The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-10-24
Thr Bamtherg Hrralh
Thursday, Oct. 24, 1907.
Our New York Letter.

Our New York Letter.
Non-residents cannot realize what
a great theatrical city this is. The
facts taken from the Herald below
are so interesting your correspon-
dent gives them, believing they will
prove as interesting and instructive
as anything he could send.
New York is the greatest theatre
city in the world. It's growth theatrl-
cally has been phenominal since 1926
when the Bowery theatre was built
to which went the large audiences OF
those days to hear Forrest, the elder
Booth, Charlotte Cushman and others
only a little less in ability. Since
then the theatre centre, by easy
stages, has gone up Broadway to
about Forty-second street, with its
arms reaching out into the other
boroughs until now the city has nine
ty-six places of amusement filled with
pleasure seekers during the season.
While New York with its four and
one-half millions of population has
ninety-six places of amousement,
London, with six and one-half mil
lions in it's metropolitan district, has
yenty-eight, and they each average
a smaller attendance than do these
in New York, and during the season
there is larger proportion OF New
Workers in their audiences. Theatre
for theatre, New York has more
money invested in buildings and tlt-
tings than has London. .,.
At the height of New York's amuse-
ment. season there are as many as
ll4,OOO, persons in its places Of pub
lie amusement in one night. They
are now rapidly approaching that
condition since the home-c coming sea-
son has set in, and the number OF
strangers is increasing with the ad-
vancing autumn. The attendance is
now growing from night to night,
and is particularly noticeable in the
houses where are the more success
full plays. 80.
New York city has daily within its
borders more pleasure seeking stran-
gers than has London, and after No
vember l there will be a daily aver
age of $1,000 out-of- town patrons in
our theatres. It is the exception
when visitor in New York does not
90 to the theatre, even if he stay but
one day, and many visitors for a
week or more will go to some place
of amusement each day of their stay.
Then New Workers are naturally
theatre attendants, and many of them
take all their relaxation in this man.
ner. This is true of the man with a
small salary as well as of the man OF
wealth, and real sacrifices are often
made to save money for theatre tick
cts. There are thousands of first
nighters" in the city who welcome
the initial performance of every play
and their faces are familiar to the
ticket seller. Then there are many
more thousands who are as regular
as a clock in their attendance. A
few may go but once season, many
more 20 once rronth, but there are
more who 90 once week, without
a skip, from the beginning of the
season until it's close. Then there are
some who go every night, and now
and then include a matinee.
Ticket sellers become quite we'll ac-
ouainted with many Of their patrons,
know when to expect them and can
rely on their attendance once IN so
often and even know where their
favorite seats are. There is a recog-
nized personality in our amusement
audiences; theatre families that seem
70 belong to certain playhouses.
Theatres have their individuality as
we'll as their auditors have theirs, and
there is a harmony that draws them
together. H: W. FINLAYsoN.
$50 Broadway, New York.