Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-19

cal purposes in 1853. when 1t opened its
doors under the name of Varieties Con-
cert Saloon, and during the following
year the same name was retained. In
1865 we find IL called the Oxford Hall
of Music, with Fox, Curran & Norris
as the proprietorS and managers. The
next year George Lea was running the
place under the name of Canterbury
Hall But this did not continue long,
for In 1867 1t became Wallis Opera
House. with Berry e. Wall listed as pro-
prietors From that time on until the
building was destroyed by fire. early on
the morning of December 6. 1871, Berry
g. Wall continued to run it with more
or less success. The Star of the same
date, after telling of the fire. gives the
following account of the theater up to
that time:
The opera house. three STORY brick
building, was originally built by MesSrs.
Haslup g. Weldon. about the year 1850.
as a coach factory and subsequently as
a gymnasium. About Is years ago the
building was purchased by Messrs.
Thomas Berry and Francis Mohun, and
after the gymnasium had dishanded It
was used for several years as a store
room and for other purposes. During
the war it was fitted up and run as a
varieties theater. but was closed after
the war. and MessrS Berry and Wall,
the latter gentleman having secured
MIR Mohuns interest i'll the premises,
used IT. as a storeroom for furniture.
About six years ago these gentlemen,
thinking 1t could be used to better adj
vantage. made certain necessary I'M
provements and repairs and 1t was
opened under the name of Walls Opera
House. The theater was leased to II, b,
Phillips. who opened the place with
Rosetta" and a full dramatic COM
pany. Wallach and Davenport came
next, and under the management of
Humphrey Bland. now dead, round
of the characters peculiar to those emil
nent actors, assisted by Rose EytInge,
was played II was leased to SanderSon
a. Barton during the season Of lS68-69,
and after that MIR ThaddeuS Barton
was. up Ia the close Of the season Of
1901, the principal lessee, While
he was manager very eminent hiStrionlc
names appeared upon the boards Of
Wallis Opera House, among them Nine.
Marie Seehach. Mrs. Scott SiddonS and
Mrs. Fred w Lander, also the Mrs.
James Oates and Lisa Lever burlesque
operate companies. Kelly and Leon. the
Walhalla troupe, Bryants MINISTRIES,
etc. At the beginning of this season II
was leased by MIR. j. q. Saville, lessee
of the National. and has only been oc-
cupied about three weeks III that time,
Arrangements. however had been COM
pleted between MIR Saville and Man
agcr Risley for reopening next Monday"
y
THOMAS BERRY, who was W. l.,
Walls father in-law and partner IN
operating the theater, was the owner OF
the theater property at the time 1t was
destroyed He was an early stone
cutter and welt known contractor and
builder Of his day. and 1t is said 1t was
under his direction that the Patent
Once and some OF the other public
buildings were constructed. In la43
he lived ON the north side OF New York
avenue between Twelfth and Thirteenth
streets northwest. and in 1850 he had
lrls marble yard on the north side of
r. near Fourteenth street. After the
theater fire ne rebuilt the walls of the
building and the roof ana floor and
then turned it over TO John L. Ford.