The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-23
HOW GEO. BROADHURST RAN
THE GRAND FORKS THEATER

George Broedhurst, the well-known
playwright, has been giving a. reporter
Of the New York Times a rather humor-
GUS account of his experiences in the
northwest. After relating how he ran
away from home in England to escape
entering the clergy, and how he finally
reached: Chicago, where at first he eked
out a precarious livelihood, he says:
1t was then met "Pat'' Harris-and Harris
had never heard about double-entry bookkeep-
ing. He sent me to Baltimore to examine the
books at the Academy of Music, and I found
how l entered the theatrical busness-from the
front of the house.
From Baltimore I moved to the Lyceum, in
Minneapolis where Mr. Harris was also the
manager. One day I met young college man
one OF the sort who is just out of college,
you know-by the name of George Batchelder
He was a relative Of E. 81. Rollins, the banker
and broker, of Boston, who then had a mort
gage on about one-third of North Dakota
George had been sent west to look after the
business bushes His headquarters was in Grand
with himself in town of 5000 inhabitants.
where a fve-story building was the only sub
st1tute for a sky-scraper-and 30 he decided
r to Duia q, theater. He wanted to do the job
right and came to the Lyceum to find out about
theater building. Then he went to analyze the
Auditorium, in Chicago. D.. ~ 1917 80.
When he came back to Minneapolis he said
he had bought the finest bunch Of chairs in the
world, just like those at the Auditorium They
had cost only $26 apiece!, He hads got railing
for his balcony like the railing at the Audi
torium, and he had purchased other materials
on tne same astounding scale. He wanted me
tt2 go to Grand Forks and open the house. As
the emolument was sufficient-he was nothing
II not generous-I consented. "
In the midst Of that odd littles town Of Grand
Forks | found Batchelders playhouse. It was
the biggest thing in sight It was perfectly
immense. and the architecture was as classic
as the Parthenon. 'She cost $133 OOO of which
$4,000 is subscribed he said. '.But, damn
such a fool when 1 found that every other
mortgage firm in the state had mortgage on it.
The opening attraction, Of all things in the
world, was to be the Emma Abbott Opera com
pany. They were to give three evening per
formances and~ one matinee for which he had
actually guaranteed them $4,000. When dis
covered what he had been doing simply asked
when the next train left for Minneapolis
However, he persuaded me to stay and make
a subscription canvass Of the townspeople. He
said they had more money than they knew
how to hide-in spite Of the mortgages.
The first man 1 tackled was a. person BY the
name of Captain Griggs, whom found IN dis
office with his feet peacefully reposing on his
desk The captain had big. red beard, and
! would have made an ideal understudy for Nc
Kee Rankin in 'The Danites" explained
what tremendous advertisement such a ire
mendous opera house would be for the town.
81 reckon you don't know who 1 am" said
the captain. "Im the father Of Grand Forks
1 used to drive the mail from Winnipeg to st,
Paul, and the whole town Is built on what was
once my farm. went to- the first christening
and the first funeral, and I'm going to the first
show In the first opera bonse. I'll give You
$500 for two seats md I'll raise It If any one
else comes up. E . s. 81