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their crowds, and hence Rowe fitted his establishment on Kearny street, between Clay and Sacramento streets, for stage performances. A company of English actors of undoubted merit, opened the theatre, including Mr. and Mrs. Hambleton, Mr. and Mrs. Batters, Mr. and Mrs. McCron and others. Mrs. Stark, then Mrs. Kirby, soon after arrived, and appeared at this place.

In Sacramento the stage had taken the lead. Shortly after the Washington Hall was opened at San Francisco, the "Eagle Theatre" on Front street, was erected and continued for several months. It was speedily surpassed, however, by the "Tehama Theatre," under the management of Mrs. J. H. Kirby, an accomplished and talented actress, whose early exertions have done much to advance the profession to its present stand in the country. Mesdames Bingham, Hambleton, Kirby and Mestayer; and Messrs. Atwater, Bingham, Byers, Downie, McClosky, Stark, Vinson and Zabriskie have successively appeared upon its boards. The "Tehama" drew large houses until the following winter, when the "Pacific" and "American" divided with it the patronage of the people of Sacramento.

Meanwhile, in April, 1850, a neat little theatre (which was soon after destroyed by fire) had been established in San Francisco, on Washington street near Montgomery, where, a portion of the time, an amusing French vaudeville company performed; and on the 4th of July after, Messrs. Robinson & Evrard, gave the first performance at their "Dramatic Museum" on California street near Montgomery, with rather an interesting company of amateur performers. In September following, the original "Jenny Lind" was opened over Maguire's Parker House Saloon, Kearny street near Washington. These houses were well patronized and had better stock companies than are usually found in older cities. At the latter, Mr. Stark, an actor of much ability, and Mrs. Kirby, played a very deservedly successful engagement. During the fall or winter, another small theatre was opened on Clay street, near Montgomery, which, for a time, was under the management of Mr. Bingham. This never became very popular. This theatre, together with the "Jenny Lind" and "Dramatic Museum," were destroyed by the fire of May, 1851. The latter was rebuilt and again soon after burned. A wooden building

was also erected on the site of the "Jenny Lind," which was also reduced to ashes by the fire of 22d June, following.

Mr. Maguire then constructed the large stone "Jenny Lind Theatre," now the City Hall, and opened it, October 4th, 1851. Before this date the “Adelphi,” a French theatre, was erected on Dupont street near Clay, and in successful operation, under the control of Messrs. Robinson & Wiesenthal. It still exists under the management of M. Paul. The building of the "American Theatre," on Sansome street, between Sacramento and California streets, was commenced in September, 1851, and opened on the 20th October, since which time it has continued to give an uninterrupted series of dramatic representations.

On the 14th February, 1852, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Baker, who had reached San Francisco from Philadelphia the preceding week, commenced an engagement at the "Jenny Lind,” appearing as Master Walter and Julia, in the Hunchback, and played twenty-one nights to crowded and enthusiastic audiences. After a sojourn of three weeks at Sacramento, they again performed for thirty consecutive nights more, during all of which time, they, and particularly Mrs. Baker, formerly Miss Alexina Fisher, was the chief and only attraction, the company generally being poor, and inefficiently conducted. After a second engagement at Sacramento, Mr. Baker collected a small company, and performed at Nevada, Grass Valley and Placerville, and returning to San Francisco early in August, assumed the management of the "Adelphi." During nine months Mrs. Baker played every evening, except Sundays, and May, 9th, 1853, closed a season which had profited the management $30,000, being all that time the chief support of the theatre, and drawing crowded houses, notwithstanding the opposition of the other theatres and the very successful careers of Signora Elisa Biscaccianti and Miss Catharine Hayes. On the 12th May, Mr. Baker took charge of the "American," and for five months, with intervals from other stars, his interesting and talented wife regularly appeared, yet the great centre of attraction. It had been no trifling task, at this period, to restore order out of the chaotic confusion of the theatre in San Francisco. The drama drooped from the want of industry and tact in its managers and the absence of proper

discipline among their employés, the former regarding neither reason nor interest, while the latter defied submission or control; and the neglect of the one to provide proper accessories, was fully equalled by the imperfection of the others in the text of the plays presented. This decadence in worthy attraction was necessarily followed by a great diminution in the number and character of the audiences. With the advent of Mr. and Mrs Baker, however, commenced a new era in the California drama. The generous enthusiasm which greeted the latter upon her first appearance, increased with each successive performance. To her was confided the task of developing the rich resources from the golden mines of the old dramatists, and of enriching the Pacific stage with the brightest gems of histrionic ability.

Mr. Lewis Baker, having assumed managerial duties, labored with unceasing and praiseworthy assiduity to reform existing abuses. He introduced a strict and severe discipline, had careful rehearsals, and paid all needful attention to the necessary accessories of the stage. Under such auspices, the citizens were presented with entertainments of a refined character, and in a style of excellence fully equalled to those of the best theatres in New York or Philadelphia. Some idea may be formed of the managerial responsibilities assumed by Mr. Baker, from the following statement of the expenses involved in the conducting of a San Francisco theatre :-The rent alone amounted to $30,000 a year; the salary list, including artists, musicians, painters, carpenters, &c., varied from $3,200 to $3,600 a week, without estimating the large amount paid to stars, which has sometimes exceeded $6,000 for six successive performances. The additional expenses for lighting, printing, advertising, supernumeraries, dresses, &c., make up an amount sufficiently large to deter any one from entering rashly upon such an enterprise.

On the 2d of January, 1854, Mr. and Mrs. Baker took farewell of the California public, having succeeded in elevating the character of theatrical representations from the low and confused condition in which inexperienced management had kept it reduced. During the eighteen months of Mr. Baker's control of the "Adelphi" and "American," the improvement in the style of entertainment was such as to secure for him the sincere thanks and hearty

support of the public. He was a young man-almost a tyro in years when he came to San Francisco. Very early in life he had manifested a yearning for the theatrical profession, and when his family removed to Texas, had originated a theatre at Galveston. On the breaking out of the Mexican war, he was connected with the two theatres at Corpus Christi, where Gen. Taylor's division was stationed. He subsequently performed in the northern cities, and, like his wife, had already earned a wellmerited reputation. As a reward for their exertions, Mr. and Mrs. Baker acquired a competency in California, and are now living in Philadelphia, among old friends, and enjoying life amid the most pleasing associations of their youth.

In the fall of 1853, the "Metropolitan," the most magnificent temple of histrionic art in America, was built, and opened on December 24th, by Mrs. Catherine N. Sinclair. On the 26th, two evenings later, at the old "American," now eclipsed by the grandeur of its greater rival, and on the point of closing, there appeared one, who came friendless and unannounced to the shores of the Pacific, but who was destined to play an important part in theatrical affairs at this place, Miss Matilda Heron. This young lady had left Philadelphia for San Francisco in company with Mr. George W. Lewis, her agent (a gentleman long and extensively known among theatrical people), who having died on the route, she accordingly landed unknowing and unknown. Several gentlemen, however, having heard of her coming, and being informed of her attainments, actively interested themselves in her behalf, and succeeded in filling the old theatre on the night of her appearance, despite the attraction of the "Metropolitan," with its new scenery and decorations, and the personal appearance of its gifted proprietress, aided by Mr. James E. Murdock, of Philadelphia (who had obtained great popularity in California), and a very excellent stock company. Miss Heron appeared as Bianca, supported by Mr. Baker, as Fazie, and was greeted and sustained throughout the performance with an enthusiasm almost unequalled. Her success was unrivalled, and her whole engagement, and a succeeding one at the "Metropolitan," won for her an enviable reputation as an actress. The San Franciscans claim the development of her rare talents. Two

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