The San Francisco call., 1896-01-11
WILL BUILD A THEATER,
That Is What Manager Heilig
Will Do if He Cannot
Lease One.
WILL BE A GREAT TEMPLE.
Must Protect Over $4,000 in Northern
Theaters if He Has to Invest
$4,000 Here.
WILL BE A GREAT TEMPLE

S. G. Heilig of Portland, manager of the
Northwestern circuit of theaters, is at the
Palace. He has come to San Francisco
with the object of either getting control of
one of the theaters or building one
T. W. Enos, one of the owners
of two of the theaters which Mr..
Heilig manages, is with the aforesaid gen
tleman. He has been looking up the bust
ness end of the theater situation here,
such as the costs of taxes, insurance light,
water and license il case they decide to
build theater here.
All their investigations in this way have
been satisfactory.
For some time the people who have
devoted time and money to the theatrical
business in the North have felt that they
we're getting the short end of things.
They have a lot of theaters on their
hands, and to protect themselves they feel
that they must get better show with
some OF the talent that comes to San Fran
cisco but is not allowed to go North unless
larger percentage is granted to Hayman
& Co. than they feel they can afford to
give.
Lately the Northwestern circuit lost May
Irwin for this season, and also the '92 COM
kept here for the same reason, when the
theater patrons of the North would have
been glad to have had them come there
Mr.. Heilg manages five theaters, namely,
| those at Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Olvm-
pia and Astoria. and the Spokane theater
is desirous Of coming under the same man
agement, SO it practically means the whole
upper country.
! Hba orl-H -Ho,, n %
elegant theater, as are those at Tacoma,
/ Seattle and Spokane. They are as fine as
! the best theaters in San Francisco The
! Tacoma and Seattle theaters are owned di-
rectly by the capitalists whom Mr.. Enos
represents. Mr.. Enos has long been a
banker in TacoGa.
! We've got Tully $3.50, 600 invested in
| theaters in the North" he said land we
! feel that we must protect our interests
there, even if we have to build theater
here. In case we decide to do so we have
the money in sight.
''If we build theater it will be finer
than anything in San Francisco now, and
will be modern in every detail. 1t will be
a theater alone, and nothing else. There
will not even be a bar. The people who
would put up the money wouldn't have
that.
eve can build great deal cheaper now
/ than we could three or four years ago.
The labor and material are both much
cheaper. We would probably put up
building costing $125, 600 or $15O,O00. A
! better theater can be constructed now for
$125 COO than for 100000 few years ago."
What the Northern theater-owners want
to do is to make little money. At one
] ~. Il
Now, owing to their inability to always
get talent that is booked through New
Y Ork agencies, their profits have fallen
till there is nothing in the business, and
sometimes they make losing.
II they had theater here they would be
independent of Mr.. Hayman or any other
manager, and then could bill their people
through the North and make money every
where. Manager Heilig says the best
theatrical people, as we'll as the actors, like
to go North. The theaters are excellent
| and the people appreciative.
The trouble is the heavy percentage that
is demanded. The idea now is to lease a
theater here, if it can be got, and If not
then serious thought will be given to the
building OF theater. There appears to
be no doubt that unless there is a theater
leased the City will have another theater.
Mr.. Enos has looked over the City con-
siderably. He believes another theater,
especially of the kind contemplated, and
with good talent, would pay. Anyway,
he says, even if it lost little, he would
make it back IN the North.
The theater would be erected in one of
the best locations on the north side of
Market street.
The gentlemen have been here several
days, and have made careful study of
the situation. They speak conservatively,
but evidently with serious intent Al
Hayman, who leases the Baldwin and
California uheaters, and string of others
in the East, and who thus far has very
| largely controlled the situation here and
in the North, is in the East Mr. Bouyier
has lately gone there, also.
Manager Heilig and MIR. Enos will re-
port what they have been able to ascertain
here to the others interested as soon as
they return. To save what money they
| have invested, or rather to make
their big capital already in, pay
reasonable profit. it is not improbable they
will build the theater here. 1t is lease or
| build the way matters now stand. Mr..
Friedlander seems to have no disposition
to let go of his Columbia Theater, which
he has brought TO a condition of handsome
pecuniary profit. The only other chance
would be, therefore, for Mr.. Hayman TO
give up the Baldwin or California to Mr..
Heilig.
This he might be 10th to do but friends
of Heilig and Enos, who know the money
they could bring to bear in the situation,
say it means that or the new theater.