davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1911-08-20

Washington in front of rich drapery
which is partly drawn aside and dis
plays the tomb OF Washington Mount
Vernon. etc.
1t was with the opening Of this thc-
ater.' said Mr.. Mudd. that new order
Of things was inauEurated. The gallery
gods We're sent aloft. and the pit. which
In the early days had been appropriated
by the most boisterous portion of the
audiences, became the parquet and was
patronized by the best classes Of theater-
goers.
I'm 1915 the National Theater burned.
but was rebuilt as the National Hall for
the Jenny Lind concerts in 1870, with a
seating capacity of BOO Later il was
used for circus performances. and again
was burned in 1857. Rebuilt once more
in 1862. II was called Groves Theater
For third time 1t was burned, in 1873
but perseverance prevailed. and il was
again rebuilt. In 1885, il burned for the
fourth time, but. being still again re-
built that same year, remains as ii is
today
And SO tie history goes on. From
that very first performance in 1890 Mr.
Mudd has made careful and pains
taking history up until the very last per
formance given to date. When. in the
early days, he was able TO put the his
tory Of several years into a few hun
Evening star., 1911-08-20

December of that year. when The Man
OF the World was performed. with the
afterpiece OF Turn out being given
OF this occasion Washington news
paper printed the following account.
The new and magnificent establishment
was finely patronized Monday evening,
December :. 1850. by a very fun mouse.
Tho front of the first tier 81 boxes =
embellshed with slight sketches III mt
tation of bas-re.iefs. and surrounded ~
correspondent ornaments representing
brilliant events in maritime history. dis
covery and naval achievements. IN" Se'-
ond tier of boxes is ornamented IN sinl-
lar style. referring 10 victories. treaileS.
agriculture. etc. The proscenun shows
the same colorS and style or ornaments.
In tho arch thereof is 4 Representations
OF the Declaration OF ludependcn'e, sup
ported on tho wings % Time The car
tain displays 81 equestrian statue o.
Evening star., 1911-08-20

season began in September. One point
which seems strange in the light of mod
ern playhouses Is the fact that the
theater was only used when the weather
was moderate. as. there being no heating
apparatus. it was mnosS bic 10 hold per-
formanceS in the cold
The players never failed TO honor the
anniversary OF our national independ-
ence, and on each recurring Fourth of
July patriotic and appropriate perform
ances were given. During the war Of
1872 part of the evenings entertain
ment was frequently devoted to the COM
memo ration of the victories Of our gal
liant little navy. and transparent Dor-
traits were shown of the naval COM
manders who took part in the struggle.
Nor We're those who lost their lives in the
same great cause forgotten. but feeling
tributes We're paid to their memory.
Although up until 1914 the theater had
twice been for sale. that fact was never
accomplished, and although there were
several times during the war when the
house was closed. il still managed TO hold
short seas@n Ms, when, according 10 Mr.
Evening star., 1911-08-20
PERFORMANCES


theater Searching through the old files
of a newspaper | was unable to trace it.
But one day by chance I happened to
glance at d newspaper which lay open
on table and there found little para
graph TO the effect that Messrs. Wignel!
and Rienagle of Philadelphia were going
to open a theater in Washington
then turned to the Philadelphia papers
and after a continual search for some
time was able to locate the playhouse.
The history of the Washington stage
dates from the removal of the seat of the
national government to this city The
removal began in May, 1900. and by July
all of the then executive departments
were in full working order. but in June
the first performance had taken place.
The exact date of this performance
have been unable to ascertain, out from
Evening star., 1911-08-20

dred pages today ii takes thc Same
amount - contain tho aojngS Tor o,t"
season of single playhouse But AT
Mudd keeps on ami. altfaurn ~ bp~ .il-
ready ahout iN boxes uf paper covered
With this history. the lisi is aroWiaE aav
hv day
OF all the histori" places - dramatic
interest in WaShinetou. baNreNt NJ.
mndd has chosen Ford Teater where
ffeS dent i4neoln Was asSlS>i.atcd. ttr-
special favor. 0ut - IN f.is IS }le
iavorite parr And aside f'p-l hsh.a. =
VERY eomllota history ~ taat oi1 i,lgA
house. Mr Madd Is Rtfherne together j.
complete set at the photo4 .,b. ur tau
cast wllch Performed "uUr Nucrie4a
Cousin On 'He ill-fatvd Mig v..r9 til,
President was Slot Nul t.A- collection
y nov complete. with tH,. ..NeeIttau af
about th-c" pictures. Al. MHd + 49,
perienGe ln gathering together t.is lfil"
group ~ pictures Is as 1ursr,~ iuc As t8te
gathering ~ the N.loia collect oD. - #e
has fnet ruauN dtttrfttftu- atEA spent un9a
tiu'' ~ s" doing IA" a- Kept ,lo-e
watch - theatrical matters aii o#tr
country tia order - be 4 lt te f..4
varinus members 80 taat .amnauE
IN one instance. Wh.tE hD irAfftei ef
tie aeata e an a.t r.~~ N.}so Est4 play
ed in Washington many t.fa,s. hU weus
70 her home 70 learn Na.thrr ~h', 'taa
possessed aa& pi,Gurr- o4 a.tcss ANA
actresses fne Journey nas 'n Natu
however -. She hnl kent nom, 80 t'.e
many souvenirs II huI tGf4p- And EEI-
same thing again harprpa,' - Nr
Mudd when hc visited .n4u Nhopt -
believed would hs.Ny il fliI ,.ril@ stitn
ot dramatic photographs Iar-r r.4
pcatrd IA lures have IMPRESSED Nr
Mudd with the scarcity 80 drnuattc
matter II existence. and II rs tor tn1t
reason that uc hope - aNruas.tli.
a,ers which VII - complete III every
detail
Evening star., 1911-08-20

thing. has succeeded in gathering
together one of the best collections of
the kind.
When I began this search" said Mr..
Mudd for the history of Washington
theaters. my first bit of information was
to the effect that the United States
Theater had been opened here. when a
prologue written by Thomas Law was
spoken by Mr.. Wignell, one of the man
ayers of the company. l then naturally
set about to find the location of this
Evening star., 1911-08-20
First Theaters in the

THE First Theaters in the
1 City-Queer Titles of
the Performances-Data and
Photographs Make Up the
Greater Part of Collection
Portion of Wall of Oldest
Theater Standing Today
One Playhouse Was Burned
Four Times-Witnessing a
Show Under Difficulties Dur
ing the Early Days in Wash
ington.
Evening star., 1911-08-20

The manner of the beginning of this
valuable collection is as interesting as
any other fact concerning il. Some
twelve years ago Mr.. Mudd was reading
some local writer's account of the stage
of long ago. In some of these articles
Mr. Mudd noticed errors. which. though
they were trivial in some instances. he
Vet knew were wrong. This. of course,
was only from memory. as the collection
at that time consisted only of photo
-ra phs and a few programs These facts
ne desired to verify and so went to
Evening star., 1911-08-20
WHY IS A SANITARIUM?

explain 10 me just why and how they hap
pened to be patients at the sanitarium. They
all talked about it at once. | was the
new 'un there, and I. therefore. was look
ed upon as soft meat for the unloading
Of their neurasthen-Ia woes. Really, they
got sore on each other for butting in,
they were so keen to grab me and tell
me about il. Several of EN- tried every
thing but main force to herd me off. de-
Evening star., 1911-08-20

Ii wasn't there.
Narv a cog screw, ratchet type-ba.. or
rod of II was there. Nobody'd ever heard
there of a typewriting machine belonging
TO a man by the name o. Cullen.
Not only that. but when ! dug into the
nankeens and tipped 'em all around with
hard-Gathered silver. they Went about
the work of teiephoning TO the other sta
ton with extreme sioWness Finally.
when tie engine hitcted TO the train
had TO take vas flhtinis for its head.
and was due 20 begin TO snort on its way
about five minutes hence they got the
transfer people at the other station on
the phone
The transfer people at the other station
had never heard OF no typewriter. That
Evening star., 1911-08-20

HE n story % the
aShington Stage
from it's infancy TO
the present" would
he an appropriate
name for the col
lection of tncatri- :
cal data. programs
and photographs
which Alloy Sius /.
Mudd. an enthu-
sia site collector CT
Washington. has
Evening star., 1911-08-20

to this question might sound
wv raucous and oblque. Any
how, nobody could give an
onhand answer.
OF course, persons who have never oeeil
i, or at sanitarium patients Woaid
rap right back. why. 10 make folks
WELL.
But you've got to know a san!taTiun o.
sanitart,ms as a guest or patient TO as
certain lust how difficult it is to answer
the question offhand or any other way
Nv individual oinion herewith present
cd with an almost srotesquely humble
gpology 10 the medical profession. Is ttat
sanifariuins are conducted for the purpose
Of keeping sick folks sick.
Recently I've been at sanitaridm.
sauitariumed at one 81 tee best Known
outfits OF its kind IN the western hem :
phere Ii is in the state of Pennsyi-
mania, slapped on the side oi mountain
overlooking a valley Of such panoramic
iove'iness as 10 make the view almost
oppressivsly beautiful
There wasn't much the matte witn He,
and If there had been that wouldn't he of
anv inheritance in this connection. y
,.ttIt. matter Of refractory digestion. some
nerves that ware bucking on tEe joo-
that was ell But the epec allst sd1d
'.Sanitarium for YOU" IL a calm, Just
80 | have spoke manner. and that settled
H. Well, as | am acquainted with these
medical persons. particularly the special
lists | am horribly afraid OF them: and
nv fear OF them makes me ubedient ;"
I tossed the toothbrush aad the collar
mo th. bag and raced for the santa
rum.
Evening star., 1911-08-20

am not going 10 describe The SaliI-
tariun. They're all alike. Its the folks
al lie sanitarium aud their effect upon
me and upon each other. and incidentally
their effect t!yon each otaer,S health ana
chances Of getting well uf whatever ails
them. that ! am goinS 10 discourse upon
in my foolish incon-eauent rambling
sort ol 4 Wa.
There was. | reckon. about MY rnaie
patients at tac sanitarium. Most OF mem
had, or thought they had. or had oeen
told py specialists tEdt they "ad. tE:it
cute little Wahb!ngneSS Of the nerves call
ed ''neUtas stheuia" r not neuraS-theen-ia
" know, we've all been calling II all
these wears. but 'neurastn en-Ia. with the
accent on tue l-yah.' do YOU discern !.
That was something to learn right from
the jump. found il an important piece
OF knowicdGe. because the neGra.thenics
didn't do much of anything else hut sit
around aud talk about their ''ncurasthen-
Ia
I joined q group or EN- ranged around
or benches atter breakfast on my first
morning there. wanted to forget dis
ease, trouble. grief. woe and all sadness
of tte flesh J wanted to Kid myself into
the belief that. instead OF being anchored
at place called sanitarium, | was
fiddling around at "A summer resort | felt
pretty cAIrky, in fact, the breakfast ha i
been good. / was tickleu in baleful sort
OF a way with myself because | hal alb
solutelS ignored my specialists orders
and taken two large. smoking cups 0! cof-
fee with my breakfast. The view was
lovely. Something within me was saying.
.sSanitarium me no SanitaIlums. I'm
merely sojournisg 1T a rest camp I'm
all right, and am going TO stay all
right.
Then fell into conversation with toe
bunch sitting around me.
!: !
Evening star., 1911-08-20

Another feature Of tbe collection is
4 series II old receipts. These are tha
original ones signed bN the members
of number of companies an being
paid of At the srd IT the week. AMI
they not only form an interesting col
lection Of theatrical auts graphs hHi
autographs under Interesting rirgum-
stances from the standpoint 80 the col
iector. In the collection ~ pictures
are hundreds which Air Mudd Las col
lected himself during the period their
owners were in their prime. sine IL
MAS seven years old Nr Mudd has
been an enthusiastic tacater- ecer, ana
during that time has seen al the
great operate singers. actors ant ac-
tresSes IF his time Well as gath
cred an onviable collection Of pictures
a. he went along.
In speaking # the celebrities nf H."
stage who have appea red on Masking
tons boards Mr.. Mudd also spoke of
the queer titles which Wcrr given T.
plays when the stage here was in its
infancy. For example, Ec cited or.
which WAS called Did You Ever send
Ycur Wife to Geor-e Town. This plav
produced at the oGron Thpatcr in
Washington. This uuGSe "-4S situated
on the southeast corner uf n. street aNd
PENNSYLVANIA aNenl". heiu- oJeg' ~
1916 and closed in 1917. sat while tn4
title IS little unusual and somewhat
in the light Of joke. the titles of MANY
others were equally queer in coppari-cn
with those Of TO-DAY. Especially w,.e"
the double titles in vogue. aad an i =. y
gram Of a performance ~ BlpdGett's Ho
tel in 1870 we find the presentation af
The Positive Man: OF Sailors on Shore +
To gather this mass of data Mr. Nuld
has spent twelve years dsiring whi.n Il
has given all his spare tl.ne a. ii chef
clerk of the division Of publications 81
the Department of Agrcult8ae, AIR Mud.
was only able to give evenings and sur
days to the gathering of his dlta. Tiut
this he did. and for three wears spent
every sunday and three EVENINGS 4 WeeH
at the Congressional Library looking ~ ).
the files of almost forgotten new sfap"r
in search of some tiny bit pf new
which would add to lis store of data.
Evening star., 1911-08-20

master at Atlantic City. informing him
that said porter. to whom | had wired
would call for the typewriter. and asked
him To let tile porter have it. to be
fetched To New York.
This bunch Of wiring. with itS explain
atory passages set me hack exactly 81 N1.
Now. S4.sa isn't hut lot OF money +
it? But YOU 20 out and try to snag
S4.s5 when you really and truiy need
ii, and, II YOU lind il easy write me a
letter how its done because | lih,. 10
know all the details of that kind OF
stun.
l WAS dead sure that when the up-train
from Atlantic city arrived the head por-
ter OF the train would pop right out Of
his car dragging my typewriter. ara
hand il over To station porter for rns
and ! had the dollar that was going
10 give him all separated in the Jeans
when | got down - the station tha.
SUNDAY night. waiting for the Atlantic
City train 10 come in.
The Atlantic Ci;y train MAS an huer
and forty-tiNe minutes late that Sunday
night, for the trst time in months and
sat and DerSpired and iuWardlN cit~Sed
until il HnallX drooled IN.
Nothing happened.
Nothing whatever.
The head porter hadn't got my mes
SdSt. lie 81 never npiLih o. 10 message
about no tNpeWritah, ~ah. Deed. lie
hadn He WAS sohhA. sub. but he
didn't know muffin bout no-.tr., ctc
So all Of my S4.S1 wort. of telc4raph-
in. had gone FOR uothlne lneffi .ienev.
incompetence. indifference. don 't-sare-a-
durn-atveness Was IT III" bottom OF il
all of course.
So, in despair. ami mopping my fore
head al the rate of 80 revolutions per
minute / suu4ht ont tac station master oT
the station ani, al great effort. with i
shocking and euefgN-WaStinE expenditure,
! told him al about il. and beseeched
him. III ihe nam. II common humanity -
help nt get my machine back.
II MAS hard to 2ei him interested. lIe
WAS used 10 that brand ~ elo&uelce. Tie
quaN.ry note IL the human voice Was.
naturally enough Joke I" him
+ K
But, drawing upon my fullest powers.
finally gained his ear 50 that he consented
TO listen 10 my tale. He told me that
he'd get the Atlantic City basEasenastcr
on the long distance phone and Sc" about
H. and he'd telephone % me at my New
York hotel that very. self-same night as
TO what he heard about the fool old ma
chine.
This went through. Long after midnight
the stationmaSter did telephone ne that
he'd located my machine, ana that Il ma
ii in the Da gsdSe room ol the station OF
the following day. | breathrd silent
prayer OF gratitude ana turned over and
went to sleep.
Next day / Went down - the station
and inquired al the baggage room Tor
my typewriter. They'd never beard Of IL.
They were busy. anyhow. - | asked ein
TO let me walk through the baggage room
10 see if The machine vas there. They
granted the PERMISSION u remote.
shadowy corner of ihe baaease room |
found the machine. Isolated, segregated.
seuuestered, sad, unattended. i had IL
brought 10 my hotel and here cnieih the
story of negligence and inefiiency.
The trouble is. in this country, y'know.
they don't care. All they want is t..
change. and then you can 20 sit on
tack aS il wair.
CLARENCE l.. CULLEN.
I've heard that young Bullion is go
ing to marry the cook. What does his
Evening star., 1911-08-20

library and sought some renabse authoF-
itr an the subject Mr. Mudd was sur
prised at the meager information at ms
disposal. and had to search diligently
before he found anything of value. Final
", after a search OF some time. ne had
become so absorbed in the task OF ols
1inp nm past history that he determined
he would compile history of the drama
In Washington.
To reach that decision was easy. IL
was only in the actual Accomplishment
Of the fact that the difficulties became
apparent and wellnish promised TO be
impossible But Mr.. Mudd persisted.
and by keeping his eyes open continually.
and never allowing an opportunity to
Evening star., 1911-08-20

Washington City Assembly Rooms.
It is al this point that Mr.. Mudd had
another long search for data concerning
the second theater erected. This he
finally located by the advertisement OF
the sale OF a piece OF land next TO that
on which the Washington Theater was
located. This was on Louisiana ave
nue. between 4ls and 9th streets. In
speaking Of this second theater. Mr..
Mudd said:
1T was opened the 1st OF August, 1>2l.
While not as large. it was more com
modious and better fitted than tie former
playhouse. 1t held about 100 people.
Liquor was excluded from the box lob
bies and smoking absolutely prohibited
in all parts of the building.
This building was remodeled several
times and in 1888 was opened as the
American Theate- The following year
it's doors We're closed. and from that time
on II had 4 clieclle.ed caIcer. In lSii
Evening star., 1911-08-20

iach me from the bunch. that they'd
have me ali TO themselves to tell m
about II. Il wasn't that they considered
me pretty or ANYTHING VIVA tevsr like that.
IL was merely that ] the new guy at
The sanitarium. and their bosonis ached
necessarily 10 talk about themselves and
their troubles .! the flesh, and the nerves
therein contained. To any new one that
drifted along.
The first one that finally did succeed III
yanking me away from the gang for the
purpose VI pl!nlnS me up against the
side of the mountain and telling me all
aOout his disease. the progress ard his
tory thereof. aud the probable finish. was
medical man from New York. He
weighed about 215. and looked husky
enough 10 be working at the stocky ards
But. yea, DO. III was neurasthenic all
right. | know it. because he told me 50
himself. and he knew it because about
56I3 specialists III neurology had told
him 80. He had been at the salitarium
for six months. taking the different kinds
OF ba tbs. His face was as pinky-winky
as il cou.d be. and Ills general rugged ap-
pearance caGsed me much marveling.
Well. he roped me away from the 9TH
ers and go; ne up on one of the noun
tain roads. and he dncoiled the history
OF lis nervous trouble. Ii was sa -ad,
neighbors. Orfully sa-ad. | felt just like
bursting into teals at amy moment.
Evening star., 1911-08-20

I've heard that young Bullion is go
ing to marry the cook. What does his
father say Says he doesn't care so
long as they don't let her go out OF the
ia mily. Judge.
Evening star., 1911-08-20

lie began about twenty years before.
when he had had "a. fine and lucrative
pra ctice on the West Side of New York.
Then in a moment of alteration he told
me. he had decided 10 remove to the then
just-growinS and booming Bronx. He
had been imbeclle enough 10 imagine,
said he. that his practice would follow
him But il had refused TO follow him.
lie had built house in the Bronx cost
ing $1,000. and had gone into debt TO
finish il. Then. his practice continuing
TO decline TO follow him about twelve
Evening star., 1911-08-20

Well. they began TO fight for their
AnAds 10 tell me all about their troubles; 10
Evening star., 1911-08-20

~~R rHY is sanitarium?
Perhaps an offhand answer
AAI 10 this question might sound
wv Iaucous and obl.que. Any
l,.,,. ponndy coIild give an
Evening star., 1911-08-20

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
NEW YORK, August ~. II
Evening star., 1911-08-20

z NNI IiaIl m 4 Z III 81 III e. M lfil m No
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-07-25

second time. she turns her head To
one side and modestiy sidles OF.
looking for all the world like a fell
low who has slipped on the ice and
looks round 10 see Il anybody saw
him When | laugh ut the hen.
which | lever fail 10 60. also won-
der il she would persist in his COM
puisory athletic performance. IL She
knew 1t was an experiment Of mine
TO See il il wasn't possible II raise
healthy egg laying hens in small
spaces giving them the maximum OF
vegetable matter and a sufficient mod
icum OF exercise. which they other
wise wouldn't take. even If they had
the chance. 1t IS a splendid success.
II | had nifty acre farm. | wouldn't
take but half an acre 10 raise 800
chickens IN and another half acre 10
raise their grazing food like cab
base, collard. beets. turnips. alfalfa.
etc, summer and winter.
improvements in Agricultural Meth
DDS.
But intensive farming calls for ex-
tensive Cudgelling Of ones brains and
body. You've got IL keep scheming,
all-the time 20 get the most out Of
IL. the abstraction coming from in
creased profits and product with in
creased effort and thought.
North Carolina i awaking all over
in general agriculture. The inn
provement in almost every line is
something wonderful. And yet
when | think have devised some
new way OF conserving area. b or
other form of management Of the
plant or the soil, and then get To read
ing about where folks in Holland.
China or France had improved on
this from five hundred to a thousand
years ago, / get really ~diSgusted with
myself for thinking We Americans or
North CarollnianS have just begun Ia
get on the small edge of appreciation
of what our opportunities are for ad-
vanced agriculture. I've about quit
reading because l had become so shy
Of Dragging about anv of my own acri-
culture achievements. Folks thought
| had quit operations and had got
lazy. And even aOw | am not intend
ing to brag at all. but write this my
first garden story In two Years to
convince my friends that | have been
at work all the time. and my loaded
garden, my beautiful high bred aero
batic chickens can be seen at any
time and a.umping, anybody cares to
come and see.