Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-04-29

Corporal Thompson's inn. For twenty
years it was famous roadhouse. be-
ing far north of the city. Where Madi-
son square now is, opposite the hotel,
was a common" belonging to the
people. After the inn was demolished
the site was occupied by Franconi's
Hippodrome, but in two years the ven
ture failed.
In 1855 the property was bought by
Amos R. Emo, and the construction of
the hotel at once begun. 1t was the
finest building of its day; and how
good it was is shown by the fact that
even after forty years OF wear and
tear, and forty years of improvements
in methods of construction, it is still
rated very high in the insurance sched-
ules, with a rate of only 421e cents
for three years.
The building has been but little al
tered in all these years. Stores have
been introduced on the ground floor
and yield return Of five-sevenths OF
the hotel rental. Vaults have been
fitted into the cellar under the bank
corner. An artesian we'll was attempt
ed, but abandoned after a depth of
1000 feet had been reached, without
striking good water. The cafe was
enlarged last year, and some ground
floor offices transformed into a ladies'
restaurant. But except in such minor
details and the introduction of eleva-
tors the building differs in no respect
from its original form.
The Fifth Avenue hotel was opened
in 1859 by Hitchcock, Darling & Co.,
the firm that manages it still. 1t was
thought to be too far up town and too
costly to succeed. But in the follow
ing year the visit of the Prince of
Wales gave it a world wide advertise
ment, and it also achieved prominence
through becoming headquarters of
Union sentiment in the same year.
These two lines" of patronage-for-
eigners of note and leading Republi-
cans-have been the chief items in its
distinctive success ever since, and
there is no building owned by private
individuals in this country in which
SO much of the Nations history has
been made.
The Madison Square Theatre also has
an interesting history. On it's site was
opened, in 1865, the Fifth Avenue Opera
House. 1t was succeeded in 1867 by
Brougham's Lyceum, new building.
which became the Fifth Avenue Thea
tire in 1868. In 1872 Augustin Daily be-
came its lessee and manager. but it
was burned the next year. Then. in
1880, the Mallory brothers, editors of
The Churchman, built the present the
atre, from plans by Steele Mackaye,
who introduced many novelties, includ-
ing the double stage, seats that folded
In triplets so as to multiply the aisles
after the performance. cooling appar-
atus for summer seasons, and an or
chestra place over the proscenium arch.
Mr.. Mackaye also wrote the play
Hazel Kirke"-whieh opened the the
atre, with Effie Ellsler, Thomas Whit
fin and James w. Couldock in the cast.
The occasion had been enormously adj
vertised, not only by accounts of the
radical innovations in the theatre, but
by discussions of the supposed connec-
ton between church and stage.
The result was the greatest success
and the longest continuous run in the
history of the American stage. 1t
made the Mallories rich, though not
beneftting the genius who had pro-
duced play, plans and inventions under
contract that gave everything to the
managers in return for a petty salary.
But it injured the circulation and in
fluence of The Churchman, and its
owners soon tired of their theatrical
experience. Since that time the lessees
of the theatre have been Daniel Froh-
man, Albert M. Palmer and Hoyt &
Mckee.
Remnant Sale WeHnesdnv mt T.. g.