The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-02-04
A new COIN
IN ASTORIA
Chicago Man Tells Of His Experience
at the Box Office in
This City.
SALMON TAKEN FOR SEATS
Mr. cSmpbsll's Friend Slightly AisiaEen as
10 the Weight and Value Of Colum-
bla River rish--But Every
thiag Goes.

A personal friend Of Mr.. Alex. Campbell
sends tho following account from the
Chicago Daily News, under date OF jan
uRrS 18th. giving tho details OF tho box
oiiicc receipts at a theatrical performance
In Astoria Tho article. which speaks
for Itself. ID aA follows:
Did you ever play Astoria. Oregon
asked the advance agent The house
manager iooked thopgi',di. rilie'sd mem
tally back across the shoals Of time. and
said that he never struck that town.
although he had played Portland. Seattle
and Tacoma.
We'll IN tell you about Astoria" con-
linurd the advance agent. Astoria " a
town that IL chiefly noted for It's con-
necti0n with the Columbia River salmon
fisheries. Almost everybody IN Astoria "
IN tho salmon buninesH-a fisher or a
canner or salmon commission agent
and the air II full OF salmon day ana
night They serve salmon nt the hotels
IN twenty-lhfeo different styles. There
IL salmon steak. salmon ragoui. nile, de
salmon. salmon croQuettcs. planked salfn-
on. potled salmon, and fresh salmon.
ita the only hah on earth when IT'S
fresh. at that But that doesn't count IN
the story or course. as advance agent,
found II my business TO look over the
programs and see what aort OF program
work the house where We played was 40
ing.
Imagine my pcrplexlty when at the
bottom OF the price list ! saw this line;
Salmon taken at tho door" OF course.
asked the manager OF the house what
that meant. He said that was 4traight--
that Falmon were legal currency. and that
they were taken and counted al the door
Just the same aS 80 much money. I
hated 10 seem Ignorant. and 30 l made no
kick but waited for developments Wen,
the show canae on on time and ] was at
the door. The IiFst people 10 appear were
two big. husky guys In tarred clothes
which smclled 10 the heavens Each had
dangling from string huge fish, which
l / .kIinctiveiy divlned-although had
never seen ore before-was fresh Col
pmbia salmon,
''They came up to the door and held
out the flsh. ] stood there. as innocent
and hclpleas as a babe. until the house
manager nudgcd me and pointed TO hig
washiub which had been brought In ana
stood right behind me. ! took the fsh
and threw them into the tub. The men
went sn, walked to the front OF the
house. and took two orchestra chairs
NOW" said !. what's this. anyway :
No tickets and no money-how do you
arrange mAttersY What right have those
two stins got to the best seats In the
houseT'
The house manager gave me the ha!
ha, My boy. Gaid he. those fish were or
chSstra tickets. We assign people to
OF the fish they bring.
II began to catch. A little boy came
IN. with FISH about six inches long
and went UP Into the top gallery. Then
waA fully next. as Il were. and for the
next ten minutes took in salmon right
and left aud made no blunders. The only
hitch was when colored man tried TO
ring In u fish that must have been caught
eight months previously and had been
EXPOSED TO the elements all that time
'The show promised 10 be very popular.
for could see through the lobby window
people earning their admission money
That il TO say. they would go TO the
river bank, cast line and come up with
The proceeds. The fish began 20 arrive
alive. and one box seat. which must have
weighed twonty pounds, Hoped out OF
the tub and cavorted clear down into
the orchestra before could chase II ana
bring II back. Some OF the fellows ON tho
river bank had hard luck and one duck
didn't get bite until after the second
act. Their he caught little fellow about
Ave inches from Zip TO tip and wanted
front seat becHusc he had miss VI the nrst
part OF the show.
Before the first rart was over the tub
was overflowing, and we had to stack
the fish in the lobby, At 10 o'clock We
counted up ard here is a transcript OF
tho atatements