Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-04-27

The sale of reserved seats for Mrs.
Fishes performance at the Opera House
tonight was unprecedented. The sale
opened yesterday morning. and by ten
o'clock the house was virtually sold
out The sale was advertised to open
at $50 O'Clock. Many persons who
called at the box Office at that time
found the choice seats all gone. and
many who called little later were I'M
able to secure any seats on the lower
floor
All this caused great deal OF dis
satisfaction among patrons of the the
alter, many of whom freely INDUCED in
criticism of the management. The
impression gained circulation that the
tickets had been sold to spectators.
and it was charged that favored ones
had their seats marked off the chart
before the sale opened. The manage
ment was also criticized for an alleged
advance in prices in the balcony. All
of which goes to show that whea there
are twice as many applicants as there
are seats, the lot of the theatrical man
ager is not an enviable or happy one.
Troubles arising from sales of seats
for an unusual attraction are expert
enced everywhere. In Lafayette, Ind,
some weeks ago, the management an
nounced sale at 6 a. m. Of seats for
Viola Aliens performance. it was a
cold night and the patrons, VINO began
to assemble shortly after midnight,
built a bonfire in the street to keep
warm. They clamored for the opening
of the ticket office before the hour an
nounced, and when the management
refused they tore down the ticket Of
fee. This damage resulted in the
postponement of the sale until the fol-
lowing day.
Manager Feinler mas tried several
methods of conducting reserved seat
sales when he anticipated an unusual
demand for tickets. One was to re-
quire patrons to register their names,
and the number of tickets they desired.
This led to charges that fictitious names
were written in the interest of ticket
for persons who came late to whisper
to favored ones farther up the line to
register for extra tickets 20 cover their
wants. On another occasion the
ticket Office opened at the advertised
time, and there was a scramble for the
window, in which several ladies were
roughly handled and complained after
wards. Since his experience of yester-
day, Manager Feinled has determined
that ticket sales will hereafter open at
nine o'clock in the morning, and pa
irons will be required to take places in
the line. There will be no deviation
from this rule
Mr.. Feinler said yesterday, regarding
the criticism to which he was sub
jected:
THE sale was conducted in a manner
which | regarded as fair, and / also
tried to look after the comfort of pa
trans In this | may have made a mis-
take, as the early opening of the box
Office opened the door for a great
amount of unjust criticism. The sale
was advertised for $50 O'Clock. | be-
lieved there would be persons waiting
several hours before that time. | in
structed the ticket seller to get around
early, and as the rule of first come, first
served was to be adhered TO, to sell
tickets to those who were waiting and
thereby avoid the crush if the box Of
fee were opened at $50 o'clock l did
not anticipate any such remarkable de-
mand for seats. however.
CAS- the early corners would have
been supplied first, and as the ticket
buyers would have been compelled to
form in line. and be served in the order
of their arrival, l cannot see how any
patron was unfairly treated. All who
were on hand before g. 80 o'clock would
have occupied places in the line which