Arizona republican., 1901-03-22
Crawford Talks of His Experience in
 Theater Building.

Lester M. Crawford, manager of the
 Amusement Syndicate company of To- peka, Kan, is stopping a the Hotel ! Sheldon. Mir. Crawford hls had an
 experience of twenty-five years in the business. During that tine he has
 built six theaters and ms naged the Crawford circuit. The Amusement
 company own. control and book thrtyfour theaters. and are con- stantly adding more to the circuit.
 Among the more prominent theaters
 under their direction are houses at
 Lincoln, Neb.; St. Joseph. Mo-; Leav-
 enworth, Lawrence, Topeka and Wich-
 ha, Kan; Las Vegas. Albuquerque, N.
 M; Prescott and Phoenix, Ariz., and
 Fl Faso.
 ''I an going over the circuit" said
 M. Crawford, with view of better
 organization and understanding with
 iocat managers in reference to secur-
 Ing a better class of shows. While
 these are all good show towns, they
 are very remote and consequently very
 expensive to be reached by the larger
 and more expensive attractions. Here
 tofore local managers have not made
 distinction sufficient in terms to en- courage the best companies to annu- ally visit these towns. IL is the policy of the Amusement company to offer such terms as to insure the very best companies to play the entire circuit
 find 1t pays tC be liberal in the the atrical business. In many instances we give the better companies guar antees In order that our patrons may see the best. Sometimes we lose money. but in the long run it pays as 1t encourages and stimulates the pat ronage of thc theater The Fl Paso people are entitled to n better theatcr. This we will surely nave unless the old one Is improved am securing options on two very choice locations with view ot securing thereon a large and modern auditorium. l am not at liberty Co divulge the location as our plans are not yet fully consummat-d. The location, however, will be the pride Of Fl Paso.
 am now negotiating with Nat Goodwin. Sol smith Russell Richard Mansfield, Blanch Walsh. Modjeska, The Bost lnians. Alice Nelson and several others with view of securing two such for grand dramatic and musical festival for all the larger 1 towns in the circuit. I shall have no | hesitancy in offering such attractions a liberal guarantee. as am sure the | people will reward the enterprise. I | have recently secured leases on the Albuquerque and Las Vegas houses. and with first-class theater here I | am sure I can induce the best com oanies to play these towns"
 Mir. Crawford leaves today for the east, and will return about the 10th )f April.-El Paso Times.
 What will without d doubt be the inest and most artistic entertainment 'ver given by local talent will be the 'ec!tal by Mrs. Vivian Palmer Hamil- on. MT. w. F.. Strobridge and MT. Thomas Barnes at the Doris theater leXt Wednesday. It is usually the ase in musical entertainments that Of a classical nature, and while 'leasing to the ear of the well traina ad musician, it is not so attractive to hose who, though they love music, ave not the ear for it's more technical arts. In order to better please the majority 5f ihe people, Mrs Hamilton nd MT. Strobridge have made up their rogramme with several numbers of ghter nature, as well as enough of the eavier numbers to please the most astidious. MT. Barves is scheduled for ,No selections. and Mir Barnes elo- utionary work is always artistic.