Hiawatha Daily World from Hiawatha, Kansas • Page 16

November 1, 1912. "JJ1 VVVSXULAA Opera House History The First Entertainment A 15-Years Run Fire and the End. ROOSEVELT CLUB MEETING COURT HOUSE Monday Night Judge W. I. Stuart, of Troy, and Mrs.

Flatter, of Ohio, will be the speakers. The High School double quartet will sing. All invited. Ladies especially wel Lawrence sang Millard's beautiful song "Waiting." Sept. 14 Mrs.

Blaisdell and Miss Lou Herbert gave a concert for the benefit of the band, Little Cora Gift carrying the house by storm. Receipts $94. The first troup to play the fair week was James Haywood's Minstrels, the last week In September, 1881, handled by the new opera house manager. From this on the hall was under the same manager 14 years until 1895, and shows were brought to it thru the next year until the winter of 1896 when It took fire in some unknown manner and the whole scenery equipment was destroyed. As the business had run down for several years, the stockholders refused to equip it again, and it ceased to be an opera house from the date of the fire.

It was a popular amusement hall for the first ten or 12 years of its existence and fine crowds greeted the attractions in these years, which were of a standarel far superior to the class of those which come here now. Even for the fair weeks, strong attractions were secured and the very best of people, of town and country, attended in full force. At one fair the great drawing card, old John Dillon, drew a crowded house every night. At another fair the Batti Rosa company filled the dates, on which occasion every seat in the house was sold, at 75c before the doors were opened, and 160 standing room tickets were sold at 50c each after the doors were open. Many of the holders of these 50c tickets stood out in the hall, or in the ticket office where they could only just see into the hall.

Sol. Smith Russell, Bertha Welby, Jane Combs, Louie Lord and many other forgotten city attractions performed in the Hiawatha opera house in those good old days. The biggest Uncle Tom companies anel the biggest minstrel troups of the country, as well as the best opera companies traveling. But there was a guarantee to be made before one of these could he had. For instance, the manager would book a fine opera company, whether it was the London Opera company or Kate Bensbury company, and guarantee the company's share to be not less than say $150.

Then the manager of the opera house would start out to sell tickets in advance, to be safe, carrying a small diagram of the hall with him. lie would generally go first to the Morrill Janes bank and probably sell ten tickets there, placing tin; five names on the subscription list. He would then gj to' the Bierer, Lawrence store and be about as successful there. Then he would go over to the First National and do the same there. Now he jumps to the depot and gets Harry Bossart, Charlie Tap-scott and probably two or three others.

By this time he had such a list ol names and had the diagram checked so that he could stop anywhere, The building of the opera house, over the postofflce, by the Hiawatha Building: company, was commenced in tho summer of 1880, Gregory Amann, the contractor. The building was up by late fall and the inside work done on opera part, as well as Masonic hall above, was done thru the winter. The opera house was completed near cnuf to hold the first local entertainment in Monday evening, Feb. 14, 1881. It was the J.

B. T. Chase concert. Big fires had been going in the stoves to dry the room out, for several days. The few drummers that traveled in this section always made for Hiawatha when night or Sunday approached and they were of the jolllest stripe.

On this occasion it is remembered that they had been snowbound here two weeks, and had appeared at this concert with a lot of bouquets. The local ladies, who had taken part in the concert, were both jealous and surprised, lor they had searched the town over for flowers, but were disappointed. But their harrowed feelings were sonewhat pacified when they discovered that the abundance of brilliant flowers before them were not the artistic handiwork of Dame Nature, but of Miss Llnthlcum, the milliner, and that the immense bouquet presented to the beautiful and brilliant prima dona, Mrs. J. Houston West, was only a large cabbage head dressed up in tissue paper.

In the middle of March Gregory Amann and his hands were working on the Masonic hall and still touching up the opera house below. May 5 the Masons, by a committee, I'uiaposed of II. M. Robinson, C. II.

Lawrence and Capt. Schilling, sent out an invitation to the public to attend the public dedication and banquet. Now the set of opera house stage scenery, which had been in the store room below for a long time, was taken upstairs and the stage was fitted up for regular traveling shows. There may have been one or two other home 'entertainments. The Hubbard jewelers, in the room where Mr.

Bardin is( had now the charge of the show business, and keys of the opera house. The Mason Morgan Drtrthatic company was the first foreign company to play in this new opera house. They played Uncle Tom's Cabin, the first night, Friday, July 1, 1881, followed by Ten Nights in a Bar Boom, Saturday night; East Lynn, Monday night, with Uncle Tom's Cabin for matinee Monday afternoon. The receipts of the four entertainments were $488 at 25 and EOc admission. Aug.

31 Prof. George Lyon, of St. Joseph, gave a reading at the new opera house, assisted by Mrs. Blals-dell and Mrs. Albert Lawrence.

Mrs. Blaisdell rendered a selection from Marianl, "Scenes That are Brightest" theme and variations upon the harp, responding to encore with "The Last Kose of Summer," variations, Fishers Hornpipe and Yankee Dood-le. Mrs. come. (Political Advertisement) and in another part of the-wrlteup accused Itobinson players of playing dirty football.

The Hiawatha management knew that the Robinson team was not composed entirely of high school students. In a game here two weeks ago it was plain to be seen that the students could not put up a team that compared with Hiawatha In tweight and it was understood that outsiders were to play and it was advertised in the Hiawatha papers and on their bills that the Robinson team was an "all star" team. Judging from the bruised eyes and other portions of the anatomy the Itobinson boys brought home Hiawatha wasn't playing a very ladylike game, and any charges of foul playing could be placed equally as strong on the Hiawatha team as on our own. The Hiawatha players showed themselves to be good sportsmen but their sporting writer is lacking in courtesy and the sportsman-like spirit which Is essential to making such contests a Robinson Index. show these and everybody would take ticke ts.

But, lots of times, with these big attractions, the money secured in advance was not sufficient and then if the weather happened to be bad, only enuf was on hands to pay the company, and the opera house company, and the' manager who had done all the work got out without a cent. Such Is the show business. The show business was interspersed with other" home entertainments and dances. There was a regular dancing club in existence, with such members as Mr. and Mrs.

John Moon, Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Macy, Mr. and Mrs.

Dr. Bliss, and later Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bossart, Mr. and Mrs.

Chas. Tapscott, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Koenningsburg and others. The club had started dances, but woulcj often sling in a special one.

They generally had a St. Joseph or Atchison orchestra. Whenever an Italian orchestra, with a big harp, would arrive at the depot, Mr. Cameron, a clerk at the Yates drug store or Charlie Tapscott, of the depot force, would strike out to notify the opera house manager to prepare the room for a dance. So there were big Don't devote all your enthusiasm to telling about it.

Go head and do It. crowds, lots of fun and great entertainment enjoyment in that old opera house from 1881 to 1896 when Hiawa ARMORY THEATRE Three Nights Beginning November 7 tha ceased to be known as a good show town among the traveling show fraternity of the country. GENERAL NEWS. Not True Sportsman. The Robinson "All Star" football Pritchard's Select Players team went to Hiawatha Friday and played the high school team there and the game resulted in a tie, 0 to 0.

It Opening Bill The Last Appeal vas a well played game, Hiawatha making most of their gains on for TO THE VOTERS OF BROWN COUNTY, KANSAS I signed Statement No. 1, agreeing to vote for the candidate for U. S. senator receiving the largest number of votes at the November election. I meant just what I said and shall vote for the candidate receiving the largest number of votes, first, last and all the time.

J. F. BAILEY Candidate for Representative ward passes which our fellows were unable to block and the Robinson gains were made by bucking the line. Friday Night Fatal Love While the game was a good one, some member of the Hiawatha high, school showed a streak of yellow by writing an account of the game in which the Robinson players were characterized Saturday Night House of Mystery las "married men, farmers and widow ers," also a statement which intimated that the Robinson team were playing under false colors Inasmuch as they were not all high school students, Prices 15, 25, 35c Specialties. (Political Advertisement.) MR, FOSTER, IIoiu Manager, I.