The Washington times., 1904-08-07
Theatrical DOinGS.
w. H. Macdonald Says That
the BoStonianS Are bU No
Means Done For.

''The Bostonians are not done for, as
some persons seem inclined to believe"
said w. H Macdonald, of the firm Of
Banabee & Macdonald a day or so
ago. He resumed: 1T is true that we
had some very bad business in the lat
ter part of last season, partly, I pre-
sumo. on account Of the general depres-
sion noted elsewhere among theatrical
enterprises. but partly. also because
the material we had to offer was not
acceptable to the general public. The
greatest difficulty an organization like
ours has to contend with is the finding
of operas suitable to our uses and the
preferences of our patrons The
troubles OF the Bostonians have been
very greatly exaggerated and will GER
tainly be adjusted upon a basis salts
factory to everyone in interest. The
travels of the organization viii be re-
sumed in the early autumn. and we hope
70 be in a position to present something
new that will attract the approval Of
our legion Of friends throughout the
United States. Our trade marks Is too
widely respected and too valuable 10 be
allowed to drop into disuse and there
is no doubt at all that we shall have
ample capital for the purpose in view"
The Maid and the Mummy appears
to have unQuestiOnably captured the
favor of the town at the New York
Theater, where there is little or no
question that II will run well into the
autumn. Richard earle, the author OF
this example OF jocund midsummer nom
sense, had a few remarks to make as
follows: When II became known that
certain well known milliOnaires were in
terested with me in this production the
inference became somewhat general that
I had unearthed some angels and had
sold them a gold brick of a quality quite
superior to the penetrative power of a
ginnlet. The fact Is that of the $4,000
capital originally furnished for the en-
terprise the sum OF 1850 was my own
money, so that I personally took a big
ger risk than any Of my three assO-
ciates. Since then two of the partners
the Messrs. Drummond, OF St Louis
have been bought out and my individual
investment at the present time amounts
to $4,000. John G. Schlange is my sole
partner. The DrummonG brothers were
quite willing 10 continue, in spite of the
fact that other directors in corporations
members frowned upon their entering
the theatrical business But Mr.. Schlange
and I held a consultation and decided
that our friends shouldn't be left open
10 embarrassment at the hands Of their
commercial associates"
The series OF mishaps which have oc-
CURED 10 Captain Bonavita. the lion
trainer, at BostOck's COney Island
menagerie will very likely stir up an
agitation leading 20 the prohibition Of
such exhibitions as involving the wan
ton risk OF human life and the impcsi-
ton of gross and unnecessary cruelty
upon wild beasts. Recently Bonavita
has been bitten. clawed. and generally
lacerated by his lions to an extent that
viii cripple him for the rest of his days
and prevent him from going through any
more performances in the animal arena
Doubtless there will be numerous daring
men who will apply for the post Of sue
cession TO Bonavita, but so much at
tention has been concentrated upon the
events which have put this trainer out
Of commission that in all probability a
permanent prohibition may take official
shape. The attention OF the Society for
the Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals
has been called 70 the methods by which
lions and other fierce wild creatures are
''trained''-or 10 be more plain, the meth
DDS by which they are terrorized into
submission-and an investigation will
undoubtedly follow. A merely casual
inspection of some Of the animals Will
reveal big scars where they have been
burned with hot irons, as well as num-
erous marks Of other violent maltreat-
ment.
Atlantic City is 20 have the newest
thing in Luna Parks next season.
Messrs. Thompson & Dundy have pur-
chased a very extensive tract Of land
at that great seashore resort and il
leads directly down TO the water ad-
joining Young's Pier so that the facili-
ties OF the big amusement organization
will include ocean bathing. The work
Of clearing I'D the property in order
70 begin building, will be started before
the end OF the current month, giving
ample time for the completion of the
scheme by Easterude, which is the
most fashionable period Of the year
al Atlantic City. From the facts here
outlined-which by the way have been
guarded IN the closest Of secrecy-it will
be perceived that the Messrs ThOmp-
son & Dundy are spreading out upon
a scale OF magnitude never before
dreamed OF IN the world OF recreation
enterprises. Their Coney Island Luna
Park is 10 be torn down at the end OF
the current season and remOdeled and
rebuilt upon entirely new lines before
next spring. This is an undertaking in
itself sufficiently large 20 hold the at
tention OF almost any business man or
firm. but It doesn't even "muss the
hair Of Thompson & Dundy. for they
find time under the pressure imposed
BY their two Luna Parks 10 actively
prosecute the building of their great
hippodrome at Sixth Avenue from
Forty-third 20 Fortytfourth Streets.
The managers Of theaters IN Chicago
are not whimpering In public. but some
Of their reflections under existing cir
cumstances must be rather sombre. The
exactions Of the municipal authorities
In the matter Of reconstTucting the Chi
cago playhouses are considerably more
severe than most technically skilled OBJ
servers think called for by the facts.
II IL understood. upon what is regarded
as excellent authority, that the sum in
volved IN making Powers Theater ac-
oeptable to those ia authority Will be
not less than $4,000. and that the cost
- rornode4{no ATcNfctrersa Theafer 70