The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-07
ANOTHER BIG IHEATER ROW.
JOHN CoNsiDIyE AND THE NlLIAR
BROS. INVOLVED IN IT.
The Spokane Statesman Says He Has
n Lease on the Peoples Theater
and VIII Dust the Present Propri-

There Is new theate- row on in this
city. John Considine. who is called
Statesman" and the Miller brothers. who
az present have possession OF the Peoples
theater az Second avenue south and
Washington street. are involved in it.
and the courts VIII likely De dragged into
IL before a settlement Is effected.
Cons.dine was proprietor Of the Peo-
pies thester from the time Of IT'S birth
eight years ago until an ordinance was
passed during exMayor Phelps admins
tration divorciug variety theaters from
their wineries and beer dlspensaries.
Times were not especially lively and bust
ness dropped 20 such low point that
Cons.dine went out Of business here and
into more trouble in Spokane.
One or two men with theatrical bees In
their bonnets tried to keep the Peoples
theater above water. bat 1t was no use
and at last It was given over 10 the rats
and eobweps. Hobos found an entrance
and soon had the boxes. where wine had
flowed freely In the days OF 1859. converted
into Sleeping apartments. With the Yass-
Ing OF each day came an additional layer
OF dirt and filth until the old cellar cignt-
fed by the name Of .theater" resembled
a place where pigs hold forth It re-
manned ia that condition until last Sep
TENDER, when Nose GOLDSMITH and the
Mil!ar Bros, who used 10 travel with
Primrose 81 West, called upon the agents
who had charge OF the property end Sc
cured 1t for theatrical purposes. Gold
smith says: 1T Was simply a question OF
how much rent We would pay for the
place. The agents did rot care to give a
written lease, but agreed TO give US a
verbal lease at sl25 a month for eleven
months. Under the conditions we took
the place and went 10 work. We ave de 1t
into IA theater but TO do that had to spe nd
between s3,009 and 81 co. Carpenters
work alone cost 500, plumbing 500. paint
ing and papering $500 scenery S7o9 and
$50 10 have al entrance made on Second
avenue south. We also had to put in gas
fixtures and electric wires. These are
only a portion of the expenses incurred.
We have been making improvements con-
tinusily and. in fact are compelled 10 in
order to keep the place IN proper cordi-
ton. When the recent heavy rains came
we were compelled to shut up the elet ter
and put in a new floor"
The present propr.etors thought that
with the influx of kiondikers in the spring
they would pe able TO make some money.
Then John w. Considine appeared on tire
scene and IN few days a story reached
Goldsmith that Considine was trying TO
get lease on the theater and force Mil
lar Bros. out OF business. One day he was
told that Considine had started for San
Francisco TO get lease from the owners.
Goldsmith took the train December z
and reached San Francisco JUST In time
to learn that considine had actually Sc
cured two years lease from a. T. Bar
nett and Mrs. Schlessinger. owners Of the
place. at $3.50 month.
The present propr'stors Of the theater
say Considlne misrepresented things TO
the San Francisco owners. Considine will.
it is said. attempt to take possession Feb
ruary l. Millar Bros. say heir lease,
while only ii verbal one, covers a period
Of eleven months, and that they will fight
any effort of the Statesman to get pos
session Of the theater.