Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-11-24
HANNERSTEINS OLYMPIA
Leslie Whitacre Tells Some Facts
About This MeteOrie Mana
gers Career.

- I
NOVICE. TO-DAY HE OWNS THE
BIGGEST PLAYHOUSE IN AMER
TCA-CORNELIUS VANDERBILT
ENJOYS HIMSELF AT A PLAY
WHICH EVERYBODY ELSE
ROASTED-E. II. SOTHERN AND
DANIEL FROHlIAN TO PART
COMPANY-A WORD FOR ROSE
COUGHLAN - RICHARD MANS
FIELD WAKES WROTH - HIS
NEW MANAGER FORBDS HIM TO
MAKE ANY MORE SPEECHES
THE OPENING OF HIS GRAND
OPERA SEASON - CALVE AND
PADEREWSKI THE REIGNNG
CRAZES.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
New York. November 20-"The fog
is to blame for it, said Manager Oscar
Hammerstein OF Olympia as he sat him
down on pile of bricks directly under
poster which announced that the
opening of the new playhouse had been
postponed from November is to No
vember %. It's the great American
climate getting a rise out OF me because
/ have engaged so many European nov
elites to appear here. l thought [ was
prepared to fight all the elements;
was ready to tackle fire, water and the
Police Commissioners all at once, if
necessary, and then this British fog
had to come along and prevent the plas-
ter from drying. 1 vowed from the
first that 1 would open the building on
November Is, and on that date II would
have been opened sure enough II II
hadn't been FOR that fog.
Hammerstein was really a pitiable
spectacle as he spoke these words. Only
those persons who have known this
Napoleon Of Harlem for years, and who
realize fully how completely his heart
was set on opening on the day announc-
cd can understand what a disappoint-
ment this postponement has been TO
him. no matter what he does or leaves
undone. Oscar Hammerstein is an in
tercsting figure. lie is easily the most
interesting character in New YORK TO-
dav. and when one remembers that SIN
years ago Hammerstein knew absolute
Nv nothing of the theatrical business,
mis- subsequent success seems little less
than marvellous. He made his fortune as
member of q backing firm, and IN the
spring of 1891. as Harlem had no good
combination theatre on the east side,
he decided to build the Columbus. 1t
was a success from 1.-THE outset, and in
less than q year the Harlem Opera
House was thrown Open 10 theatre go
ers on the west side Of town. Then
Hammerstein thought there was money
in English grand opera, so he bought
property on West Thiriy-fourth street
and on that site arose the Manhattan
Opera House. which is now better
known as Roster and Bi2ls. Mrs.
Bernard Beiee. the English actress
opened the theatre and scored a ire
moud0us failure. The season OF Eng
fish opera which followed lasted JUST
q FORTNIGHT. A year later Roster ana
Bial and Hammerstein joined hands
The series of rows which led to Ham
mersteiu's Withdrawal from the iIrm
are matters of recent stage history. lie
sold the building for 100000, and ON
the moruine chat be signed the mai
check I'm payment OF this amount ola
Mr.. Roster dropped dead of heart fail
ura. Mr.. Hammorstein makes no bones
about declaring that ne has built
OLYMPIA for the express purpose OF
CUTTING OUT ROSTER AND BIAL'S.
Time alone can tell whether he will
succeed in Ul6ling his threat, but to
Judge FROM the attractions ne had en-
gagged Oscar is making q noble effort
I'm that direction. AS he led into the
broad promenade I'm the balcony Of the
music hall-the Middleway Pleasant
ous. Oscar calls it-from which one can
obtain fne view of the stage, de di-
lated OF the spiandor of the attractions
which were to appear there. ! noticed
that the railing was rather low, so !
said to him.
Look here. aren't you afraid that
with such attractions on the stage
some of your audience will be drawn
over that railing and dash their brains
out on the orchestra chairs?"
well, if there's any fear Of that, they
must nail themselves down.
WHAT DO THEY EXPECT FOR
JO YIN 10 iAlefNNi4o i-0
One price Of admission, so cents, will
admit 70 the theatre, the concert hall
ana me FSr,ely lnea.re. Ia ~ one -, ,e
spscI lue u9iay III opsnIns ne Oae I iiTuS0
nus pIo'eu d Dl'9'iis X lol IL Ia -
Gu l'' 80. ..TS. ~ - $50 IT, ven
0i I, ,'' ~, Vi $500 " o. p,oo oo
rom lue interior % .Ie I''cS Co..l-
P'ns C'-i7 ll ~ % vi 49, ~, ~ -