Evening star., 1928-05-06

the noted black-face comedian. was re-
sponSible for his debut. After dancing
out up1n the stage and singing the first
verse Of his Jim Grow" song, Rice in
trodueed Jefferson with these lines:
"Oh ladies and gentlemen, I'd have
you for to know
That I've got little darkey here that
jumps Jim Grow"
He proceeded forthwith to dump little
Joe out Of the bag which he carried with
him on the stage. Later on IN life Ne
enjoyed to the utmost the same Joe.
though then grown old. in his celebrated
"R'0 Van Wrinkle"
Sam Bernard in The Silver Slipper:
May Irwin IN The Swell Miss FitZvsu'
and other plays. Mrs. Langrry The
VIII Haley Band represent out a fsx
of the additional attractions which su-
pesred at the National Theater more
than quarter of a century ago.
THE fire that occurred in this rrea,er
during the early hours Of February
~, 1885. and which so many people still
living remember. was OF ar intense
character. II started about us o'clock
and az $50 the rear vail fell IN. fol-
lowed a half hour later with the cav
ing IN of the front wali OF the esti-
mated loss of Si50.0o0 on the building
and the equipment, there was an in
Sursnce, 1t is said, around s40.010,
In those days. over the theatsr lobby,
there was Miller g. Jones billiard room.
and on the frSt floor 20 the west side OF
the lobby the same firm conducted
sample room However everything went
up in SmoSe-llQuid refreshments and
sl-and Miller & Jones lost $4,000,
partly covered BY insurance. At this
time the theater was entirely owned by
the elder Mr.. Rapley. who. prior 90 this,
had recalled all the outstanding bonds,
including the $4,000 worth once owned
by Lotta the actress. Lester wsllsck's
company was playing here Victor
Durand." and the loss 90 this company
was considerable
IL did not take Mr.. Rspley long 20 re-
build, and ON Monday, October ;, 1885,
the New National wSS opened WITH
Lady Ashley" in which appeared Nile.
Rhea. In attendance upon this occa-
sion were such potahleS as Secretary
L. @ c. IAmsr, Solicitor Ceuersl john
Goode Public Printer s, :. Rounds,
Prank 2 ConSsT. Judge
Hlllyer and John f. WsSSsnlaU
The nrSt thestev on this size SsS
opened December : 1885. Win me
Man Of the World" followed ny the
farce Turn Out" Ths building was cf
Roman noric architecture and vas
IN imitation cy SrsIlsS, ana
ns6 Ave large doors and a large NUM-
Der of windows on the frCut, In erect
ing this theater the pit was ccas away
with and in les place a parcues MAS
The gallery became tGs
cheaper part Of the hcul$s snd ire rFS1
slcor the more expensive. as Il has co1-
.inued 20 bs up - the present time.
The first National T0SaEsr vas de-
Stroyed hy Are on March ;, 1SAe, the
iav following the tnsUSUvs, ball held
there for President Polk UrcU tA,S cc-
caSiOn there were Two inaugural caIsS
in the city TOR the new PTe$1Gent~-cns
at CaruSi'S, AZ { and Eleventh streets. AZ
$40 ticket, and the other az IRE Na~
tioNal ThSateS. where the price cor me
tickets Was ens-hRlg tAat amount.
President Polk to avoid gaVcrtstSEO, Sat
IN an appearance at e>Eh eallS,
The Beauty and she Beast VAS
oeinS performed there az ths time w
his Are. and the hG,ldips Was soon sn"
seloped in flames and entirely cs>trcy-
I'd leaVinS only the bare walls stand
ms Besides destruction " ire tnea'sr,
seven or etght dwe,lipE houses and See~
sral stables we're alSN consumed by IRE
lpon this occasion
For the accommodation ~ JENNY t1Na
,,herwt$e kncwps as "the Swedish Night
ngale," MeSSfS. Willard sN1 ne, <.'s
erected ON the thsatsy size, ~ ls3v.
temporary building called Na1lenal Mali
rhe following year this structure VAS
'eplaeed hy a permanent eatlatnS srects
ID for theatrical purposes, In 1888 Z
,aSSed into the hands oi John T ScEu,
With wAeM were associated MeSSrS-
Sunkel and Mesiley and aS il 81 har-
,ened, the following year = Was asaa
>urned down Snaulaing ana RaeleN
'enaiu il IN 1853 and leased n 60 Leoa~
srd aroyer,
on January IS, 1873, nFe DESTROYED
he rear or northern part ef tae euls0~
na out Il WAS quickly replaced aAa
eaS>d co Mr For1, Who continued IA
Is mAnagement uptl SVceeeded ey
Iehn ", Aloaugh and later BY Rapley
Ind knSley,
Few xheater sites IN the United States
ave a more interesting past ana Stil
Ontinue tc be used for amusement par-
'oSeS. and, indeed, SO Il seems With
very prospect az making additional
regilsahle history foe Itself and ths city
hat SunpxsS IL