davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
SEVENTY YEARS OF THE
THEATRE IN NEW YORK
History of the Stage RepIete
with Traditions and Memories
of Famous Players.
VITAL INTEREST CREATED
Signs Seem Set for Brilliant
Future, as Seed of Perpetual
Growth Has Apparently
Been Sown.

The people Of New York have always
loved the theatre. The life behind the foot
ights and on the stage has TO them rep
resented romance. An intense curiosity
about life. added TO the possession Of imag-
nations which have always had too little
20 feast upon outside has led them 10 the
little houses OF magic where. separated only
Of lights. they can sit in the darkness In
hudiled Soy and gaze at the land Of fancy,
az the unreal people who have real loves
and real passions which, envisbly. they
can express.
No one, openly, takes the theatre serious
~. No one. privately, hnds any other
subject so strangely interesting And
although complete statistics on the
subject cannot be got, there is no
doubt that IN no other city in the world IS
so much money spent on theatregoing as
IN New York. The passion for the play
which exists here, and always has existed,
will, we can fancy. be a subject over which
the learned antiquarlans Will. in some far
off century 10 come. ponder and make re-
search into as they dig among the amazing
ruins Of the Great White Way and find
there more than forty amphitheatres be-
longing to one period alone.
The tremendous number Of theatrical en-
terprises that exist IN this city now have
all grown up within the last seventy years,
There were theatres before then; the first
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
Between 1870 and 1880 began the emo

Between 1870 and 1880 began the emo
tional plays. Camille" Article Forty
seven," Led Astray" and The Two
Orphans" Clara Morris belongs TO that
time, and Fanny Davenport Rose Coghlan
and Charles Thorne. In the same era came
dramatizations Of some of Dickenss books.
Uriah Heep was q favorite character, as
was Little Nell' and many others
Theatregoers Of the 70s. sos and 9Os will
also recall the nationality plays. the plays
which followed the great tides Of immigra-
ton There was the flood OF dramas In
which German characters figured. Then
came the Irish plays. among them THE
Shaughraun' and Colleen Bawn." with
Barney williams. There were French plays
and opera bouffe produced under Aimee at
the Lyceum when it was q French the
atre. but that phase was probably due TO
the great American invasion Of Paris which
began about then
The wave Of Civil War plays which start
ed TO roll in after the war and reached
tidal wave proportions i'm the SOS and early
9O's must not be forgotten.
The great period of tragedy which was
longer and more dependent on the appear
ance of actors capable OF producing 1t be-
longed TO the '7Os chiefly. II was TO that
period that the greatest names connected
with the American stage belonged. the
names OF Booth. Barrett, Mccullough,
Cushman, who were Americans. and Janau-
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
Meantime schumann was completing his

Meantime Schumann was completing his
great piano quintet and marshaiiing the
"Davidsb1ndler' to war against the phil
istnes OF art" at once the keenest and
kindliest of music critics. Verdi, regaining
his poise through hard work after a be-
reavement which had numbed his creative
genius, was at work on "Nabuco with
which. as he afterward said. his career as
a composer really began. Mendelssohn,
vainly hoping to regain his lost popularity
In Berlin, had accepted a court appoint
ment there which he was TO relinquish soon
for his greater work In founding the Lelp-
sic Conservatory. Chopin was making
copy" Of George Sand in his Preludes, Op.
IS, and I'm other works. and she was re-
turning the compliment In "Un Hiver
Maj6rca" and in her "Histoire de ma Vie.
Liszt, who had brought this ill-mated pair
together. was in the height OF his popular
ity as pianist. BerlioZ. prophet every
where save i'm his own country. his inspira-
tlons having been heralded TO the outside
world by I.iszt and Schumann, was max
ing a triumphal tour Of Northern Europe
and signing for the appreciation he was
never TO receive in Paris Paganini had
just passed away. Brahms was small
boy. studying the piano sonatas or Beetho-
ven. Rubinstein was spoken or as tue
phenomenal boy pianist
But what has all this to do with the mu-
steal development OF America. and OF New
York in particular?
Everything
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

commanding position Rossini had volun-
tarily abandoned was n kindly man, the
first to make Won Wcoer's larger works
known 10 Northern Germany. the friend
and patron OF the then almost unknown
Jenny Lind. owing TO his continued and
unselfsh influence Wagner was next able
10 get a hearing for The Flying Dutch
man"
Thereafter he spoke contemptuously or
that Jew banker to whom II had occurred
10 compose operas" but he promptly be
gan the wire pulling which eliminated in
his appointment as conductor at the Dres-
den Opera This man who would have
starved in Paris but for the generosity II
friends, who was unable 10 make living
there either as a musician or as a literary
hack. who had tried to get place I'm the
chorus OF a boulevard theatre and had
failed because he couldn't sing we'll enough.
was thus encouraged to persist. and was
a man 20 be reckoned with. The petty re-
volt against the government OF a petty
German state which was 10 drive him forth
into exile was nearer its inception than the
rebellion against established canons Of art
which was TO spread his fame throughout
civilization. Even the phrase music OF
the future" had not been uttered. But for
this temporary success Of seventy years
ago Il might never have been heard.
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

scbel. Modieska. Ristori, Salvini. Duse and
R6iane, who belonged to Germany. France
Poland and Italy.
The SOS held, however, probably the dear
est memories for those theatregoers who
have any memory perspective OF other
DAYS. And I'm a sense. 10 doubt, that was
the best period Of the New York stage 50
far 1t was the time Of Wallacks and
DaIv's theatres. Of the Lyceum, the old
Union SQUARE where Clara Morris played
and the Fifth Avenue, where Mary Ander-
son plaved-the same theatre, by the way,
which is now known as Keith & Proctor's
Fifth Avenue.
AT Valack's and Days the play wave
was one of fine light comedy. Augustin
DAILY and Lester Wallack. whose taste and
genius were mainly responsible for the
epoch which is synonymous with the names
Of their theatres were the first American
producers in the sense in which that woTo
is used to-day DAILY was the first mana
ger in New York who devised the system so
much rnisused now, of keeping actors NOV
ing on the stage. il was he who frst nlled
the stage room with properties, such as
books. pictures. movable decorations. genu-
ine doors, etc, in order to give the people
something TO pick and occupy themselves
Continued on eighth page.
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

VINO was trying 10 play "Richard III" find
ing himself veritable storm centre, bravely
acted in pantomime a while and then re-
tired. much bruised and detected.
The stately way we of the present have
Of rising from our seats and drifting out
into the fresh night air when we are dis
pleased with the traffic of the play was
not the custom OF the old days. The in
stance above described was only one of
many scenes Of excitement which occurred
in the early theatres. and 1t is only lately,
in fact, that the devotion of New YorlIs
people to the stage has not demonstrated
itself IN noisy ways
The Macready riots at the Astor Place
Opera House, afterward nicknamed the
Massacre Place Opera House." in which,
on May 10. 1S49. twenty-one people gave up
their lives as "a tribute to their undying
hatred Of Macready and their patriotic up
holding of Forrest are still spoken of so
often that they are fresh in every ones
memory.
The city was small then and interests were
concentrated. No doubt We are as wild to-
day and would be as demonstrative over
an issue Of Importance to us If We did not
have ten other issues equally dear to us
and making an equally violent appeal Tor
an expression Of opinion
The then and now OF the stage in New
York presents many phases Of interest in
addition to the difference In prices Of seats
and the manners Of theatregoers. In 1871
there were four theatres in New York, the
Park, the Bowery, Barnums Museum and
Niblos Garden, all situated I'm what is now
the exclusively business section Of the city
Now there are between forty and fifty first
class theatres, all situated in what was
then open country which was inhabited by
nothing but the ghosts Of departed Indians.
Even as late as from 1860 to 1870 there We're
no more than seven or eight first class
theatres. OF the old playhouses only one re-
mains. the old Bowery, now known as Ad-
ler's Thana Theatre, and in this one can
trace, although the theatre is somewhat
remodelled, the original pit. an institution
that still exists in England, but no longer
IN America. ''4f
In the theatres of 1871 and for twenty
wears thereafter the interiors were so crude
and barren that 1t Is hard to picture them
TO theatregoers Of the present day They
were built Of rough wood and adorned a
very little here and there with garish orna-
ments The floors were bare boards; the
seats were hardly more luxurious than
horse blocks In Washington's box at the
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

The woman's welfare department OF the
National Civic Federation appeals with
confidence to the civic impulse or the
women OF America in its effort 10 organize
sections throughout the country.
What is this work. II is the call OF duty.
The women who can answer this call are
those who are enriched and benefited by
the great army OF seven millions OF their
sisters doing daily battle for their liveii-
hood. This work is emlnently practical IL
consists in stimulating the interest or the
employer in the welfare OF his employees
safeguarding them from unnecessary rlsks
in dangerous and unhealthful industries
providing good ventilation, light and sani-
tation. lunchrooms and rest rooms, educa-
tional and recreation resources. good hous-
ing conditions. savings funds and benefit
and loan associations
Tho scope OF our opportunity for good
is limitless. Our organization has existed
but three years during which time 1t has
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
Music's Real Beginning Here.

For two generations this development
was TO take place purely on interpretatNe
lines Organizations we're TO be bullt up
Public taste was to be formed. Schoois
were to be established. To do these Things
II was necessary that musicians be I'M
ported and when they came they brough'
with them the music OF the Old World
The chants and war dances OF the Amer
lean Indian did not seem to them treas
ure of thematic material. The musical
patois OF the negro, plaintive, rhythmic
sad. was unknown away from the planta-
tions in the South. But one distinctfVey
American genre OF music had excited the
curiosity OF Europe. Negro minstrelsy had
offered some disguise to the white perform
ers who perpetrated baualities in melody
and verse.
The American composer WAS not come 10
his own. Yet at times this froth in the
melting pot took on iridescent hues. and
Stephen Foster, who published his first
composition in 1S4l, a waltz for four flutes,
followed ii year later with the first or
his many songs. open Thy Lattice, Love" ."
Most OF. these songs. If not written for
minstrel companies. were sung by them, In
Europe as well as in America. The
"Suwanee River" was permitted-for a
considera tion-to be published as the work
OF Christy. one OF the most eminent in
terpreters OF the Jim Crow" songs. which
preceded "ragtime."
This. however IL not the place for bio
gra phlcal notes OF American musicians.
even for those OF Observation-Disclosures
chadwick. Parker, Nevin and the rest
nor for the tone poets OF the older world.
y must deal with the Interpretation Of art
through organized effort
New Workers had heard OF the "Beggar' s
Opera" I'm 1851. THE Barber OF Seville in
1879 The Marriage OF Figaro" in 1924. A
year later Manuel del Popolo Vicente Gar
cia took the Park Theatre. and with the
aid OF his talented family gave a roper
tory Of eleven operas. But he did not
choose to remain. and while there were
sporadic concerts and even operate per-
formances. from time to time, serious at
tempt to cultivate music IN this city was
not made until the winter Of 1912. Then
the Philharmonic Society was organized TO
do for the people and through the people
what still remains the function OF the
court In Europe. or the societies founded
for the advancement OF musical art. only
the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde OF
Vienna and tho Philharmonic Society OF
London both founded in the year 1913, and
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

steadily grown. and the present appeal evil
dences the spirit OF upbuilding and exten-
sion that animates our endeavor.
Every home is better, sweeter, more COM
plete with the presence OF its mistress. 1t
IS no forced analogy We draw when We
conceive OF the business of our country as
being housekeeping on big scale. Would
not these magnifed homes be better also
for the woman's touch? Our work. then,
is such as only woman can do.
few incidents OF many that might be
given aptly illustrate the spirit OF our
work.
At Spray. n. c., through the influence
OF the wife of the president OF the cotton
mill company $4,000 was given for club
house for mill hands. Also through the in
luence OF the women OF the local COM
mittee Of Spray. a dispensary has been
provided where children needing treatment
may be cared for by the district nurse.
Likewise an emergency room has been
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
0FFICERS OF THE CURTIS-B -BLAISDELL co.

Continued on eighth page.
New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
LOVE Of MUSIC GROWS
GREAT WITH THE CITY
Its Early Development from
1841 Chiefly Along Lines
of Interpretation.
OPERA WAR IN SEVENTIES
Philharmonic Society First to
Cultivate Orchestral Music
Thomas a Pioneer
and Teacher.

When The New-York Tribune was round
ing out its first volume Richard wagner
thanks to the benevolent Influence or
Meyerbeer, was able TO bring about the
performance OF his opera "Rienzi' at the
new Royal opera House in Dresden The
creator of The Huguenots," secure In the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-20
COMPEL CHILDREN
 TO GO TO SCHOOL
YDUCED BUT TT IS EXPECTED THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL TAKE UP SUBJECT

Montgomery, January 19.-(Special J. While no compulsory education bills have been introduced in either house of the 1911 legislature. 1t is understood in the lobby that such measures are now in process of formation. Their scope is as yet undetermined, no announcement hay Ing been made of the probable contents of the bills. No doubt exists, however, as to the stringency of the further laws on child labor and compulsory education, in view of the fact that the past laws have not been as generally obeyed as was desired by their authors.
 Compulsory education for this state has Teen the recommendation of ex-Superin- tendent of Education Harry C. Gunnels for several years. his mantle in this re- spect having fallen upon Henry J. VIII iingham. the present superintendent of education. MT. Willingham is actively at work to have such laws framed as will compel education in Alabama, and assure attendance upon the public schools.
 Dr. w. H. Oates. state inspector of jails, almshouse and cotton mills Is no less interested in the proposed child labor than other officials of the state. He rec ognzes that a great need is felt in Ala bama for the education of the youths who labor in the various cotton mills of this such bill as1 will cloak him with au- thority to thoroughly enforce all statutes on the subject. Last year attempts to enforce the child tabor law were fruitless. owing to the fact that there were not enough schools in some of the mill sec tions to take care of all the workers and other pupils at one time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-20
News of Oneonta

Oneonta, January 19.-(Speoial)- )-Dr. Jess Brown, who was a prominent physi- clan .rl Blount county, and who for sew eral years had lucrative practice in Oneonta, died at his fathers home at oulosis. The remains were shipped to Oneonta, where the funeral services were conducted by Rev. V. O. Hawkins, pas tor, M l.. Church, South, after which he was laid beside his wife in Oak Hill cem- etery. His aged father and family and relatives have the sympathy of the com munity.
 Elisha Bynum, an old and esteemed cit izen of Oneonta, Is seriously i'll with pneu- monia.
 The weather the past week has been unusually warm for the time of year, and if change does not come soon the fruit crop is in danger of being killed.
 The people are anxiously watching the legislature and wondering what they will do with the liquor question.
 w. J. Harris, an old and highly respect ed citizen, living about two miles south of Oneonta, after two or three weeks painful Illness with lung trouble and pneumonia, passed away Tuesday night at 7:30 o'clock. Funeral services were conducted by the Rev. MT. Head and the Rev. Mir. Allgood at the Bautist church. after which the remains were turned over to the Masons, of which order he was a member, and the body was laid away with Masonic honors in the Oak Hill cem- etery. MT. Harris leaves an aged widow and three sons, four daughters and host of friends and relatives. He was a faith ful and consistent member of the Mis- sionary Baptist church, which deeply feel its loss.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-20
BANKER ROBBED
 WHILE ON TRAIN
F. A. Gulledge of Verbena Fluds s25O Diamond Missing When He Gets Home

Montgomery, January 19.-(Special.) ) A story is going the rounds in Mont gomery that F. A. Gulledge of Yer bena was robbed of a handsome dia- mond stick pin on the night of the inauguration. According to reports submitted to ths police, he was re- turning to his home in Verbena on the night in question and that two stran- gers picked quarrel with him on the train. Upon rising in defense of hts position. 1t is said, third man back of him forcefully retained him In his seat as peacemaker The quarrel was passed over. but when MT. Gulledge arrived in Verbena he found himself minus the handsome $250 diamond.
 Montgomery police officials have also been advised of the work of pick pockets at the capitol on Monday 1t Is understood that half dozen empty purses were found in one of the sewers at the capitol.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-20
IFS FIRES IN THE
 CITY IN DECEMBER
UNUSUALLY LARGE NUMBER OF BLAZES, BUT EXCELLENT WORK OF FIRE DEPARTMENT HELD LOSS DOWN TO s341e.5O

Chief A. V. Bennett of the fire de- partment yesterday completed his re- port to the Mayor of the work done by the fire department during the month of December The report shows that there were ITS fires during the month, which is a record for the de- partment.
 The department responded to 17s alarms and fires, ran 21S7 blocks, laid cut 27,SS0 feet Of hose. used 450 gal Ions of chemicals and raised 2596 feet of ladders.
 The uninsured loss or net Toss caused by the IFS fires was only s3,419.5o. The insured loss was s13,S70, making a total loss both insured and uninsured of $172S9.72 which. for d city the size of Birmingham, and considering the number of fires. is taken as distinct tribute to the work of the Birmingham fire department.
 The report in full of Chief Bennett is as follows
 Hon. Culpepper Exum, Mayor. City:
 Dear Sir-Please find herewith my report for the month ending Decem- Der 31, 1910
 The department responded to ITS alarms and fires ran 21S7 blocks, laid out 27,3s0 feet of hose. used 452 gall Ions of chemicals, and raised 2596 feyn of ladders.
 The Bristol recording water pres sure gauge indicates an average daily pressure of S71s pounds and an aver age daily variation of , 20-31 pounds per square inch.
 Alarms, how rS-ved: Box 8, still IS. telephone <o1. total IFS.
 Kind of buildings; Brick %, frame 123, stone l. other than buildings 32, total ITS.
 How extinguished: Before arrival 12. chemicals 9S, water 75, false and un- necessary s, total ITS.
 Cause of alarms: Ashes in wooden receptacles 2, burning paper l. bursted oil tank 1. carelessness 2f, children playing with matches 1. communicated 15, cross circuit l, defective ash pit 1, defective hearth 1. defective chim- neys 2, defective cupola 1. defective hues '. defective oven 1, electric wires 2. explosion gasoline stove 9, false 5, grass burning 5. grounded wires 6. hot ashes l. hot grease 8. incendiary (sup- posed) ?, lamp explosion 2, overloaded furnace l. overheat ted motor 1, over heated stack l, rekindled,1, soot burn ing in chimneys 12, soot burning in iue l. sparks go, spontaneous com- hustion l, tar boiling over 1. unknown IA, unnecessary 8, total ITS.
 Value of buildings at risk, $S5S,206; value of contents at risk .$554120; to- tai value at risk $1.407,326.
 Insurance involved on buildings. $564,550 insurance involved on conA !, tents, s250,O50; total insurance in- volved, sS14,600.
 Insurance less on buildings, $11.- TAPE. insurance loss on contents, $2746; total insurance loss, S13,S7o-22.
 Uninsured loss on building. s156T: uninsured loss on contents, $1,S5250. total uninsured loss, $3,419.50.
 Total loss insured and uninsured. s17,2S9.72. Respectfully submitted,
 A. V. BENNETT,
 Chiee Fire Department
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-20
HELD FOR ROBBERY
 OF POSTOFFICE

Union Springs, January 1S.-(Special)- A negro boy about IS years old by the name of Hilliard Christian was lodged in Jail here yesterday charged with taking packages from the boxes of the Union
 Springs postoffice. A gold watch fob
 which had been lost in the mail was found upon his person, and lot of jewelry and
 money swere found at the bottom of his
 trunk l
 Several valuable packages had been lost
 in the mails here during the holidays and Postmaster T. U. Baskin was at a loss to account for them. Yesterday morning Henry J. Rosenstihl. jeweler and optician happened to be in H. H. Hayes
 drug store and recognized a pair of
 glasses which he had sent off some time
 previously to Atlanta to have the lenses
 ground. Upon inquiry, he learned that the negro. Christian, who was employed at the drug store as porter, had turned the glasses over to MT. Hayes, stating that he had found them.
 Rosenstihl immediately notified Post master Baskin and together they. went to see the negro. He was found wearing watchfob which was identified as one which had been ordered by MT. Rosen- stihl for someone in the city. It had in itiaIs andla date sehgraved upon it. They then had, the sheriff go and search Chris tian's room with a result that lot of jewelry and two cigar boxes and two purses full of money were discovered.
 These were found at the bottom of a trunk and were covered with old clothes and rags Among the jewelry was a val uable pearl brooch, gold-handed knife, silver back clothes brush, a silver sou venir spoon, etc.
 Christian was taken in charge by the sheriff for safe keeping and Postmaster Baskn at once notified District Attorney Warren Reese of Montgomery.