Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-04-08

company Wds roorgluized and named
"lhe Deseret Dramatic Association"
with a. Raleigh as It's president, Plays
were cast, written out and rehearsed
20 prepare for the opening OF the Social
hall. In 1859 this historical hall,
hullt expressly Tor the intellectual re-
creation Of the Saints in their social
anuscments, was opened ana dedicated
aud the classical play Of The Lady OF
Lyons was produced, I'm which Mr.
Mnrgetts appeared I'm "A minor role, The
opening OF the Social hnll may be said
% mark am epoch in the development
of civilization I'm the Rocky mountains,
and the birth OF the drama iu Utah was
one on .'s signs.
During the opening season IN the
Social hall Mr. Margetts became a
tlNOrte AS a comic and sentimental
iinger lie also made hit ne Harry
Hammer I'm THE Golden Farmer"
Jerry Clip" in The Widows Victim"
and in various other plays.
The company now had greatly
strengthened and was enabled to cast
first class plays. 70 the original mem
oers were added Joseph 5, simmons,
David Mckenzie, David Candland,
tslage manager), John T. Game, VIII
liam Brumhcad, David O. Calder Ber-
nard Snow and j. NJ Barlow. To the
ladies Mrs, Whcelook. Mrs. Tuckett,
Mrs Bun, Mrs, John Hyde and Mrs,
Cook.
In tho opening play OF THE Lady Of
LyonS' the gifted James Ferguson play,
~ Cluude Mclnotte aud Mrs. Wheelock
Pauline. In the great plays the male
parts We're strongly filed. Bernard
Snow played Othello, Ferguson lago
snow, Damon and Ferguson. Pythlas
Nlrglpius' was also played with
Bernard Snow In the great part In
which In the public mind he held RI
valry with r. A. Lyme In the first
performance at the Salt Lake theater
Phil In his line of comedy farce
and comic song, had by this time be-
come an established favorIte Of the
public, In whose estimation ne grew
every season. until he ranked in his
llue scarcely second TO any IN Amer
Tea. Indeed, IN some parts Phil" was
So unique ANA irrepressibly funny that
ne may be considered a type, In the
early days he was often c'aseed with
the great Paul Bedford of the Hay
market London.
At the Social hall they had a splen-
did orchestra, with Prof. Ballou d-
rector, and John NJ. Jones, the leading
violin, Domenico Ballou was one Of
The finest clarnettists in the United
states. Before he came to Utah he
was bandmaster at West Point for a
number OF years. He was a splendid
composer and arranger, and a great
solo player having played solos mt
musical festivals in New York and
other eastern cities BallOu's band Is
famous In the musical history OF
Utah. He died many years ago,
AS AN INDIAN FIGHTER.
In dramatic "reminiscences Of "Phl"
as an actor, he must not be forgotten
hiograp hically, I'm the part he has
performed in the hard work OF this
country, as one of It's early settlers.
The Indian troubles Of the first years
form a capital chapter in Utah his
tory. To protect the country from In
dian depredations, the Minute men"
We're organized, out Of which com.
panies grew the regular Utah militia,
Mr. Margetts was one Of the Minute
men; and, during the years 1862 he
was often called out with his company
to protect this then sparsely settled
country At times he was almost
constantly I'm the saddle, out on some
expedition from eight to ten weeks. He
once left his wife, with her babe three
days old, being called out on one of
these expeditions, which Is very sug-
gestlve that the wives Of those days,
who bore the service at home while
their husbands wore out protecting the
country, deserve their share Of the his
torlcal praise.
AS A BLACKSMITH
As a blacksmith, also. Mr.. Margctts
did much Of the hard work Of the
country, both on his own account, and
in connection with his brothers, Rich
ard and Henry. At one time they did
all the work for the eastern mail line
for years, He made some Of the first
mIll-irons, assisted In making cane
mills and other useful articles needed
in those days everything being made
out of wagon tire. He was one of the
three who made the first iron casting
in Utah. It being a large cog wheel
for Prest. Young's grist mill-the
three being Thomas Tanner, John Kay
and Philip Margetts, But we must
hasten back TO his professional career.
AS A MISSIONARY.
Mr.. Margetts continued playing with
the dramatic association every season
until the year 1857, when he was call
ed TO go TO Europe on a mission, lie
started with u others across the
plains. These Elders were known as
the 'hand-cart company of mission
aries" From Great Salt Lake city to
the Missouri river, over LOCO miles,
they pulled their handcarts. They then
proceeded to England to fulhll their
mission.
Suddenly the rumbling thunder Of a
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