Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-06
ODE Theatre.

Judge Foley, of Lincoln, H., who is
financially interested with George III.
Johnston in the new Illinois theatre.
and Frank w. Chamberlin, of Burling-
ton, of the firm of Chamberlin. Kindt
& Co, arrived in the city this morn
ing and the two. with Messrs. John
ston and Kindt were in conference all
day with n view of arranging for the
transfer of the ownership of the
theatre to Chamberlin, Kindt e. Co.
This afternoon the party went to
Davenport, but at Il late hour the
deal was still pending.
Manager George II. Johnston fully
realizes the folly and error of rum
ming a cheap priced repertoire COM
pany at the Illinois last week. Owing
to the fact il was holiday time and
the novelty of n new house, the re-
ceipts were larger than they would
otherwise have been, yet it is self-evi-
dent that one first-clasS attraction
New Years day would have brought
earnings exceeding the aggregate of
the week, while the expenses of the
theatre, to say nothing of the usage
to n minimum. One of the attaches
of the theatre informs the Argus
that he never saw the privileges of
theatre more abused, that the floors.
even of the parquet, were 50 stained
with tobacco juice that it kept the
scrubbing gang constantly at work,
while some of the dressing rooms
could be shoveled out after the COM
pany had ended it's engagement. One
of the women members of the COM
pany even went so far as TO convert
her dressing room into Il private laun-
dry during the week. The last few
nights of the engagement it was nee
essary for the management of the
theatre to station policemen in the
galleries to control the boys who,
failing to be entertained by the stage
performance. found diversion in
throwing wads of paper. etc, at the
people in the parquet. The 10-cent
vaudeville made, as expected, sorry
impression on the new theatre and
all connected with il.
The portecochere for the Illinois the
atre is being built according to de-
sign furnished by Promoter Johnston
and will be installed as soon as i is
delivered. Another outside attraction
will be the name, Illinois, emblazOned
in electric lights.
According to an Omaha dispatch in
Yesterdays Chicago Record-Herald,
differences which have long existed
between Kirk La SheIle and Marguer-
tia Sylvia eliminated in an open rup-
ture Saturday and Miss Sylvia resign
ed her title role in the comic opera
THE Princess Chic" The star will
leave the east this week at Denver.
The trouble arose when Manager La
Shelle refused to retain Miss Sylva's
husband. W. ID. Mann. in the cast. Fol
lowing this incident Miss sylvia com
planned of hard work, long hours
and too many matinees. Her husband
had an aversion also to seeing his
wife in tights. which the eXigencies
of the role demanded. Miss Sylvia
will accept. ii is said. the leading part
in the comic opera Miss Bob White"
which is now touring in the south.
Manager La Shelle took the star at
her word and has secured the services
Of Maude Lillian Berri to take her
place. Miss Berri comes from the
Castle Square Opera company and
has had the part under rehearsal for
some time in view of such an emerg-
ency.
"a Star Boarder." with Charles II.
Boyle at the head. played to big au-
dience at the Illinois last night.
The concert given at the Illinois
yesterday afternoon by Bleuer's
band was attended by a large audi
ence. The program was a varied one
and was enjoyed immensely.
Julia Marlowe's magnificent produc-
ton of ''When Knighthood Was in
Flower comes to Powers theatre,
Chicago, for n limited season. begin
ming January Is. This will be Miss
only engagement in the
west this year as her tour is more
than usually brief. She was released
from her Chicago contract last spring
owing 10 the great success of when
Was in Flower" at the
Criterion theatre, New York City,
where she would now be, save for the
fact that fulfilIment of previous con-