The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-31
Rosario INVOKED
WRATH OF PRESS
How Iiammerstein Furnished
Entertainment for "InSuIar"
Manhattanites
NitriOIiC Documents That Great.
ed Merry War in Little
Old New York
Bv c. c. Carlton

NEW YORK. Jan 2s-This city has
'.been dubbed provincial by some OF
fits rivals. but others, more discriml-
mating and choice in the use OF Eng
.lfsh. characterize this big metropolis
as extremely insular"-that is 10 say,
New York city, with its 100000
Inhabitants, more o. less, cares more
for its uninportant local happenings
on Manhattan. Long island and staten
island, comprising the greater CITY,
than FOR the most sensational events
OF the outer world. Nothing is better
illustrative OF this than the way news
IS treated by the New York dailies. In
pOrtant news from the far west is ire
QuenIy boiled down TO mere para
graph. under a one line head and stuck
away somewhere IN an obscure corner
OF an inside page; but If Vanderbilt
dog should get lost IN Central park
the story is given full column under
a Bcarehead-hrst column. first page.
THE HAsIsIERSTETN INCIDENT
When a couple OF New York Press
reporters knocked oscar Bammerstein
snto a Christmas tree that adorned the
sidewalk IN Forty-second street under
the portico OF the Hotel KnickerbOcl1er
and wrecked his famous silk tile, the
newspaper Offices here were frantic
with excitement and sent out big STATS
OF reporters to cover" the affair
NewsbOys went about town screaming
All about Hammerstein-a0 about the
big fight" and papers were sold TO the
villagers like hot cakes. All OF New
York stopped discussing the Italian
earthquake. the California; Japanese
controversy, the wreck Of the steamer
Republic. and nothing else was heard
on Broadway for days but the Hammer
stein fight.
But with all OF New YOrk's provincial
ism (mOre politely called insularism)
81 must be admitted that oscar and his
Zig hat are important features OF the
life along the Great White Way. as
the Rialto IS now called. Mr.. Ham
l0erstein has an Office IN the Manhat-
ian opera house In Thirty-fourth
street but his den. where the great
impresario does most of his work, is
hidden snugly away up and back Of
the stage at Hammerstein's Victoria
theater. at the Intersection Of Broad
svav. Forty second street and Seventh
avenue, or Times square. otherwise
known along the Great White Way as
the Gross Roads" and Hammerstein' s
headquarters Is known as The Sign
Or the Big Hat" in honor Of the
wearer OF this famous brand Of head
gear. which is quite distinctive in
shape. None other like il exists IN
Broadway. nor anywhere else for that
.lnatter. so far as known The shape
OF the tile has been adopted by Oscar
rs his very own. and though IL has
not been patented. trademarked or
opyrighted. there is none so bold as
10 initiate st.
CAREER OF IMPREsARIO
IIammerstein IS striking example
Of the sturdy, vigorous. selfmade man.
lie began life as q cigar maker, then
he invented a mold by which a ma
chine made cigar would appear like
the hand made article and could be
sold as such. Instant success greeted
this ingenious invention and Mr.. Ham
inerstein, like BIN. the button man"
lwho made money by peddling cam
Daign buttons al the various national
political conventOns), went into the
show business. His first ventures were
small vaudeville affairs; later the Vic
roria was built and one or two other
heaters. that Hammerstein later sold
.t 3 profit Hammerstein's ambition
vas just as big as his hat, and the
cad beneath the hat so he conceived
lie big idea Of becoming a great i'm
1resario. with opera house that
would rival the famous Metropolitan.
lle perceived that the Metropolitan,
hacked by such millionafres as the
y anderbilts. Astors, Goulds, AIackays.
Nhitneys, Goelets. J. P Morgan and
others, was e1travagantly and discord-
andy conducted by Herr Conried
furthermore, the shrewd Oscar, like
Tony Pastor. had discovered On the