Evening star., 1944-04-23

S"ScS DNAN ASoeSS W. JsoG
"Jake Budd"), popular black
face comedian and manager
OF Kernan's Lyceum Theater
in the early Sos.
on March S, 1S45. Other theatrical
buildings were similarly destroyed in
1857 and 1873
William Rapley
OF the owners and proprietors of this
playhouse, the most notable was Will
liam w. Rapley, father of Harry" or
w. II. Rapley, who in time succeeded
him. The senior Rapley came to WASH
!ngton from Baltimore prior to 1887 U.s.
Ing to get here the f1rst-known method
of travel-shanks' mare. He was evi-
IDENTITY blacksmith. for the city direc-
tory of 1860 gives this as his occupation,
and his place of business Pennsylvania
avenue and Eighteenth street NV,
which was Sehneiders iron foundry.
His residence was at 1853 Eighteenth
street (old numbering).
A blacksmith at that time had to be
an unusually skilled workman, for in
those days, and even later, much of the
artistic ironwork then in vogue here was
made by hand. Indeed, many evidences
of iron construction work of that pc
riod still remains as examples of the
citys early beauty. Many of the resi-
dences then had iron railing balconies
in front, while others had smaller rail-
lngs, OF exquisite design, outside the
windows. The Treasury Building, COM
pleted just about the beginning of the
Civil War, had in front of it, on the
Fifteenth street side, a beautiful iron
railing fence, and the columns, which
now look rather bare, were connected
with similar iron railing The White
House and other public and private
buildings also were treated in this way.
However, Mr.. Rapley did not desire to
continue to be blacksmith, and soon
we find him engaging in other and more
profitable enterprises. In 1862 he bought
the theater building, then operated by
Leonard Grover, where had formerly
stood the old National Hall, erected by
Messrs. Willard and Reside in 1850,
primarily for the purpose of giving there
the concerts by the noted Swedish
Nightingale, Jenny Lind on December
Is and l8 of that year
So far as the writer knows. W. w.
Rapley's name was first used in con-
nection with the National Theater in
1868, when he was the proprietor and
w. E. Spalding the msnager But he
always maintained his interest in it
until his death in 1902.
The first Mr.. Rapley, besides being a
good businessman, was undoubtedly
much liked. for in 1862 we find him serv-
ing the city in the Common Council
and as alderman in 1863 and 1864. dur
ing the mayoralty of Richard Wallach.
AT an early date he was also in the
brokerage business, with his office in
the 1ntelligencer Building, then at
Seventh and D streets.
Had Other Plans
Apparently the elder Mr. Rapley had
other plans for his son, w. H. Rapley
than looking after his theater inter-
ests, which he later did, for, after Civ
ing him an education in the local
schools, he sent him to study abroad,
and later, through the family friend
ship with Gen. U. S. Grant, he was sent
to West Point, where he remained for
two years, and then decided that it
was f1nanciering and not fighting that
he should follow.
Returning to Washington, we first
pick him up in the city directory for
1878 as clerk at 1921 F street, and
here he remained until 1880, when he
became treasurer Of his fathers play
house, John w Albaugh then being the
proprietor, with Samuel G. Kinsley as
manager In 1885 Rapley and Kinsley
became managers, with Harry Fisk
treasurer. and soon afterWard Mr.. Rap
ley became sole manager and continued
as such until 1923, when a half interest
in the theater was sold to A. L. Erlanger
from which time on the National was
managed for while by these two men
jointly.
Going back few years, we find J. G.
Saville as sole lessee and manager of
the National In 1874, and those asso-
ciated with him were w. H. James,
treasurer; George Heinmapn, scenic
artist; Gross and Garrison, machinists;
J. H. Foster, stage manager; l.. Schnei-
der, leader of orchestra. and James