mr.. Barnum was reading
1t described how a successful magician
on the derailcd train had taken out n
box of surgical instruments from his
valise and attended to the injured ones.
"That's too modest" said Mr.. Bar.
mum, "and It shows the weakness Of
the advance man Of to-day. II one Of
my old boys had been managing this
conjurer the paper next day would
have described how The magician had
palmed the broken rail. pulled dozen
rabbits out Of his hat and sent them ia
nearby towns for medical assistance"
While 1t Is true that the agents MIR.
Barnum referred to have nearly oil dis.
appeared It is by no means great dis.
fortune, as the new school Of doing nd.
vance work Is more reliable and effec.
tive. That the olden time agents were
extremely able men Ii demonstrated by
the fact that they are nearly all man.
ayers Of note to-day. One Of the most
prominent directors of theatrical enter
prises Is famous for his record Of never
getting stuck in any town, but lie had a
close shave in Ogdensburg, n. T.. once.
Upon arriving In town. lie learned to
his sorrow that the advance sale for
his show was but 50. The agent was
dead broke. 1t was quite necessary
that he should get $25. Yet lie couldn't
borrow from the theater with only 81
sale to the credit Of his company. lie
studied over the matter while and
walked uptown. Entering a drug store
he called up the theater by telephone.
rs this the thcater?" he asked.
"Yes; who IRE your
"Dr. Raymond, ut the drug store"
"Vell."
"Save me four seats tonight"
"fuch obliged"
Then the agent went to the blggcs,
dry goods store. and in the same man
ner telephoned for four seats. A half
dozen stores and offices were visited
and several rows of seats were re-
served. Then the agent carclessly
strolled into the theater.
"You IRE In luck. old man." said the
treasurer In the box office.
"lOw SOP" innocently asked the
agent.
"why. your sale has Jumped up tc
$780,"
"Wcll. that Is no more than We dc
serve. Just give me half Of that and
will hurry on to Syracuse"
"Will $15 be enough?"
"You might make 1t a hundred. "a
have got to send several cablcgran,
from there"
After the performance there was Jus
S11 IN the box office. The treasurer o,
the company had his troubles In tryins
W suuOc ~ ecttlethGuts OuS uuC ukSu
WINS In the next town ordcriag wine
The theatrical business IL now no thor
oughly systcmatizcd that opportunities
for sharp tricks and illusions IRE lin
tied. Attractions arc now managed n,
are railroads, dry goods stores. or Othe
commercial institutions. Tho tour 4
booked. printing ordered, railroad ar
rangemcnts made. and n score Of littl'
details IRE fixed before the compan!
leaves New York. This simplihes til,
agents work. yet he must have In
! Vulnerable resources In case Of ~
emergency. One Of Mr.. Frohman'i
managers. All Hayman, who Is some
thing OF u Joker. has applied to Wash
ingtOn for n patent on IN agents clocl;
1t IL like tho ordinary watcll,nan's time
piece and worn ut the side like II pai
Of field glasses. This clock must b
wound up by different key each day
There arc 1906 keys. and ut the begin
ming Of season these keys are sent
3O5 dramatic editors. Then. II tn
clock stops, tho agents salary ceases
Chicago Tribune.