Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1895-05-18

The Masonic Hall Company should Take
the Benefits and Give Williamson the
sessou-ssIects the Best Attraction for
Himself aud Uses the House for Nothiag.
Manager William R. Williamson, Of
the Grand Opera House, is for William
r. Williamson first, last and all the
time. The interests OF the Masonic Hall
Company. which employs him, are as
nothing compared with his own interests.
He made nearly one half as much last
night as the company made all OF lest
year, and will soon go of to the sea-
shore and enjoy himself Ia his yacht,
while the stockholders will have to
content themselves with the Chrlstiana
river and Gat bottomed row boat.
Williamson does several things 10
connection with his annual benefits
which are not fair to the company" said
man who is Interested In the Opera
House to an EVENING JOURNAL reporter
this morning. In the first place. he
selects the best attraction that is booked
and uses 1t for his own benefit. Then,
while he cuts the advertising for the
attractions brought here for the benefit
OF the house and plays them to small
audiences, he takes good care to literally
advertise his own benefit and crowd the
house.
Worse than that, for about two
weeks previous to the Ehow which he
selects for his own benefit he keeps the
Opera House closed, and literally starves
the play.goers into pAtronizing him It ID
not his own popularity which crowds the
house for his benefit, but this starving
out process
What do you suppose he made last
nightP" asked the reporter
mot less than $500 and possibly
$780," replied the stoekholder. Last
year the company only made about
81 500 on all the attractions he brought
mere. 1t seems strange that be can do 30
much in one night for himself and 70
little la q whole year for the company
About year ago a rule was adopted by
the board OF directors prohibiting
the use of chairs In the aisles,
Later on Manager Williamson was
Instructed to more rigidly enforce this
rule. 1t WAS the understanding that
this dangerous crowding WAS to be done
away with entirely. The manager
whose wants are seemingly never salts
fed, had the aisles blocked with chairs
last night, greatly to the discomfort OF
the patrons of the place II fire had
broken out, there would have been .
holocaust, for the chairs would have seri
ously impeded the exit of the spectators. )
What was the slzs OF the house last
evening"
II Judge It was a S.. 600 house and thai
hs got about 30 per cent. OF the proceeds
He raised the price of seats to al so and
later in the evening, charged some play
goers as high as 81, representing to then
that they were tickets ordered but mo-
used
"Dld the other employees get
beDeft7'
"Not this year. Last year Williamson
selected DeWolf Hopper for himself and
minstrel troupe for the benefit oi
all the other employees. He, paid
nothing to the company for tn.
use of the house, while they were com
PEELED to pay all the expense. This yeal
Williamson gets DeWolf Hopper for. SAY
sixty per cent and the use of the housI
for nothing. The other employees ge
nothing. That is the situation. l thlnH
that the Masonic Hall Company haC
better just give him the Opera Honse fol
the season and take one or two benefits
for itself 1t would make more ans
Williamson might make less il he con
Quoted 1t along present lines