Variety (March 1909)

16 VARIETY PARKS AND PAIRS Abe Shapiro, formerly manager of the Empire, Toledo, haa secured a lease of the Casino Park in that city, and will oper- ate it next summer. The theatre has a seating capacity of 3,200. Vaudeville will be given. Mr. Shapiro will also control the Majestic Theatres at Port Huron, Mich., and Findlay, Ohio. Indianapolis, Ind., March 11. Despite tnree losses by fire, which de- stroyed all of "White City" except the cement bottomed bathing pool, the largest of its kind in the world, the park will oper- ate the popular artificial pond and rebuild for the opening of the sunyner. New Orleans, March 11. "White City," New Orleans, has been purchased by Capt. W. H. Labb of Den- ver, who Is here, and states he will spend $200,000 in remodelling the resort, adding three square and many new concessions. There will be opera in the Casino this sum- mer. "White City" was formerly owned or operated bj the Philadelphia Toboggan Slide Go. Des Moines, la., March 11. Des Moines is to have a new summer park. The Iowa Zoo and Amusement Od., Inc., has obtained title to 127 acres of land in the outskirts of the town near Grand View Park. The location is on the popular automobile routes of the town. He laifl will be turned over immediately to land s ca p e gardeners and construction eon tractors, and it is the promise of the promoters that the place will be ready for opening by June 1. Four Mile Creek runs for half a mile through the tract, and the stream will be spanned by bridges at in- tervals of about 200 feet. Much of the land is wooded, and will be converted into gardens and groves for picnickers. Excur- sions will be run from all towns within a radius of 100 miles or so. Dining room, dance hall (80 x 50 ft.). A monster prom- enade will be constructed with a band stand in the centre and the usual conces- sions grouped about its sides. Chicago, March 11. The following State and County fairs were represented at the meeting held last week at the Grand Pacific Hotel: South Dakota State Fair (Huron), Sioux City, (County Fair), Nashua, la. (County Fair), la. (Interstate Fair), Mason City, la. Marshalltown, la. (County Fair), Minne- sota State Fair (St. Paul), Waverly, la. (County), Michigan State Fair, Iowa State Fair (Des Moines). The Hendrieks County Park and Amuse- ment Co. (Indianapolis) has incorporated for $10,000. Incorporators are Edgar Fos- ter, Robert Parker, and others. London, March 2. There is a great deal demanded by the authorities before a liquor license will be granted for Imre Kilralfy's "White City" at Shepherd's Bush. A few of the con- ditions arc that the resort shall be closed altogether on Sundays; at 11:30 p. m. during the week; that proper sanitary ac- commodations be provided; sufficient free drinking water always on supply; more seats placed about the grounds, and the noise caused by fireworks be reduced. When Mr. Kilralfy agrees to there details and a few other things, he may secure the desired permission to sell alcoholic liquids. • """""""""""' Milton and Sargent Aborn have signed a ten years' lease with Killian Jubert for all the land owned by him, consisting of two hundred thousand square feet, corner of Springfield avenue and 40th street, Ir- vington, N. J. The Aborns will erect on this plot an opera garden, modeled after one of the foremost in Europe. It will seat 1,800. Wheeling, W. Va., March 11. A suit for non-payment of rent has been entered against The American Amusement Co. by the City & Elm Grove Railroad. Another action is based on an* unpaid $3,000 note. The Amuse- ment Co. has had possession of Wheeling Park for the past three seasons. It holds a ten-year lease on the property. Nothing is known as to what will be done with the park this summer. The headquarters of the American Amusement Co. are in Pittsburg. The park and fair department of thn United Booking Offices is placing acts un- der blanket contracts for from twelve to fourteen weeks for the coming season in the open air. Worcester, Mass., March 11. The Worcester Consolidated Railroad is going to build a new summer theatre at Lincoln Park. The new theatre is to be of steel and of circular shape. There are to be ten dressing rooms. It is to cost about $10,000. J. W. Gorman, of Boston, will book vaudeville acts. The theatre is to be finished in throe months. Woodland Park, which ran last year under John Quigley, is on the market and the outlook is not very bright for the season. Jule Delmar, of the United Booking Offices, will again the coming summer have charge of the bookings for the parks directed by Mr. Delmar last summer in their stage amusements. Geo. Perry at "Wonderland," Boston, last season, will have charge of Steeple- chase Pier, Atlantic City, this summer. Sydney, Australia, Jan. 10. "Wonderland City," Bondi, Sydney, opened for the Christmas season. The new tariff of 25 cents admits to all shows. It is considered very reasonable. Hither- to the same price admitted to the grounds and to 3 per cent, of the attractions. The remainder, being sub-let, charged separate admissions. Therefore, to see the show properly the unfortunate sightseer was forced to unattach himself from approxi- mately $2.30. The concession, however, may have come too late, for the "City" has lost its glamor. There will be "A Garden of Eden" ad- joining "Luna" Park at Coney Island this summer. It is in course of construction. DISCUSS SUNDAY BILLS. Public hearings were set for Wednes- day upon the bills now pending before the New York State Assembly to regu- late Sunday observances, but were post- poned until the same day next week. Lawyer William Grossman will argue the measure before the Assembly committee. NOTES. DON'T HAVE TO PAY. Buffalo, March 11. The Court of Appeals has set aside a judgment for $60,000 rendered in favor of the plaintiff in the case of Rosenau vs. The Empire Circuit Co. (Western Bur- lesque Wheel). The action grew out of a receivership for a theatre in opposition to the Empire Circuit here. This relieves the Empire Co. from paying the amount of the judgment. MOHAWK CLOSES. Schenectady, N. Y., March 11. Weber & Rush's Mohawk closed last Saturday. The local papers ascribe the closing to "bad management," while W. T. Carroll, proprietor of the hotel and rathskeller in the building, says it was brought about by "the management's cheap idea of running a show." Some people thought the rathskeller was to blame, but the local papers seem to vin- dicate Mr. Carroll. STAIR RETURNS. Toronto, March 11. F. W. Stair, owner of the Star, and the Western Burlesque Wheel manager, has returned from his trip to Europe. PROCTOR TAKES MT. VERNON. F. F. Proctor, Jr., this week assumed control of the Mount Vernon Opera House, taking over a lease from Walter Rosen- berg. The place will become a picture house with incidental vaudeville at tho 5 and 10-cent tariff. This is the only place operated by the Proctor interests in a town of less than 60,000. It will be called the "Bijou Dream." $10,000 FOR A SONG. "I Wish I Had a Girl," a song pub- lished by The Thompson Music Co., Chi- cago, has been purchased by Jerome H. Remick & Co. for $10,000, said to be the highest price ever paid for a selection ex- cepting "Hiawatha," sold to the same firm in 1001 for $10,000 also. Gus Kahn wrote the lyrics of 'I Wish \ Had a Girl"; Grace LeBoy composed the music. Frank Fogerty was given a royal send- off last Sunday night at the Grand Cen- tral Depot when he left for the west to open on the Orpheum Circuit at Butte. About 100 friends assembled at the sta- tion to give "The Dublin Minstrel" a good start. Walter Stanton, "The Giant Rooster," has made a distinct success in his feathery character at Her Majesty's Theatre, Mel- bourne, Australia, playing in William- son's pantomime, "Jack and Jill," pro- duced by Gerald Coventry. Mr. Coventry left Australia early in January for a six months' visit to England, France and America. Douglas Flint and Co., in "The Mixers," play Yonkcrs next week. The sketch is from the west. John C. Rpbisch and Mayme Childress are to reach the east soon. Mr. Robisch says that while their act is not the grea^ est in the world, he expects it will attract favorable attention in the metropolis. In the new comedy juggling act, "Roose- velt in Africa," which Arthur Huston will present upon the completion of his pres- ent contracts, the "jungle scene" will have 12 monkeys, 15 rare tropical birds and five hanging pieces. Elliot Foreman, who resigned as assist- ant to Mark A. Luescher, of the Orpheum's publicity department, to join Eddie Pidgeon's staff at Morris, dallied but a week at "the opposition," and is now once again under Mr. Luescher. Marie Dainton, the English mimic, mak- ing her first appearance at the Colonial this week, is said to have declined an offer to extend her engagement for ten weeks longer without an increase of $250 weekly in salary tacked on. Frank Gotch, the wrestler, will remain another week as the feature of James H. Curtin's "Broadway Gayety Girls." After that he will go into training for a match with "the big Turk." He has been with the burlesque organization for six weeks. Saharet opens her return American en- gagement at the American next week. Jeffries' second week at the Lincoln Square brought Saharet into the Music Hall. It has been customary during the season for the Morris Circuit to open all its new acts at the Lincoln Square. Upon AI Jolson leaving Dockstader's Minstrels at the close of this season, he will enter vaudeville under the direction of Arthur Klein, opening at the New Brighton Beach Music Hall May 31. Mr. Jolson will play around during June. He has re-signed for Dockstader's next season. "The Cash Girl" was to have been put up for public sale in Boston this week, but a committee of New York creditors served its custodian with an injunction out of the United States Court in New York which prevented the disposal of the property in this manner until after a hearing. "13" is the reason Katheryn G. Quinn, private secretary to Jack Levy, spells her name with two "n's." With but one "n," Katheryn would have thirteen letters in her name. Miss Quinn is as young and as handsome as she is superstitious, and prefers the extra letter to chancing a "streak of hard luck." Jack E. Magee (Murphy and Magee) fell twenty-five feet through a skylight while at St. Paul, breaking both ankles. He will be confined for two or three months. Mr. Magee is at the Liberty Hotel, St. Paul. He says he would like to hear from all his friends and wants them to write only, being in excellent shape himself financially.