Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-10-15

There Is scarcely New England town
or city Of any size hut has heard for
three generations Of the Old-time actor
Joseph Proctor. He Is the last. with one
"NceptioH-Juseph Jefferson--of the old
time stock actors. OF late years he has
maintained a school of eloCutiun. Now
N, Is dead, at the age of 81 As Nick
of the Woods he made the theators of
this country ring with his thrilling cry:
1t is I--the Jihbcnainusay!" Proctor
was an actorof great native powers and
he gre" to be an artistic one: he was
also thoroughly respected and honorcd
@s man. He pruspered, and for years
had been favorite teacher of elocution
and acting here living in Columbus
avenue and in summers at Manchester
hy-the-Sea. He was born in Marlboro.
was graduated from its academy and his
parents hoped he would enter the minis
try, but he had an Irresistible bent to
the stage, ana at Il years of age he made
his first appearance at a Boston theater.
and young as he was, as a star, playing
Damon His success was marked
enough To obtain him star engagement
at the fremont, and his career ON the
stage was one of uninterrupted success.
Ills first performance in New York was
in the character which he made so fa-
nous. ana at the old Bowery theater in
1889. Proctor had played all over the
country and had managed theaters in
Boston, New York and California, and
hau appeared with many eminent act
ors.-playing Othello to the Iago OF Ju-
MUS Brutus Booth, Iago to Forests
Othello: and his repertory included all
the principal roles fitted to a powerful
physique. He made a great success in
England, ana it is noted that Henry
Irving played second parts to his Mac
beth, Richelieu, Othello and Nick of the
Woods. The 50th anniversary of his
FIRST appearance was celebrated Nov %
1888. in Gloucester, by a performance
OF "Nirginius' and the mayor and prom
iHent citizens of Boston rendered him
benefit, which came off at the Boston
theater the next evening. such actors as
Lawrence Barrett, Mrs. Barry and
Wyzeman Marshall taking part. Mr.
Proctors first wife was the sister of the
comedian William Warren, and she died
in 1S4l. Ten years later he married
Elizabeth Wakeman of Baltimore, who
survives. Their daughter, Annie T..
Proctor, is well known on the stage.
AS it had been stated in some circles
mere that the new horseless fire engine
would prove to be a man-killer, Fire
Commissioner Russell states that his
confidence in the machine is unshaken
and he can see no reason why the new
engine would take lives any more than
an ordinary horse engine. II contend, -
he says, that the horseless engine is
easier to handle than any of our three
horse fire engines. 1t will turn around
sharper corner and turn in a shorter
space than the horse engines. What
IS more, the hOrseless engine can be
stopped in its own length. All these
things have been proved by tests. 1t is
difficult to make a comparison as to ex-
pense, but the point which l want the
public to fully grasp is that with me it
| IS a question not SO much of cost as eff
| cheney in the department. ON the
| hOrseleSs engine we save the price of
| three or four horses and the expense of
| keeping them. On the other hand, it
costs more to keep steam in the horse
| less engine, for we require about 90
| pounds Of steam to operate it, The
| hurseless engine will throw 400 gallons
y. water a minute, whereas our other
| engines will throw only about 900 gal
| Ions. This great increase of power must
prove a tremendous advantage at large
| fire. and, with the constant increase in
| the height of buildings, and the greater
! rnnpaStion of business sections we must
| constantly look for an increase of power
| in throwing water
G.. w. Townsend, who took the con-
tract to remove the wreck of the big
ocean steamer Venetian has completed
| his work. He has been nearly two years
| about it.