The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-11
MAGUIRE IN SEATTLE.
He win Include That City in His The
atricai String.


Before leaving Seattle few days ago
on his return to Butte John Mcguire
was interviewed by the Times of that
city with the following result:
John Mcguire. the oid-time Pacific
coast theatrical manager, who has been
in Seattle for some days. leaves this aft
ernoon for his home in Butte. Mr.. Ma
guire is one of the bestknown theatri-
cal men west of the Mississippi river
He has been managing play houses and
sending companies on the road in this
Western country for 30 years. aud every
theatrical man in this country either
knows or has heard of him.
1T has been rumored for several days
that Mr.. Maguires visit to Seattle at
this time had something to do with the
future of the Seattle theater 1t has been
said by men who keep posted on mat
ters theatrical that Mr.. Mcguire desired
To get control of the Seattle theater
and make it one of his circuit which
row includes play houses at Butte, Hell
ena, Anaconda, Deer Lodge, Missoula
and Hamilton. Mr.. Mcguire was seen
by a reporter for the Times at the Hotel
Butler this morning and asked this
question::
Mr.. Mcguire. it is said that your
visit to Seattle al this time is for the
purpose of leasing the Seattle theatcr.
Is this true?'
Well, | may get control of the Sc
attic theater,' was Mr.. Maguire's reply,
but really / would prefer to say Moth
ing at this time. Negotiations have not
proceeded far enough for me to make
any statement at this time.
Then you are willing to be quoted
as saying that You may get control of
the Seattle theater?' was asked.
oh. yes; but I can't give out any
OF the details at this time was MIR. Ma
CURES reply.
culiar. continued Mr.. Mcguire. in this
hustlng town is the fact that the Seat
tie theater is dark many nights in
the week. This is not as it should be.
Why, over in my circuit in Montana,
where ! have six houses. not one Of
them in a town as large as Seattle, they
are open nearly all the time The fact
that the Seattle theater is dark so much
is "A revelati to me.
. 1T is just 20 years since | brought
my first theatrical company into Seat
tie. We played in old Yesler hall. but
IL is SO long ago that | do not remem-
Der the name of the piece we played.
Many, many times after that played in
Yeser hall The first theater of any
pretensons ever built in Seattle was put
up by Watson c. Squire in the late 70s.
Ii stood on the southeast corner of Com
mercial and Main streets. ! was man
aging the New Market theater in Port
ldnu AT the time anu CONSIDERED the ad-
visibility of establishing circuit which
would include Governor Squires place
in this city, but the business of the
town would not warrant it at that time,
so l gave up the idea. Afterwards Gov
ernor SquireS theater was transformed
into a hotel-the Arlington. | believe
and stood until destroyed by the fire of
1889
i am going to return to Butte now,
but | am liable to be back in Seattle at
almost any time: then l will tell you
more possibly about the future of the
Seattle theater. This is a hustling town
and despite the fact that. as | have
pointed out, your largest theater is dark
so much, Seattle has the name of being
q good show town and a first-elass the
ater here should be a paying propo-
sition.