The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-13
In some Respects the Qualifications
for the Two CGlIings Are
Similar.
NEED TO KNOW MANY THINGS
BUSINESS DESCRIBED BY WELL
KNOWN MANAGER, T.. ID. PRICE.
Interesting Personal Experiences,
Others in the Profession.


Correspondence OF the Indianapolis Journal
NEW YORK. July 1O.-Having embarked
on the high sea Of theatrical speculation
for catering to the public taste is always
more or less OF a game OF chance, into
which the question OF equalizing supply
and demand enters only edgeways-and be-
ing in the business" with a hxed de-
Termination Of staying in it, two individual
acts of managerial enterprise which came
across at the outset Of my career impressed
re as noteworthy examples that no the
Gtsical man, bound on success, could afford
10 ignore.
The late Thomas w. Davey. father of
Minnie Maddern-FfsKe, was guilty of the
one. The other was rather a condition
than act, but no less forcible. Davey,
while plotting the late Lawrence Barrett
through the country. on striking Jackson
Mich. (about the deadest town in the whole
United States, found thirty-hve dollars
worth of people assembled in the opera
house. where the stars CHASTITY spectacle
OF the Prince OF Denmark was 10 be en-
acted.
1t was o'clock when Davey discovered
that he was elected TO lose 500 that night
and two struggling wayfarers stepped up
to the boxoffice to purchase tickets. The
local manager, acting as cashier. became
almost delirious with delight, but Davey,
struck with an idea. that comes to man
only once in a lifetime stepped briskly
forward and said
"Gentlemen, L am awfully sorry, but 1
had to lock the doors; the house is
crammed, damned; never saw anything TO
equal il. The police would have a first
class case against me. if 1 allowed even a
cat to enter"
MONEY TURNED AWAY
While the pair of Jacksonites went home
kicking themselves for their hardness, Tom
rushed over TO the telegraph office and in
formed the public that Barrett had act
ually turned money away In Jackson
Mich.," and it not hb either. Those
two quarters Davey had refused were
magnihed into hundreds of dollars by I'M
suspecting newspaper readers and, there
after. Barrett obtained higher percentages
from country managers than ever before.
The man who furnished me with the sec
md object lesson was the proprietor of the
Opera House at Schenectady, n. Y. Prob
ably he holds that position now, unless.
meanwhile, he has gone 70 the Senate or
- spends his income in Paris. Arriving at
she playhouse one fine morning cit was my
first visit 20 the town found a man on
the stage engaged IN sa @irg wood
Can you tell me where I may lind the
stage carpenter?' L asked.
That's me-" answered the man.
"An9 the property man.
Me. too
AT night found the same man in the
box-cfhce and when we made up he .r-
troduccd himself as the manager In lock-
ins over the accounts I found that many
tickgts ad been sold at a certain tewe,ry
81 ha 81
allow anybody else to draw the commission,
you know
As business had been quite good. in
vited the members of my company after
the show TO the only restaurant in town
that was open at a late hour Again the
stage carpenter property man ticket
seller-csshier-manager bobbed up and in
formed US that he owned the eating house
In the course Of a conversation that fol-
lowed l remarked that they had a pretty
good orchestra in Schenectady.
Il am very glad you think so'' said the
age-carpenter-property -man-ticket-seller-
Jeweler- cashier manager-restaurant-ke keep
er, for 1 am the conductor"
THE street-car railway system here is
quite superior to that in other small
places" Mr. Mansfield ventured. to change
the topic.
The Pooh-Bah: Il built it and ran it,
Next morning. when we paid our bills at
the hotel, we found the manager and-so-
forths name starred as proprietor, and ar
irving at the station the BUS man cody in
formed US that that same manager. etc,
made no special rate for professionals"
USE YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
The lesson conveyed by the two incidents
Is obvious: One must make the best of an
init h.,
common, thrifty person. 1t is the same in
the newspaper line, which 1 followed in nv
younger days. There we have the brilliant
editor. who even when in his cups develops
prodigious working capacity, while his rival
achieves equal success by dint OF industry
perseverance and respect for the good
points OF his associates.
Management requires three things-abso-
lutte knowledge OF the field, intellectual
grasp and emotional calibre As the ed
ttor OF a great newspaper must be we'll up
IN sports and politics. in local and for
eign affairs. in biography and police court
routine. in history and in chatter; as his
memory must readily respond 10 the thou
sand and one heterogeneous interests Of
The day, must the manager have al his
fingers ends an infinite knowledge of all
details pertaining To his business and that
OF his competitor; and If he be. perchance.
= managing popular. or. TO be more correct
topical attraction. he must likewise be as
alert for manifestations OF the public mirrl
and current events generally as any editor
OF a live afternoon sheet issuing extras
every half hour
The above parallel is not OF my own
making Or conception. / assure you: IL OBJ
trudes itself and like Banquo's ghost Will
not down; IL IS everywhere as we go along
ccndsidering the managers labors. his du-
ties and responsibilities
AS 20 a managers work. like the editors.
81 Il never done. The success OF TODAY
must be capped BY a greater one to-mor-
row. You say this that attraction has
run for years in the same shape. or with
slight changes only. But was. therefore.
the manager mind easy Could ne afford
IL rest on HIS laures2 Not II he had the
interest OF business az heart. OF course.
he gratefully accepts public appreciation OF
his efforts. but the question How long
viii 1t last?" Is always uppermost in his
rnlnd. And the moment the negative YER
dict Is given, shouted from the housetops.
~so 20 speak, he must have something else