The times., 1899-04-23

Fadden." Cumberland 81" Coon Hol-
low, THE Devils Auction" Down in
Dixie, The Heart of the Kiondike. .
Darkest Russia" Eight Bells" The
electrician. ''Fabio Romani," For FaiI
virginia, The Fast Mall" Fallen
Among Thieves" THE Great Train Rob-
oery. Girl Wanted" Brother for
Brother. "Gayest Manhattan" Hogan
Alley. The Heart of Maryland The
Heart of Chicago" 1.-The Pulse of a Great
City" Humanity" "a Hired Girl" I'm
Old Kentucky" In Old Madrid.' "a
Bachelors Honeymoon" Lost in Siberia. =
'McFadden's Row of Flats" THE Man
From Mexico" THE Man-o'- Wars Man, -
My Friend From India Miss Francis
OF Yale" Natural Cas- Charley $
Aunt, Patent Applied For "Pudd nhead
wilson, Sowing the Wind "A Southern
Romance, The Sign of the Cros." ..Su-
perba, The Sunshine of Paradise Alley
The Pay Train,'' THE Tornado" The
Limited Mall THE Old Homestead. y
Side Tracked THE Girl l Left Behind
Me-" THE Last Stroke THE Woman in
Black" THE Land of the Living THE
Span of Life The Cherry Pickers. =
~Tennessees Pardner." The Twelve
Temptations, Two Little Migrants. .
The Tarrytown Widow" Uncle Tom S
Cabin. Under the Red Robe Under
the Dome" What Happened to Jones, $
When London Sleeps" THE White
Slave. Jack and the Beanstalk.'' THE
Highwayman.' "A Marriage of Convent
ence, THE Master" Ell Captain" Half
King" '1492," Bonnie Scotland" "a
Breezy Time and 'At Gay Coney Island -
Some OF these pieces were very old and
some lasted only short time. but all were
projected at the beginning of last season.
This list might easily be doubled in
length by the addition of the names of
new dramas and farces presented in the
popular priced houses, such as Knobs o.
Tennessee, How Hopper Was Sidetrack-
ed,' and John Martins Secret" ros-
ter of the vaudeville theatres which profit
ed during the seven months just gone. of
the minstrel and burlesque companies. O.;
the hypnotists and magicians. and of the
tent shows on the road would make it iu:-
possibly long Nearly fifty stock organiza-
tions-organizations like the Murray Hill
Company, in New York, and the Castle
Square Company, in Boston-could be at
tached to the register, while over 200 rep
ertoire combinations toured the smaller
cities of the country. Among these were
the Corse Payton Company, the Tommy
Shearer Company. the Shea Dramatic
Company, and the Spooners. Some thirty
war dramas. among them THE Red, White
and Blue THE Maine Avenged "h
Daughter of Cuba" and "Strangied on
Sunday also held the boards all conf
bined bringing the catalogues mentioned
well UP to the numbers given.
These figures undoubtedly go further
than anything else could in showing how
tremendous a success the season has been.
That such series of great enterprises
could have been supported that a like
multitude of smaller ones could have found
profit that successes have been so many
Snf faur &c
congratulation. No other nation in the
world can make such q showing and no
year within two decades has brought such
fortune to American managers. The Pc
Rod has not only been ore of great profit.
but 1t has left over SO many triumphs that
there can be no doubt that next season
VIII be quite as remarkable as was last.
In the general prosperity of 1889,
Washington and Washington managers
have had no small share. While there
have been bad weeks here as well as gooi
ones, the average maintained was much
higher than usual, and the Capital City
has not only made profitable larger num-
ber OF theatres than are maintained in any
place of its size in the world but it has
proven to outside directors that. while il
will not pay for inferior productions or
those which are sent under false pretences
there is always a hearty welcome waiting
for worthy attraction. The local season
has been an eventful one in many ways
Probably the most choice bookings of the
period have been seen at the National, and
the result is that Manager Rapley has nov
a bank account considerably larger than
was that of last year The house has been
empty during several engagements, but it
has not failed to do well with its bstter
combinations. Thus. while 1.-The Girl
From Paris" Rupert OF Hentzau," and
Her Atonement" starved there, no less
than half dozen companies, among which
were those Offering THE Christian THE
Chariatan." and Nathan Hale" have come
well up to $4,000 each for their weeks
appearance. The building has, if any
thing, added to its reputation during the
past few months.
Although only one full season has passed
since Luckett and Dwyer assumed control
OF the Columbia, that place of amusement
has already proven formidable rival, and
an important factor in the field. Syndicate
direction has prevented the young lessees
from securing the most desirable of Offer
ings, and often those presented have been
very bad, but the doors have never been
closed. and some remarkable financial rec
ords have been established. 1t has been
not only proven that the theatre can do
well with meritorious combinations but
that its clientele is sufficiently large to c.
casionally make poor ones profitable. Thus
The Geisha," which had been twice done
here by Augustin Daly's troupes and
against small opposition, never drew no.
table audiences until it came back for a
third time in the hands of an unknown
company, and was put on at the Columbia,
while u. II. Sothern and Annie Russell
were occupying the eity's other two first
class houses. Richard Mansfield also
broke the record for big business in Wash
lngton at the Columbia, and altogs ther
Managers Luckett and Dwyer come out of
the first year of their proprietorship with
colors flying. The Frawley Company is
now doing well at the F Street resort, and
promises to remain there for some time
yet.
Manager Painters first term of so,e
at the Lafayette has not been
altogether fortunate. While the house has
had some big weeks, poor ones have been
more frequent. Manager Painter does not
feel that he has been honestly treated in
the matter of bookings, and it is not prob
able that the Lafayette will remain under
the direction of the syndicate in the future.
The season was well advanced before the
irand Opera House found a tenant. Sew
eral experiments were made in the big
building but with no good effect. A certain
Manager Butler, who once failed in an ef-
'ort to conduct the Bijou, occupied the
Grand for two weeks with Davis and
ieogh attractions but local amusement
overs were not willing to tolerate that
lass of entertainment. and the venturer
was forced TO give up the struggle. After |
he theatre had been sold at auction it |
vas leased by Managers Burke and Chase, |
who have been filling the stage since jan
lary with series of high-class vaudeville |
Iggregatons. Washington had never had |