The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1895-12-28
HISTORY or THE THEATER
Front Street Struct One of the
Oldest I'm the Country.

Front Street Structure One of the
Oldest I'm the Country.
The Front Street Theater is the prop
erty of the Maryland Thcater Company.
1t has not been used regularly for
theatrical purposes, or for any other
purpose, in fact, for several years. Now
and then its doors have been opened 10 enter,
tainnicnts or the chara cter given last night.
and 1t has been used to some extent for
prize fights recently. ,.
The theater was first opened on Scptenl.
Der 10, 1880, under the name OF the New
Theater and Circus II was openedswith
an audience of 3 900 persons by W. Elancii-
ard. under whose management equestrian
exhibitions, coupled with dramatic per-
rormanccs, were given until February 3,
1898, when the theater was destroyed by
fire early in the morning, and with it a
quantity or valuable properties. much fine
scenery and fifty horses, owned by Mr..
Cooke, whose show was giving exhibi-
tons there at the time. The fire was the
result OF an accident.
After its destruction the theater was re-
built under the supervision of the late Bal
tinore architect, William Minifie, whose
son is member of the Maryland
Theatcr Company. In the new thcater
more than one actor and actress, who has
since risen to fame, made his or her first
appearance. Among these was Mrs.
Frank Drew. who in 1912 made her debut
here with the elder Booth. Here Jenny
Lind sang in December, $50, giving four
concerts, of which the proceeds were $50,
600. Bids for seats ran all the way from
$50 to 500. tits said tina Front street was
SO packed with carriages during the great
prima donna's engagement that it was al
most impossible to pass the theatcr.
LINCOLN NOMINATED THERE.
On Monday, June ls, $50, the national
Democratic convention met there, and the
Union national convention. which renomi
mated Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency
and nominated Andrew Jackson for Vice
President, assembled there on June Z, sci
In those days al the fashionable balls
and entertainments where held within the
walls of the famous old building. then
the resort OF the beauty and fashion in
what was the aristocratic section of the
city. But the Tashionables have long since
moved uptown" leaving the old play
house to the vaudevilles and dry rot. Here
occurrc! on November 20, $50, one of the
most memorable banquetS ever given in
Baltimore. II was rendered by the Knights
Templar of this city 10 the visiting cei.-
maDderies, on the occasion OF the In wing
of the corner-stone of the Masonic Temple
on North Charles street.
The tIieater has Il seating capacity OF
1900, the third largest OF any playhouse In
the city. Its stage, both in width and depth.
is also very ample, and in the palmy days
OF the thcater must have been regarded
as of huge proportions. After Col. William
E. Sim, who conducted the Front for sew
eral years as a variety house. and Messrs.
Kelly and Collier leased it, it became me-
cessary to entirely renew the boards of the
Tor nor f.,n .,f TlnN -nrs,
worn almost TO shreds by the constant shift
ing of the scenery through many years.
AssoOn as IL became generally known that
the stage was being renovated Il number or
curiosity seekers visited the tEeatcr and
carried away with them pieces of The Oh
platform. or these il is said no less than
two hundred walking canes were minufao
tured. One of the former attaches OF the
theater has a Gold-hcaded cane made frrn
piece of the old pine boarding. Some Of the
original planks remain on the stage 1T the
back near the large window which opens on
the Falls.
This window commands view of The
back buildings on Harrison street. The
aperture is square and has a sill few
feet above the stage. 1t is closed AT night
by means OF a heavy swinging shutter.
THE PROPERTY ROOM.
In the southeast corner CT the building
opening on the platform used by the scenic
artist. is aslittle room which was occupied
years ago as the property room of the
theater. Until a period shortly before
Manager Dan A. Kelly's vacation Of The
building this room n;alned the qua ntest
collection OF moldering old track that
was probably ever brought together In Il
Baltimore theater.
Many OF these ancient "prcps." some of
which are still 20 be seen about the theatcr.
were OF old-fashioned shapes and mods
seldom seen nowadays. Swords papier
mache helmets and SHE d.. isty hatf.eaxcs.
headgear ofssli nations. ciiGes, and sexes.
sandals made OF Old boots, nloldy with age
pantoinime properties for spectacular scenes.
and many other sing liar and now useless
objects lay strcwn ;iboi,t the. floor. From