The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-24
! Passing of the Old
 Montgomery Theatre
capssia frank oBrien Tells of EafIy Days of the Playhouse, Some of the Players and Stir ring Scenes Enacted Ihere During War Days.
BY FRANK F. o,BRrEr.

on invitation of my good friends. Mir. Jake wells and the Hirscher Brothers. managers of 'The Grand"--the new temple of the Drana--in Montgomery. | was present at the opening of that beautiful house Thursday night No- vefnber 14.
 The almost constant ''buzzs of com plimentary remarks on all sides. sing ing the praises of the new candidate for public favor, sounded to me like the death knell of that old favorite on Perry Street, around which clusters the fondest memories of my boyhood days, and still small voices cry out as the stiffeniflg fingers of memory slowly and softly turn back the pages to those stormy days Tang syiie." for within its hallowed walls l spent many happy
 moments as assistant scenic and fresco painter. apprenticed to my dear old friend Peter Schmidt from the first of Februafy, 1880. to the ninth of Janu- ary. 1881, when with other venturous spirits. left for Pensacola. as n1em- her of the Independent Rifles, Captain Bob Farris commanding. under orders from Governor A. B. Moore.
 In giving to The Advertiser this lit tie sketch am forced to Mrite In the first person, I can tell the"story in no other way.
 1t has been erroneously asserted by many, among the number my late friend Stuart Robson. that the Mont gomery Theatre was erected in lS54. The building was started early In the fall of 1859 under the supervision of Colonel Daniel Cram. designer. and architect, and at that time Superinten- dent of the Montgomery and West Point Railroad The owner was Colo mel Charles T. Pollard. the President of the same railroad. The building was erected by Messrs. B. F. Randolph and A. R. McLelland. McLelland doing the wood work and Randolph the brick, work and clustering. The joiner and inside wood work was executed by George and Ed. Fletcher whose shop was on the opposite side of the street As stated by Wade McBryde. the mason labor was composed entirely or negro women, the property of MT. Randolph. the brick contractor.
 The First Play.
 The theatre was first opened to the public the night of October IA, 1860. The bill presented was Richard Brine ley Sheridan's School for ScandaL" and the Prosecuted Dutchman." The cast of school for Scandal was composed of the following. many of whom have written their names high in the dram atic Armament: John Wilkes Booth (who until that season had played un- der the nom de theatre" of John wflkes). John W. Albaught (now owner and manager of Albaugh's Washington Theatre), Jimmie Ward. Samuel K. Chester, Harry Watson (who later be- came an Episcopal clergyman of note in wisconsin,, Frank Keller, Billie Sheldon. Jimmie Lewis (for many years "a member of Daley's New York com pany), Charles Morton. Harry DeCour- cey, Joe Lewis, Mary and Emma Mitch ell. sisters of Maggie Mitchell (the former, at present the wife of John W. Afbaugh), Mrs. David Hanchett, MoIlieYwiiiiams, Julia Nelson and Kate Haffarning. Later on the company was strengthened by the addition of Joe Taylor. his wife and Master and little