Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-06-24

Few things nrc more interesting
than 10 induce that pioneer Of pioneer
actors phli Margctts. 10 fan into a re-
mincscont vein. and 60 hear him dis
coursc on the drama In Utah ms u cN-
lstcd over forty years ago. PIN was
IN one OF these moods lately. and he
furnished the "Nowa' with some
hitherto unpublished rccolloctlona Of
the dramatic revival" which took
place In salt Lake uftcr the people had
returned from the famous move. made
60 the south at the time Johnson'a army
invaded tho Territory.
1--WE had played IN the Social Hail
from 1869 until 1857" said Phil, but
from that date 90 1859 thcrc were no
performances NJ any kind given In the
city. In tho fall of that year. organ
izcd what was then known aa tho Me-
chanlc's Dramatic association, composed
OF the best talent available In salt Lake
city, we then grcurcd a good sized
bunding In the Twelfth ward. which
was rca.l. tho fret place Of Amusement
IN Utah that was called thcuter We
then proceeded TO arrange Tor such pro-
ductluus as our facilities would admit
with an auditorium capable M holding
not ~ exceed one hundred prronH, The
following are the NAMES " those COM
posing the company: PM MargottH
tmnnaEcrl n. T.. Bowrlng.Ii II. McEwun.
J. A. Thompson. Jos, Bun, WIN. Wright
John Chambers. VIM. roultor Dr. An
dcrson. Joseph barker W. G.. Morris,
trcruic nrtlaO, Patrick Lynch, j, 49,
kelley Mra. ~ iluwring, Mra. A. Me
Evan, Mrs. J, Hull Mus D.. BpWflpE
Mrs Dyer. The names uf those COM
posing the orchestra were. Dan. pl-
zen. WIN. Foster Joshua Mldglcy, H.
sndlcr aud VIM. Baker.
"Our first performance consisted ot
the domestic drama VI Luke. the la
bUrer." ANA the Trough Diamond
our performances were given now and
then. for or the name VI our company
suggests We had other duties 10 per-
form. and could only produce pieces AZ
opportunity would permit but ] think
j may Hny without vanity, that better
satisfied audiences never departed from
the walls uf amy theatcr than from thAt
little place, known as "BuWrinE a Thtt-
trr," IN the Twelfth ward.
1--WE attempted some daring fehth ON
that stage. and limited ne was our
Fpuce and our resources, We could pro-
duco the Ave act comedy The Honey
moon" the "GamcHtcr,' Othrllo,' ana
pieces that tax the energies or some OF
the best thcaterH Co properly present
Iut they were presented, ana the ihtl
that thpro were more demands for seats
than we could supply shows that our
ambition, our labor ana our pains were
not thrown away
"frt me here say q word or two In
relation not only to what was then no-
cnmpllshcd by the company, ANA the
IutlS place IN which its performances
We're given but also 20 the results
growing out OF our EFFORTS at thnt time.
"Our entertainments were visited by
all classes Of tho people, ana anon.
them the then recognized leaders OF
me community and Ro enjoyable ala
tho performances seem Ca be, that
without exception feeling was cree
ntrd for something better In the way
Of IA dramatic temple. ana lu THIS feel
ing We can find the germ N "a" move
mcnt which led 60 the building nf
grander structure, tho present Thcnter.
which seemed to arise before as hh
by mugic.
lone night when we were ossnylng @
nye-uct drama OF such length, depth
and proportions ns made the venture
peom hazardous, we invited President
brigham Young. liobor G.. klmbnll,
Daniel ". Wells, Governor ana Mrs.
CummlnH. with several other prominent
gentlemen and their families Ia Wit
ness IL. II was crowding what we
were afraid would bottle mOurners-
hut they got In" ana ala not seem
disposed To get OUT until the curtain
fell on the last net. This put Presi-
dent Young 20 thinking. lie could see
what we had among uH In tho way OF
ability and what we had not In the
way OF q place to display that ability
So he determined then and there, to
erect more fitting structure than any
cxistinR-sn you see the little
building IN which the Me-
chnuics Dramatic Association
gave their performances, was the
nucleus around which have since cluH-
tered su much dramatic rrt, ana so
many dramatic accessories,
1.-THE collapse Of our little venture was
simply tho iocayod seed planted In
fruitful soil because II gave the needed
impetus 20 nm idea previously sug-
gcsted Int which had dwlndlcd. aud
this movement came after It as tho
natural result. ana thus followed the
building Of the salt LIKE Thcater."
A cut Of the old Howring theater APP
pears on another part of this page
pleasant meeting took place at
saltnlr last Saturday on the occasion
Of godfrey's band visit there. An old
gentleman unmcd Henry pugh, who
lives IN this city. ana who W "a veteran
81 the trimuan war, remembered Lieut.
Godfrey ns one of the Fusllleer guards
with which he had been connected
years before. very pleasant days
association was the result Mr. ,PuHh
remembered MIR, Godfrey az young
man and knew his father who was a
band leader before him. Lieut., God
frey and Mr. Pugh passed q long time
in exchanging old-tlme "reminiscences
"The Turtle" vertically lived up TO re
name as Tar ms Utah IL concerned, II
was booked In ogden last night nut
falling to arrive from the west till II
O'clock p. IN, no performance was
given. The agent endeavored TO DOOR
q night In Salt Lake; Manager i'yper
was out or town when he arrived ana
he sought the gentleman who pracuc-
ally owns the house, Hon Heber y,
Grant. That gentleman gave MN
small announcement, The agent on
dcnvored 10 assure him that the play
mad been very much innligned, that u
was in reality quite mild" etc. ~
saw Il IN Chicago was Mr. Grants
dry response. ION the whole ] guess
We would prefer not 10 open the
Theater during the hot SPELL
san, srhall the well known theatrical