Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-10
Copyright. 1909. by P. G. EASEMENT,

tCopyFlGnts l1U0, Oy r. y. rastment.J
Grand opera should appeal strongly to
the multitude the country over next WIN
ter. Oscar Hammerstein Is going to put
forward rival company to Herr Conried's
scintillating aggregation. known far and
wide as the Metropolitan Grand Opera
Company.
There's nothing like little fun to catch
the fancy of the crowd. and Oscar has ever
been looked upon by the public as a very
amusing little cuss, to paraphrase Artemus
Ward. The mere announcement, made some
time since. that Oscar contemplated enter
ing the grand opera field set New York to
smiling: and now that Oscar has returned
from Europe with contracts with some OF
the worlds greatest singers in his pocket.
New York is chuckling audibiy.
Why? Because Oscar has succeeded ad-
mirably in giving the amusement world
great deal of pleasure in divers ways since
he built his first playhouse some seven
teen years ago. That was in Harlem, where
he was pioneer in things theatrical.
He Is now deep in the task of putting up
his eighth playhouse, which will be known
as the Manhattan Opera House. He has
figured as principal in numerous amusing
court room scenes. The laugh-creating open
letters that he has written from time to
tiIHe 10 municipal authorities ana other
prominent men who have incurred his dis
pleasure would fill book of generous d.
mansions.
Short. dumpy little body that he is, he
twice his size or whereabouts out of his the
aters. He shouts liar and similar cpl
thets whenever he feels In the mood and
considers himself justified
He is a wit. He is master of invective
and sarcasm. He is splendid fighter in
the game of life. The heavy hand of mis-
fortune has never been able to keep him
down long; he has bounded up like the pro-
verbal rubber ball. often spectacularly so.
Ever since he came prominently before
the public he has been a paradox, unmis-
takably, and in following him, watching
for his next move. the public has taken
the keenest sort of pleasure. At all times
it has counted on Oscar to add to it's gay
ETY.. Therefore. it is gleefully anticipating
a whole lot of fun when he begins the tick
Hsh job of handling a batch of imported
continental grand opera singers. Phlegma-
t1o-men have succumbed to the rigors of
such job ere now-and no one who has
ever seen Oscar in action on any of the va
rlous little stages on which he plays his
comedies would set him down as phleg-
matte.
Began Life as Cigarmaker.
From tobacco factory bench to Amer
lean impressario is extremity, indeed 1t
was as cigarmaker that Oscar began his
career in this country. That was in 1863
when mere boy, he had just landed In this
country, having emigrated from Germany
Oscar went into the trade because as
he explained he discovered that he could
earn from two to three dollars a week while
learning tia sum sufficient to keep him in
food till acquired adeptness would increase
his wages.
In several months he was earning good
wages. little while later he was in
venting his first labor-saving device for the
cigar industry. During the first few years
he patented numerous inventions, nearly all
OF which, with some improvements, are in
use in cigar factories the world over Chief
among these was device that spreads and
shapes by air suction the tender tobacco
leaf without tearing it. Formerly this had
to be done by hand, and only the most del
icate workmanship prevented the leaf from
being torn The money that Oscar made
out of his inventions put him In possession
OF tobacco trade paper, and the profits
from both it and his inventions enabled him
to embark in the theater- building business
and as manager on large scale
Several years before he was able to take
commanding position in the amusement
world Oscar had made his debut as play
wright and composer. In the late sixties
ne wrote the words and music of three one
act comedies for the manager of German
theater In New York. His success in this
line inspired him to become himself a man.
ager OF a German theater. and a year or
two later he leased a playhouse.
His First Failure.
Here 1t was that Oscar experienced his
first theatrical failure. He has wildly de-
scribed this incident In his life:
II purchased the American rights of Der
Geschunrene Raubritter, farce on knight
errantry which had made Juror in Ger
many. In one of the acts a knight who is
condemned to die of starvation and Is in
carcerated in tower begs for food. My
e.. to-.
possession of me at an early day, and as
the piece was a farce I thought 1t would
add to the sport to have food pelted at
him from one of the boxes
80 I gathered in a forlorn Individual
from the Bowery and stationed him in an
upper box with basket OF oranges
bananas and carrots The critical moment
came, the knight begged piteously for food