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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 17, 1889)
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY i MARCH 17 ; 18S9.-SIXTEEN PAGES. Plush Rocker , $9.50 ; cheap at $15 ISN'T THAT FAIR ? $9.50 ; cheapest Stove in America. ISN'T THAT FAIR ? Carpet Rocker , $1.50 ; on easy terms ISN'T THAT FAIR. Sole Agents for Omaha. Sold on Easy Weekly or Monthly Payments Folding Bed , $50. On Time Payments. JSN' THAT FAIR ? MIMIC EARTH , SEA AND SKY , How They Are Handled in a Modern - orn Thoatro. AN ARMY OF SCENE SHIFTERS. Special Gars and JriyH < Loading and UnlimiliiiK StiiRo IMooliiiulHiu and Properties Scenery of Ancient Dnjrf At Omnlia Theatres. Stage Scenery. In this rushing , enterprising , moneymaking - making age , scenery forms tin indispen- Eiblo adjunct to the success of. nearly all entertain mo nts especially of dramatic performances. In fact , a stage without econory nowadays would bo as primitive as a wooden lilow. The origin'of the drama can bo traced distinctly to the religious ceremonials of the ancients , and through the inter mediate ages , dramatists and tlioir exponents - pononts have kept in view , an intent und desire to bo no lit and amend the morals of mankind. But to no such distant roach into the past nro there any evidences that actors in their mimic lives were surrounded with such showy embellishments as drop curtains , flats , Hies , wings and furniture. The object , therefore , of this short article is to show , briefly , what strides have been made in bring ing dramatic art and representation to their present great perfection by the assistance of scenic effects ; also how the proper ties is transported from ulaceto place' , moved from depot to theater and theater to depot , and the amount of work required to handle it. Very few people outside of thb profcs- Hion have any conception of the vast Bums of inqney invested by modern managers in accessories to plays us they nro being produced now. More wealth is expended in the mounting of a single tragedy or melo drama In the present time than many of the finest theaters of 101) ) yours ago cost to build. It is considered u very poor attraction that does not carry from ono to half a do/.en car loads of Bcennry and stage furniture. Theaters nro of ancient origin. They were found in every Greek city but not built like Boyds or the Grand , with tiers of galleries rising ono over the other. The reason of that is , probably , thoru wore no gallery gods then to sit in judgement of the players. The scuts of the auditorium wore arranged in Bomi-olrcular form and the play wusun- uctod on u sort of platform erected in the center. Then cumu a slight improvement ; the proscenium WIIH invented , and it formed the chord of the semi-circular auditorium. Behind thin was u solid wall ornamented with plllurs , cornices and appropriate archi tectural features. The first Introduction of scenery on anything llko a scale of grandeur , or batter than sliding semens , wan put Into the "Kcala" opera house at Milan , Italy , built in 1771. But the corroot- ucss , olthor of costume or scenery , was scarcely thought of till the time of Tulinn , toward the close of the last cen tury. Since then the best theaters have displayed iilundiiblp desire to reproduce , with bomi lilio truthfulness , the costumes und spirit.of the represented. There U no his- Jiowuvor , to show that V hua been uiudo to play , $24. On Credit. Every Stove Guaranteed. ISN'T THAT FAIR ? 6 hole Universal Range , $27.5O. ISN'T THAT FAIR ? nearly BO important n. part as at the present time. Managers vie with each other to see which can invent and get up the greatest display and their enterprise has brought into de mand the best talents of brush and pen cil artists. To Kiralfy , the Hanlans , Stottson , Henry E. Abby , A. M. Palmer , Robson I and Crane , Booth and Barrett , Edward Rico , Augustin Daly Colonel MeCull , and a dozen others , is duo the credit of having conceived and consumatod so much towards illustrating , perfecting and presenting dramatic productions with historical correctness so far as scenic surroundings , incidental occur- ranccs and situations are concerned. Cranks may contend that Henry Irving deserves to bo classed as the loader In .this march of progress , but such is not the case. In no country on the globe has there been displayed such an enor mous showing of stuff as the American managers carry about with them and use every night during the season. In no other country could such an under taking bo thought of. Facilities neces sary for doing it arc not to bo had. A few largo cities reached by railroads might enjoy the luxury , but such towns in Europe , Asia , Africa and South America , as Council Bluffs , Lincoln , Beatrice , St. Joseph and Kansas City , novor. Under what Hag besides the stars and stripes have men engaged in this business , over been known to transport for one liight , or oven a week stands , carloads of scenery ? "When the National Opera company traveled it had a special train and those who wore attendants upon its performances remember well the great curtuiifii of gorgeously painted canvass that added to the pomp , circumstance and pleasure of every opera given. What wonder ful amounts of tinsel and tapestry , gilded interiors , carved and pictured exteriors , streets , castles , forests , gardens - dons , cities , lakes , rivers and fairy lands , give charm , beauty and enter tainment to the Devil's Auction , The Twelve Temptations. Black Crook , Excelsior , Lights O' London , Silver King , Romany Rye , The Two Dromoos , Fantasma , Dolries , Flying Dutchman , Nero , Faust and Slmkesporian trage dies as presented by Booth and BarroU. To handle it nil nt every stand is no small task by any means. Sovorul teams of horses and wagons , besides scores of men arc required. In Omaha , contracts are made by advance agents with the transfer company to haul the truck hack and forth between depot and theatre. Everything is arranged be fore the show gets hero for quick and smooth work. The company mechanic , is notified ton.days before hand about the si/.e of stage , its permanent , llxturos , whether up or down stairs , und what the arrangements are for getting into it. Boyd's is on the second Door. AH an oxiunplu of the industry , take the bhow of Fantrisinu , that was given there last week. That had a car sixty feet long , loaded to the roof with wtulf. There were thirtv-throo drop curtains , to say nothing of the Huts that shova on and olT from oitliur side , the small pieces used in working tricks. AB boon tis the train arrived Sunday , Mr. llanlon'a carpenter went to the theatre , took the dimensions of the * stage , and ascertained that ho could use everything. Monday morning they commenced putting It in , A largo double door which opens otf the faUigo at the rear into thq alloy about fifteen foot from the ground. Thobo drop curtains como rolled up ; they re quire n polo forty foot long and are heavyTo hoist and shove thorn into the stage , block and taoklo machinery la Ubcd. Baggage and wardrobe , and what uro called properties , go up on u freight Elegant Lounge , $6 ; on time ISN'T ' THAT FAIR. Bed Lounge iO.oO. On Payments ISN'T THAT FAIR ? elevator. To transfer and put tip the scenery of this show twenty-two men and two teams worked seven hours with out stopping to oat. The rolled cur tains , as is always the case , wont in ilrst. Each pno was marked , to correspond with the n umbers on a printed scene plat for the stage cai'-- pontor's use , showing the position for it to bo placed , whether near the front , rear or in the contor. Ropes , operated by men btationed in the left or scene gallery that pass over pulleys near thereof roof and have weights on the outer end , are lot down , throe to each curtain. One is fastened to the button at either end , and the third in the middle. By these tno curtain is pulled up , it gradually unrolls and is finally loft hangincr away tibovo the border lights. This operation is repeated until every curtain is safely in its place. Then comes the work of undoing the Hats and wings and setting them up , of putting each piece of furniture in a spot marked for it , so ns to bo handy when needed , of securing the many little things neces sary and when the front curtain rises , a picture perfect in detail is disclosed to view. The car for transporting bconory lias a door in the end and demands the combined otlorts of three or more men to load and unload it. The wagon , coupled long , is backed with the two hind wheels against the car and the rolled curtains are taken out or shoved in , as the case may bo , endwise. When one wagon is loaded it is driven to the theater , where from six to fifteen men meet , unload it and get the material inside. Tlio work of getting stun out of the theater and onto the car is not bo hard , though as many men are required to do it. The only dllTorenco between the I3oyd and Grand is that the latter is a ground lloor , and there the scenery is carried from the wagon right onto the stage. At Boyd's. A. J. Uhl and Al Kostor.s , asstagocarncntor and property man re spectively , Iiavo full con11 ol behind the foot lights and on thorn Mr. Boyd de pends for assurances that every show will bo put on and ready to proceed when the time comes. They nro good men in that line and have never yet disappointed him. At the Grand Charles RiUdlobozor and George Dean hold similar positions. Messrs. Uhl and Kostor entertained the writer yes terday with a few interesting stories of the events they have passed through. Could Rosclus and yEsopus , who de lighted the citi/.oiiB of Rome in ( Jieu ro's time with their tragic excellence , como from their graves and walk upon an American atugo what would bo their amazement. Imagine the satisfaction that it would give William Shakespeare could ho see Hamlet , Merchant of Ven ice , Othello and others of his creation in the way they are dressed up by Booth und Barrett. ' But the most wonderful feature of the whole thing is found in the fact that , through the energy , push and determi nation of modern caterers to public amusement , the nooplo of every com munity having a theatre are permitted to see and enjoy these things , just the same as those of the metropolis. Omaha gets. just'asimich rod lire , gprgoous tab leaux and pompous pageantry , as Now York , Chicago or Boston. JMl'llJTIKb. It IB said of a certain cranky cloriryman In Ohio that ho always lias either u row or .1 re vival In his church. What if Sain Jones did call certain resi dents of Los Ar/Kelcs "bollod-oyod drunk ards" unJ "moral lepers" if tlioy were auohl Sum butanes to tlio church militant , and the nioro tnllltcint Ills the better pleased Is .Sam. ( io It , Sum. Hit the olu sinners again aim lilt 'em hard. The Key. Michael Baxter , ol London , proved to bis own satisfaction thnt the inil- lo.iunn would begin on 'March 5. He evi dently was promised a raise of salary on that any. Wo hope he got it. in the meantime ho will have to walk around like an angel without whips. There is mi increasing danger of a religious war In Canada. At the saino tims it is hard to sco how any war can bo relleious. The Ucv. Joseph Cook declares that "God is turning prohibitionist. " Dies this an nouncement carry with it the idea that the Supreme Doing was once disposed to com , promise on beeri Minister ( diningwth ] the family ) Bobby I suppose when you crow UL | to be man you will want to bo nn earnest , Christian , won't you ! "Yes , sir , if it doesn't Interfere with being a drum major. " Strikes are extending to the churches. In a church in Edinburj , ' , the other Sunday , the choir went on a strike , "their complaint bo- niK the inconvenient and draughty scats nl- loted to them " Some preacher * have peed reason to strike , because of the absence of drafts. HON'ICY KOR Tilt ; LiAIHSS. White woollen toilets will bo more than ever in vogue r.cxt summer. New prinoesso dresaoa for homo wear are shown with sraceml jacket fronts. Pink wash dresses will bo much trimmed with white embroidery. So will these of grav and blue. A feature of the now wide-brimtned straw hats is that the crown is usu.illy of one straw , tliu brim of another. Striped and plaldcd materials are still ar ranged with great ingenuity , and all mon otony is thus avoided , Hcseda , or mimionetto , is the very pretty shade of gray green which on many costumes is madp up of one material alone. Marguerite gauntlets , the deep close al most elbow culls , may bo cither of velvet or of stuff to match the dress trimming. llpal' orange llowcrs for bridal wear nro now arranged in bands to cross the head with an aigrette o ( buds at the side. With white muHlhi any color may ho worn ; but yellow , old rose , tan and green will be most used for sashes and knots this summer. A stylish spring lotifj cloak in Connemara fashion is made of cloth brocade , the ground of a handsome shade of Roman red with raised flowers in black. Albatros s or veiling Ucllcatoly barred in old rose , Persian lilac , olive , mahogany , or Kivcn , In many lovely tints , will bo in great iavor the coming season. The toipjo und the little French canoto will rival each oibor in favor this season. Low crowns appear upon Jiiearly every one of the Paris and London models thus far ex hibited. It was considered by uiunywomon present nt the inaugural ball in Washington that the most gniL'oiul and beautiful toilets displayed wcro those fashioned In Princesso style , with Neo-Grcek draperies. Many of the smart tailor gowns of Kng < liali serge , French camel's hair , Venetian cloth or Thibet show a fcathor-stitchcd silk shirt-waist beneath an umpire bodlco fast ened only at the throat. It the embroidered collar * and cuffs of summer cotton gowns arc tnado separata it will s.ivn a deal of laundry work , us those accessories get soiled long before the gown tsclt think4 needing nf washing. The spring jacket Is iiilido of all fabrics and in all sliaucs. The ehicf model is vir tually a closely tilted bodlco , with or with out rovers , braided or not braided , very ornate - nato or exceedingly simple , according to its material garniture , uses and its woarer. One can hardly go astray in the use of rib bon , liesidn the empire Bash all sorts of liots and knots and bows prevail , to say nothing of the folded ribbon finished with a bow that will bo so favorite u finish for the ncek and slcovosof summer gowns. I'aris semis us for our summer wear cam brics and pnrcales in stripes or flowers , or else with borders. London , zephyrs and 'ginghams in all manner ol plaids and stripes , along with the most delicate and vividly flowered lawns , sateens and batistes. The genuine empire waist that is especially adapted to thin summer textures has the fronts gathered on the shoulders and lapping surplice faanlon , under a broad cash or sott folded belt , Sometimes they arc gathered , und surplice In the back as well , or uleo loosely draped from one shoulder to the op posit * hip , with trimming only on one edge. Famous Universal Fine as any Range made , $32. ISN'T THAT FAIR. Family Universal Cook , $18 , on pay. ments. No Finer stove made. ISN'T THAT FAIRV Sole Agents for Omaha. Sold k on Easy Weekly or Monthly Payments. $2.75 on "Weekly or Mouthlv Payments. ISN'T THAT FAIRV CAUGHT JACK IN THE BOX , An Old Baggageman's Experience With a Boxcd-Up Bobbor. THE MAN IN FEMALE ATTIRE. An Unique Attempt to Rob n Train Frustrated by n Vigilant OHlcial llusscll Knee , the Stock Speculator. slit In tlio BIIX. Tom Fimior , a contractor on the Rock Island , tells of ft rather quocr coinci dence when he was manipulating bag gage on the Milwaukee road. "I was working on the outside , smashing * the commercial travelers' sample cases , " says Fra/.ier , ' 'one afternoon at the Reeds street depot in Milwaukee. I got hold of ono of these big sample cases which the boys style 'moguls , ' and was laying out every ounce of strength , but I could not get the box from the trucks into the car. While in this predicament , a tall man with gray brcard and wearing a suit of shcops- gray clothes happened along and was looking after baggage. I said to him , 'Say , old man , put. your shoulder to this box and give mo a boost. ' Ho stopped to my Bide and took hold of the box with the clutch of an export , and both of us elevated the trunk into the car. 'That is all right , old man , ' I said , as ho brushed his hands and stepped awny a short dibtancoon the platform. Finally ho bald : 'One good turn deserves another , doesn't itV I remarked that I thought it did. Then ho asked mu to help him look up borne bnggngo. It was a small grip , ho said , and it hud been railroaded some how. Wo wont through a monument of valises and llnally I came across one and was informed that it was the de sired article. Hut what do you suppose ? Right on tho. side of the valise stood out in bold print , 'Russol Sngo , N. Y. ' I was thunderstruck , and as I handed him the grip ho smiled gently and said : 'Yos , sir. 1 am Russol Sngo , but the very work which I assisted you in was once my means of obtaining a lively- hood. ' Ho bade mo good day and I returned the salutation but at the same time was looking around for a hole in the lloor to drop through. Queer , wasn't it ? I might have asked a clerk ip n dry goodsstoro to do mo the bumo favor ana been snubbed , but the great railroad stock manipulator and financier appeared only too willing to iibblbt mo. " * "Lot mo relate to you pomp of my early experiences , " said Conductor Fryo. of the Burlington , "when I was running bnggage on the Union Pacific , It was back about ton years ago. Wo were coming east from Ogden , and at a small station a box supposed to contain a corpse was put in the exprobs cur , con signed to Lincoln , Nob. Hill Axloy , now on the Santa Fo , was express mos- bongor , and , as wo olevnted tlio box into the car , he remarked that it did not fit the collln very well , as ho felt a react ing jar as the article was being put in the cur. There were two men fairly well dressed and showing no signs of suspicion together , with what we took to bo an aged woman , who accompanied S'i ' Rattan Rocker , cheap at § 5. On Easy- Payments. 1 ISN'T ' THAT FAIR. . vl -r Folding Beds , $25,00 and up. NINETEEN DIFFERENT STYLES. the remains. She was represented as being the mother of tlio deceased and- the two menwcro the hitter's brothers. The woman or man tib she turned out to bo , was very anxious to remain with the corpse in the car. She also desired that her two sons might be by her side. This was against the rules and they wcro informed that transportation would only be allowed the corpse in the express car , ana accordingly they agreed to take seats in a coach. Just before the train pulled out , Bill said to mo that ho thought the game was a concocted robbery and was deter mined to have the box handed out and inspected before the train started. But what if it wore a real corpse ? The boys would have hooted Bill oil the road for his cowardice. This I said to Bill , and ho finally concluded to let the worst como if it must. The conductor sig nalled the train to start and Bill jumped into bib car and I got into mine , but the moro I thought of tlio situation the more I found that Billio's suspicions wore not unfounded. Finally , at the nc-xt station , we stopped to atyait a clear track and Bill not being in his accustomed place lit the doorway of his car , I decid ed to ascertain where ho was. Al the door , there sat Bill , with a face as pale us a dead par on and with largo drops of perspiration standing out on his fore head. I was about to laugh , but n sudden motion of his hand nromptod mo to refrain. Finally ho walked close to the door and with ono eye on mo and the other on the box ho said : 'There's a man in that box alive and I know it. You had hot ter keep your eye on these other fol lows or we're their game sure. ' I paused 'or a moment. 1 did not want to make a blunder by informing the conductor and bointr called a tenderfoot , but sup posing that the box contains a live rob ber , there was the point. I meditated and I finally said to Bill to watch further developments , but ho refused and said that il I aid not come to his assistance he would call on bomobody olbo. I faaw that ho was frightened and ho did not have much the butter of me. Taking hold of the car door I entered it and wo both blood and ga/ed at the box. It was sealed and neither of us had n right to open it. I finally called the conductor and informed him of the cabe. 'Yes , ' wild ho , 'and I noticed that that old lady who is weeping in the couch back there has a ponderous fool for a woman. ' But wo all agreed to await developments and I ugroed to ride in the express car with Bill. Wo again pulled out. but we hud not gone far before the boll rope was pulled and the train hncnn to slacken up. At this juncture Bill did not rush to the door to BOO what was up but sot both eyes on the box. Amomont-of amu/omont and suddenly the cover of the box ( low otf and a heavily armed bandit attempted to rise , but Bill had him and in an instant a ball wont whlxxlng through the fellow's neck and he full over. "Guard thodrior" shouted Bill , and the words had not fully cscnnod his lips when the individual in female uttiro appeared and was about to outer the car when I leveled my revolver and said 'woman or man throw up your hands or I'll shoot , ' In full range the individual could not do otherwise ami ono of the hands while suspended clutched a fine specimen of liruurms , 1 hold the strange guest at the point of my revolver and was surprised to bcu n little gray-haired man como out of the next coach with the two alleged broth ers heavily shackled. The little man who subdued the two companions' wan u United States marshal and was on board the train at the tlmu. The con ductor was covered anil ordered to pull the boll ropu but beforu the truin * wuu fairly stopped the little officer had both men in irons. The supposed female turned out to bo u man in-female attire. The fcinod corpse was converted into a real ono and his companions were sentenced to the penitentiary for twenty-one yours ) each and are now at Joliet , 111. Thq victim of Bill's marksmanship Utali Charley , ono ot the most daring robbers ! that ever infested the plains. Wo put the box and body off at the next stutioi\ and they wore disposed of in a manner which I never learned. Anyway. , Bill's temerity was the means of breaking up a band of train robbers that had ter rorized the west , and his marksmanship sent Utah Charley to another homo where ho could not stay in u pine box very loner- Bill had about $ : to,000 ii charge at the time and after making that trip ho turned over his keys and ncandoned the service. " . "I remember , ' ' said Trainmaster Foley of the Union Pacific , "whon I was a newsboy in Indianapolis. On the faiu grounds , one day , ono of tne hoys had more papers than ho could carry and usui'd mo to help him sell them. I never had done any work of this kind before and I Ktia green at the business. I started out calling the name of the , paper and adding 'all the news , ' but 1 failed to find u purchaser. In the meantime , mv comnanion1 was pulling in , the nicklCH in good shapo. Finally ho came over to mo and asked mo how many I had sold. I told him I hud sold none. 'Well , then , you don't holler out right , ' was the response. "Why don't you cull out all about the ship-wreck. ' Ho took the paper out of my hand and showed mo an advertisement of u vessel where a cut of the ship at full sail was displayed. "There , " said he , "just turn that picture up.-fido down and if that ain't a wreck , nobody's a wreck , but don't puy any nttontion to it keep a .vollin' while you are dunlin' with a buver and he will got bungled up. " 1 did this and was suon doing a land- ollice business. I sold nil til'1 ' pupura and the next day 1 started at the sarno work for myself. But nil the entries to it were hazardous and I got my share of that the next day. The boys clut tered at the familiar spot mid they put mo into a barrel which was kept there expressly for that purpose and was sup plied with an automatic cover. Once In the barrel they started it rolling down hill , and when they let mo out I was a sad specimen of a solution of hoots , diiHt , bruises and curmino. They tumbled mo over and over and finally lot me out and declared mo entitled to full clti/oiishlp In newspaper circles. " Tim T.iiior MadoGlrl. llll\ti < ' . Ilililijf , < A'cHI I'nMtieuru , HMO IK fading oat fasl , Kho's a thin * ; of the past , Wo miss her chlo costumes from calety'fr whiil ; Now styles h&vo thnir weight , And to-day's fashion pluto Ignores most completely the tailor made glrlt Tlio sculptor i Tliu c.ii toonlst i s.ul : The artist his beard duth delightedly twill. And , for nil ho is woith , 1'iiliil.s his VCIISUS'H ; rlrtli At thico times thu witlst of tlio tailor nmdQ KM , She W.IS'IHMVO , nvon bold She W.IH ficall , bright und told ; Her chin wan determined , tier lip had a curl , Noltnnr comfort nr bliss liver lurked in n kl n Of the bioad-Hliouldiirod out-of-door tailor * madn Kill. Slio ha had her tirlcf day , And HIO ) simply can't stay. Tims tlmu from ttioir altars our Idols mutt hurl : liut tin ) slirmo won't bo bnru Very loiitfthat I'll awoarl Hu luck uud i/ood-byc to tu Vuilor-iuadu girl ,
