The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-05
THE OPERA HOUSE DIFFICULTY.
Griffin 81 O'NeiII Present Their Side
OF the Case.

Griffin a. O'NeiII Present Their Side
OF the Case.
The Herald, of course, has no in
terest whatever in the controversy be-
tween the management of the Grand
opera house, and the management of
the talented company now playing
there, and merely in fairness TO all
parties concerned, publishes the fol-
Neil to the Salt Lake theatre-going
public the other side having had their
innings:
To the Editor of The Herald:
! In view of the attention that has
been accorded by the press of Salt
Lake city to the condition of affairs
at the Grand opera house, it seems
only fair and just to ourselves, and
to our Salt Lake representative that
our statement should be heard.
Briefly then: The weekly salary list
Of our company amounts to between
! $3.50 and $500, never less than the
former amount; the royalty demanded
for the use of copyright plays is never
less than $50, sometimes as high as
500; our incidental expense amount
| kilograms, postage, stationery, rail
way fares for Mr.. Griffin between Salt
| Lake and Denver, on his frequent Wis
its, railway fares for returning en-
plOyeeS, and their successors) average
about $40 per week, and to this amount
is to be added the large preliminary eX-
lpense made necessary by the engage
ment in New York of a complete COM
Ipany, and the expense of the trans
portation to Denver For our outlay,
our risk, our responsibility, our expert
ence, our net profits will average. 500
per week. This cannot be made to APP
pear eXorbitant no matter from what
point of view. The source of income
the first essential cause of revenue to
the Grand opera house, is OF course
the dramatic company. When it is
stated that the entertainment COM
plete is furnished by us for 500 pei
performance, l think we may safely
hope for eHoneration in any fair mind
of the charge of eStortion.
We have INDUCED in no dispute
with the gentlemen OF the Salt Lake
Amusement association. There Las moi
been, nor will there be as far as we
are concerned, any quarreling or re
Termination.
We fulfilled the terms of our con.
tract both in the letter and in the
Esprit The parties of the first part
have broken theirs. The facts are
probably we'll known in Salt Lake by
: this time, and if they are fairly stated
we are willing to stand by them. We
. believe the gentlemen of the Salt Lake
Amusement association have deHber
: ately killed the goose that was laying
for them a nest of golden eggs. Theil
error proceeds from a lack of judg
: ment. They have made mistake tina
: they can never correct. No other re
putable managers or actors will car'
t to have dealings with them. 1t vii
: be impossible, under their auspices, t.
: assemble for stock work another com
pany the equal of the present one
, Time will demonstrate that fact.
; For ourselves and for the future o
our company, we have great happines
in stating that when the fact becam
known that our contract at Salt LAX
had been ended, we were simply del
uged with propositions from all part
of the country. We have concluded
contract in the Cordray's chain Q
theatres on most favorable terms, an
2 under an experienced and dignif1e
I management, we look forward to
v career of great prosperity.-Very re
5 specially, GRIFFIN q NEIL.