Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-13
Long On Clothes and Private Cars
Henry W.
in of Merry Widow"

of the civilized countries of the globe. |
But says Mr.. Gressitt, my lara
est and most eventful experience has
latest enterprise. Mr.. Savage is a.
Napoleon of managers, the only differ
ence being that there is no st. Helena
ahead for the man who has popular
lied 'Parsifal,' whose Madame Butter
fly was the artistic achievement of the
decade. whose productions of The
Merry Widow have astonished even
Vienna. 1t was Mr.. Savage who first
thought of the idea of a special car
for his business manager. He brought
the matter to my attention when we
We're touring the country with Mad
anne Butterfly" At that time he said
that it was obvious that a business
manager who had a good deal Of writ
ing to do and a great many contracts
to make, would save money and do
better work if he had his secretary and
other assistants in a private car, which
would serve as a hotel as well as
business Office. We We're unable to
do anything with the matter. at that
time; but since then Mr. Savage and
have designed The Sonia which will
be used by me as travelling home and
business Office except at such times as
Mr.. Savage may need it for his trips
across the country. For instance, Mr..
Savage needed a private car coming
1, from New York to st. Joseph the other
night He came out to eat Christmas
dinner with our company and it was
necessary for him to make quick time
back to New York in order to sail for
Europe. Had he depended upon regu-
/ lar trains he would have failed to
catch the ship Oh which his passage
was engaged. l have just received
Il from him a wireless message saying
that he made direct connection
Il While on the subject of cars. it is
not too much to say that this man
h Gressitt is hero of one of tha best
jokes travelling about railroad circles.
Gressitt, as his friends know, inclines
of beauty and completeness. He is the
Beau Brummel of the business. Sew.
/ eral years ago, when Mr. Gressitt was
managing ''Zaza," he was very much
| dissatisfied with the short cars the
railroads were furnishing him for the
purpose of carrying the scenery
through the country. After several
weeks, in which much of the stuff was
broken or damaged, Mr.. Gressitt wired
to his advance agent to see the railroad
and get longer cars.
See here" said the agent, my man
ager wires me for 60-foot car and
have got to have it,
'fWho is your manager?" asked the
the railroad man.
III Henri GreSsitt,' said the agent.
Il oh" said the railroad man, withou
II loss of time, "he wants 6O-foot cal
Il for his clothes
II The business manager of "The Mer
ry Widow says that the work O
Sonia and Danilo, particularly in tn
II famous waltz scene; is tremendousl.
/ trying. The difficulty of singing will
H anything like approaching a full ton,
II while the dance is in progress is no
hard to understand.
H Not only do the two persons dane,
furiously, but there is bending swim;
Iii to the waltz which is very bad TO
H breathing. The result is that the prin
cipaas, seeking to produce a full vol
ume Of sound in the famous melod
which they sing, are compelled t
draw upon their energies to the limi,
Il Miss Glosz has sung the part a grea
u many times, more perhaps than an