The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-11

He first made his appearance here as leading
member of Maguire's Minstrels in 1862, at
Maguire's Opera house, which was then stu
ated on Washington street, between Montgom-
cry and Kearny. Lolita was in the same COM
pany.
The leader of the orchestra at that time was
Mr. schriner, who now runs q cigar-store on
Kearny street, near Bush Mr.. Cotton's en-
gagement with Mcguire Mlnstrels in San
Francisco began in June, 1862, and he re-
manned with that company for three years
one OF its star performers His experiences
while member of that famous organization
were unusual and interesting. During trip
to Salt Lake City he formed an intimate &C
quaintance with Brigham Young. Cotton was
! then as agile and graceful as young fawn, and
was doing a pretty song and dance, called
Glove Among the Roses" The old Mormon
prophet became enraptured with the graceful
and sweet-voiced minstrel, and during an en-
gagement of Maguire's Ministries of ten nights
IN Salt Lake City Brigham Young occupied his
box with his favorite wife at every perform
ance and would leave after Ben Cotton had
performed his specially.
1t was during one of these trips to Salt Lake
City that member of Maguire's Minstrels,
with other members of the company, visited
the Hot Springs there. Cotton had
heard OF the splendid medicinal qualities of
these springs and insisted upon plunging into
was hot and would scald him, he replied, with
derision: ~ guess if these blessed Mormons
can stand it 1 can" They ished the venture
some minstrel out, and with patience
soothed him with balm, but he had to lie for
six months in hospital cooling his fevered
epidermis.
Billy Birch is now in New York. He made
fortune in his day and was the idol of minstrel
lovers, but Wall street and speculation fixed
him. And then there is Mcguire, who, for
years was known as 1.-THE Napoleon of the Pa
ciic Slope;' he has not dollar, either; his
fortune vanished like "dew before the morning
sun"
Ben Cotton has spent fifteen years on the
| Pacific Coast He returned to New York from
| here in 1865 and organized Cotton & Muir
| phys California MInstrels Joe Murphy rat
| tied the bones and Ben Cotton shook the tam
| BOURNE. He returned to Frisco in 1868 for
| Mcguire and was as great favorite as ever.
| He then, from here, went to Chicago and was
there during the big fire of 1871. He after
ward organized Cotton & ShGrpley's Minstrels,
| and also with Dave Reed organized a minstrel
| company. Later he was member of Airing
| ton, Cotton & Kemble's Minstrels. Kemble is
| interlocutor for Pony Moore's Minstrel in
| London. Moore is the father-in-law of
| Charlie Mitchell the prizefghter, and was his
| hacker.
| 1t may be matter of interest to many to
|
| to appear upon the stage in the first place Ben
| Cotton was member OF volunteer fire com
! pany in Providence, r. l., and every Saturday
| night they used to have re joicing and clam
| chowder jubilee, at which every member of the
| company was supposed to entertain in some
| way. While a member of these fre-fpht ars
| cotton was heard OF by a manager, who organ
| lzeo the Julan Burlesque operate Troupe
Inc first stated salary that Cotton ever re
| ceived as minstrel amounted to So weel,
! and his board and travelling expense were fur
n1shed. AS he had been cigar-maker previous
| to this, earning but SO week, he thought that
his advent in the minstrel business was a praat
| advancement.
Most OF the minstrel companies were organ.
lzeu on Inc commonwealth plan in those DAYS.
| ana In this regard Mr.. Cotton tells a story
about Pete Sterling, favorite San Francisco
wrench dancer" then known as "The Live In.
dian" 49,
On trip near this City Pete's dividend
amounted to SIT, and he became very indie
| nant that that was all the money he was to re-
celve for an entire weeks work. He stated
u uas NC lele IKE throwing it in the river. Sam
| Weils, VINO is also favorite minstrel then re.
Piled, pete, you are not throwing anv money
| away?"
can throw away as much money as you
can, replied the overwrought Sterling.
Wells.
Inc bet was quickly taken and Pete immedi-
a'oiy threw MS SlI into the river and it sank
| to the bottom.
You win" said Wells as he handed over 81.
eeernng was not very jolly when he realized
tnat though he had won the bet he had lost
S16 by the operation
inls is but one of the little incidents that
pen Cotton relates by the score regarding
famous Ministries of the past, whose days OF
Y nr1Nv H..