The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-02
BUILT MANY THEATRES
Began Life as Cigarmaker,
Turned Inventor and Won
Renown as Composer.
ALWAYS WORRIED RIVALS
Made Many Fortunes, Spend
ing Them Freely in Promot-
ing Numerous Pet Projects.


Oscar Hammerstein, who began his
career as a cigarmaker and became
the most talked Of grand opera Inn
presario, theatrical producer and thea
tro builder in the world. died last night
at 7:s5 o'clock in the Lenox Hill Hos
pital. The end came after Mr.. Ham,
merstein had been unconscious since
,ast Tuesday afternoon. although there
was a period Of a few hours on Wednes-
day when he regained consciousness
sufficiently to recognize members Of
his family. At his bedside when he
died we're his wife, who had stayed in
the came room with him for more than
twenty-four hours hoping there would
be a return of consciousness before he
died, and his son and daughter, Arthur
ard Stella. Other relatives were sent
for and reached the hospital soon after
the end
Mr.. Hammerstein had suffered from
diabetes for many years and during the
Gated by other ailments. His right side
was paraIyzed some time ago, and last
week his condition became 50 serious
that his physician ordered him sent to a
hospital for treatment. He sank grad
uaily however, and when he became un-
conscious last Tuesday his physicians
felt that he could not recover.
&ntn BOD talr n.
the Campbell undertaking parlors. 1870
Broadway, where IL will lie In state until
Monday. The funeral viii be held Mon
day afternoon from the Campbeff Fu-
neral Church, and interment win be in
woodlawn Cemetery. Arthur Hammer
stein said last night that the arrange
ments for the details OF the funeral had
not been completed.
Mr. Hammerstein'S Career.
The Manhattan Opera House and the
Lexington Theatre. the Harlem Opera
House, the block of theatres which
included the Criterion and the New York
Theatre. the Victoria, since torn down.
and the present Harris Theatre, the Proc
Tor Theatre In Harlem, FIRST known as
lic these were the one time monuments
TO the tireless energy OF Oscar Hammer
stein as a theatre builder.
Outside of this city two other theatres,
the Philadelphia Opera House and the
Lcndon Opera House, stand as proof that
Manhattan Island was too narrow to
conhne the impresario's zeal. or one
Of the largest theatres he built there is
not a trace. It was the first Manhattan
af frfy t,rfH n
street, where Macy's store now stands
Built originally for opera in English, IL
was subsequently used for drama. Later
II was absorbed by Roster & Bal.
II was here that Oscar Hammerstein.
disagreeing with the policy of his asso-
cIates, one night hissed from the stage
Marietta Di Dio. whom they had brought
from Vienna as one OF their stars. 1t
was during the term Of his association
with Roster & Bial that Mr.. Hammer
stein was locked up In the Gilsey House
on a bet to write a one act opera In
twenty-four hours. He won the wager.
More than one of Oscar Hammer
STEMS theatres were spite theatres. The
vast Olympia, which he subsequently
lost. was built as a rival music hall 70
the Manhattan Opera House, which his
former associates had acquired down In
West Thirty-fourth street. The second
west. was not built for opera. but It did
serve as a rival to the metropolitan.
Oscar Hammerstein started in life
as cigarmaker. His fortune was
earned through an invention he made
for decreasing the difficulty Of making
cigars. He held at the time of his
death 10S patents for the same sort OF
machinery. and was an expert chemist
as we'll.
All this skill and knowledge he ac-
quired by his own efforts, since he was
born in Berlin In 1s47 of humble par
ents and passed a severe youth there. But
part Of this severity was the result OF
his fathers efforts to make him swal-
low learning at the rate and In the way
he wanted. So severe was the method
That after a beating because he went
skating intead of going to school young
Oscar sold his violin for $35 and came
TO New York. He arrived here in 1853
having sailed from Dover on the packet
Isaac Webb.
First n CiRarmakeF.
Mr. Hammerstein became a cigar
maker at 81 week, was advanced
rapidly through his mechanical genius
and began as little more than boy to
make the useful inventions which were
tne basis OF his fortune. So soon as he
mad begun to make sufficient money he
became interested in theatricals as q
side Issue. He also owned a tobacco
trade paper.
His hrst venture as a manager was al
the old Stadt Theatre on the Bowery
Where he produced In German a bur-
Iesque called THE Knight Errant,' -
which was such a failure that he with.
arew temporarily to devote himself to
me further accumulation OF funds in the
tooaeco business in order that he might
aeVote himself later to the arts. His
interest In music was proved by the
Iaet that he had learned In youth the
violin, plano and flute.
The Importance Of giving a theatre "a
hsrlem was seen by Mr.. Hammerstein in
ana he built in West 125th> street the
heatre which Is stili standing. Then
Continued ON Ninth Pags.