River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-06-19
BILLBOARD CELEBRITIES.
Famous People of Stage md Rostrum
Have Their Posters I'm Strange
Situations.

Fame, no less than obscurity, has
its drawbacks. For instance, what a
twinge it would give a well-known
matinee idol if he were to take a
ride on Chicago elevated train to
the westward and see where an en-
terprising advertiser has placed his
picture. saws the Chicago Chronicle.
The aforesaid counterfeit of the
famous actor is one of those modern
atrocities made of wood and paint.
The face is painted on a board, and
then the contour is cut out, much
after the fashion child cuts pic
lures from a colored supplement.
This particular man has, and it is
one of his prideful points, a long
and dropping mustache, for which
multitudinous sparrows are thank
full. as in this particular case the one
wing of the mustache sweeps out
at the side and makes delightful
resting place for the ubiquitous
birds.
One of these pictures stands against
reeking chimney in one of the
most squalid quarters of the city,
covered with SCOT, and certainly a
most detected and utterly for1orn-
looking thing. Other pictures of the
same sort are slapped up against the
sides of old buildings, some are
tackled to fences, and some even
stray out into the country and stare
down on cattle, hogs and horses
from the sides of big, red barns.
Many women who strut about the
stage in queenly grace might be
Jared never so slightly were they
to see the company some of their
pictures keep on the billboards of a
great CITY, OF even the plebeian iux-
Imposition they encounter along the
country roadside. Some fair, famed
face looks out from board, and on
each side will be some bold an
nouncement for some patent medi-
cine flaming praise for some corn
cure. Some reigning beauty of the
stage will peer radiantly from the
bill boards and next to her picture
will appear mammoth letters telling
the public to be sure and get the
"Sir Henry Irving Overalls," as all
other brands are spurious.
The prima donna who nightly
thrills the great public, and daily
bleeds the manager for big salary,
is often sandwiched in between big
advertisements for soap, pickles or
beer, and the great tragedian who is
supposed never to have a thought
that is not lugubrious will hobnob,
on the billboards at least, with peo-
pie who once had cancer, but now
have not, or others who used Bum
buns axle grease once, and now
cannot keep house without it.
Time was when the billboards were
given exclusively to the coming of
the circus, the advent of some great
star, or the coming out of a new
play. But of late years the adver-
Users have pushed their way into
the poster and paste business, and
the array of pictures and articles
and announcements is nearly as wide
as are human wants.
In recent years politics has also
entered this field, and posters an
nouncing in glaring type the plat
forms of certain candidates, the in
tentions of others. have been fire.
quently used by all political parties.
Pictures of candidates, huge car
toons and excerpts from speeches
have been plastered on billboards
from one end of the country to the
other, in order to help the different
political parties in their battles. The
recent elections in Paris were noted
for the use of posters, the city hav-
ing been literally papered with gay
and gorgeous posters, some prais-
ing, some vilifying certain candi-
dates.
Not to be outdone in advertising
of this sort, the church now enters
the field and occupies space on the
big boards about town. In many To-
calities there are at the present time
big four-sheets bearing the an
nouncement in tall, red letters:
"Hear Mr.. So-and-So on The Way of
Salvation Sunday Next"
Revivalists who are engaged in the
labor of snatching sinners as brands
from the burning frequently have
big posters struck off announcing
their arrival, where they are to
preach, and often insist on having
sensational sheets struck off, an
nouncing sensational subjects. Some
of the big churches have billboards
of their own in the downtown dis
tricts, where topics are announced,
ice cream socials are advertised, or
fairs, grab bags, rummage sales, and