4
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By Homes E. Thomas.
FOR a city far from New York, the
American center of things the
atrical, Portland is well favored
In the standard of its playhouses and
the attractions they present. For
many years the Pacific Coast had diffi
culty obtaining high-class plays, but
the enterprising managers who look
after the interests of Portland theaters
and those of other Coaa,t cities have
been untiring in their efforts to bring
to the Far West creditable productions
and leading artists, fith the result that
local theatergoers are given the op
portunity to s"e the best road com
panies and stock organizations that
would reflect credit on any city.
Portland's theaters have kept pace
well with the industrial progress and
growth in population of the city. Year
by year there has been marked im
provement in the offerings of the local
showshops and the present season has
been no exception in this respect. The
rtandard of attractions this year has
been high and the. schedules arranged
by the various managers for the re-
nalning months promise even better
things before the season's close.
The Heillg Theater, at Fourteenth
and Washington streets, the Marquam
Grand on Morrison, between Sixth and
Seventh, and the Empire, at Twelfth
and Morrison, are the Portland homes
of traveling organizations. Stock com
panies are maintained at the Baker,
Thlid and Yamhill, and Star, Park and
Washington, while vaudeville is the
offering at the Grand, Park and Wash
ington, and Fantages, Fourth and
Stark.
The Hcilig Theater is a member of
the Northwest Theatrical Association,
which is the largest organization of the
kind west of the Mississippi River,
controlling SO houses. Calvin Helllg,
president of the association, is manager
of the Heilig Theater, and W. T.
Pangle is resident manager. Both men
are pioneers of theatrical business in
Tortland and have done much to bring
to this city the best attractions.
The chief Klaw & Erllnger attrac
tions are presented at the Heilig. Of
particular merit is a series of musical
cfTerings, several of which have been
Riven and others dated at intervals
during the remainder of the season.
Among the engagements for the re
mainder of the season, which will last
until June, are the following: James
T. Powers in "'The Blue Moon," Willie
Collier, Grace George, DeWolf Hopper,
Frank Ianlels, Francis Wilson, Mrs.
Patrick Campbell, John lrew, Mc
Intyre & Heath In "The Ham Tree."
"The Man of the Hour," and probably
"The Merry Widow." Among the re
maining musical attractions are
Kubelik. Wilherspoon, Madam Homer,
Madam Blauvelt. Paderewski , and the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Musical comedy has neld the boards
during the greater part of the past six
months at the Marquam Grand, which
has enjoyed a most prosperous season.
The San Francisco Opera Company,
which opened the house last Summer,
wa3 followed by the California Opera
Company, and that in turn by another
rngngement of the San Franciscans. S.
Morton Colin, manager of the Marquam,
and Charles N. Ryan, assistant man
ager, are to be complimented on their
choice of these companies, and it is
with regret that local theater-goers
see the San Franciscans return to the
South.
Throughout the remainder of this
season the Marquam will share with
the Helllg the Klaw & Erllnger attrac
tions, the more popular priced com
panies playing at the latter house.
"Arizona," the present attraction, will
be followed in turn by the following
engagements: "The Passion Play,"
Florence Roberts, "Way Down East,"
Devil's Auction." "The Liehtnlng Con
ductor." and many o-thor good plavs.
Thurc is little that can be said about
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the Baker Stock Company that peopl
of Portland, or the entire Northwest,
for that matter, do not already know.
It Is a fixed Portland Institution, and
one of which this city may well be
proud, for it compares favorably with
any stock company in the United
States, and occupies an enviable posi
tion in a class which can almost be
counted on tho fingers of the two
hands.
The members of the present com
pany are Marion Barney, leading
woman; Austtn Webb, leading man;
Louise Kent, second woman; Robert
Homans, heavy man; Donald Bowles,
leading juveniles; Maribel Seymour,
Ingenue; Mina Crollus Gleason and
William Gleason, characters; Howard
Russell, James Gleason, Earl Dwire,
Ronald Bradbury,- Charles Lewis, Fay
Bainter, Elsie Garrett and Mamie Has
lam; stage director, William Dills.
Among the plays to be produced in
the near future are "Soldiers of For
tune." "Zaza," "The Mills of the Gods,"
Hoyt's ' "A Milk White Flag." "The
Climbers." "David Harum," "Charley's
Aunt," "GrauRtark," Hoyt's "A Bunch of
Keys." "Raffles." "The Eternal Cfty,"
"When We Were Twenty-One," and
many others numbered among the
greatest of modern productions.
The Empire is another of the George
L. Baker interests, and has for the past
three years been devoted almost entirely
to the famous Stalr-Havlln circuit of
Eastern melodramatic road companies,
playing week stands all the time during
the regular season. This house is under
personal direction of Milton Seaman., who
business manager for all the Baker
interests.
A few of the attractions atill to be seen
at the Empire this season are Arthur W.
Atsten's "At the Old Cross Roads," "A
Desperate Chance," "Big Hearted Jim,
"As Told In the Hills." "Peck's Bad
Boy." "Lost in New York," "A Man's
Broken Promise." "A Royal Slave," "No
Mother to Guide Her,'' "Sis in New
York," "What Women Will Do," and
many others mostly new.
The French Stock Company at the Star
Theater has grown very rapidly in pub..c
favor and Its productions at popular
prices, are of exceptional merit. R. E.
French, manager of the Star,' has been
fortunate both in the selection of plays
and the personnel of his company, and
has a good list In store for the remainder
of the season. Crowded houses are the
rule each night at the Staa.
Lovers of vaudeville have had no com
plaint to make of the bills put on at the
Grand and Pantages. The Sullivan &
Considlne circuit includes the Grand and
has brought West some of the most cost
ly and best vaudeville acts on the Ameri
can stage. Pantages, managed- by J. A.
Johnson, is a member of the Pantages cir
cuit wbioh has come to stand for high
merit in vaudeville affairs of the Wist,
THE JtORXIXG OREGOXIAN, WEDNESDAY,
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The patronage of both vaudeville theaters
has been limited only by their seating ac
commodations., J. H. Brickson, manager of the Grand,
has announced that within the next few
months that theater will become a mem
PORTLAND'S PUBLIC SPIRIT
By E. C.
CUtnrr, Secretary Chamber of
Commerce.
r
F contributing money to commend
able enterprises at home and help
ing those overtaken by disaster In
other localities, is an indication of pub
lic spirit, no city in the United States
can equal the record of Portland. Dur
ing the year 1906 there was subscribed
for the Young Men's and Young Wom
en's Christian Association building
$350,000; for the Commercial Club
building, $350,000; for the relief of the
sufferers In the San Francisco lire,
$262,000; for the relief from sufferers
from famine in Japan, $4800. and many
minor sums a total of nearly $1,000,
000. This large sum of money was
subscribed following the exposition
jear, which, ia itself, was a great show
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ber of the Orpheum circuit. It is ex
pected that these acts will come to Port
land about April 1. and they will be a
distinct gain to vaudeville patrons in this
city.
There is need in Portland for a theater
ing of public spirit and which called
for nearly $500,000 in contributions, and
was a success from every point of view.
Of the exposition fund $350,000 . was
raised in 48 hours.
Portland has taxed itself, without
complaint, to make necessary improve
ments in the Columbia River that
should have been made by the General
Government, having expended over $2,
000,000 for this purpose and this
amount to help a territory extending
into three states and improving a water
highway that Is second in Importance
in the entire United States, and of
great national importance as well.
While complaining at the tardiness of
the General Government the public
spirit was such that this matter was
taken hold of, and acted on, which
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JANUARY 1, 1908.
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larger than any of the present houses.
This demand has been evidenced for sev
eral years and it is probable that it will
soon be supplied. When the new theater
comes It will house the Klaw & Erlinger
plays now showing at the Heilig.
OFTEN PROVED
shows a great difference between public
spirit and the lack of It that is often
shown by complaining and not acting.
Over $100,000 has just been sub
scribed for a Country Club " to raise
the standard of excellence of horses
and cattle, and an equal sum is now
being canvassed tor, and will undoubt
edly oe suoscnueu. lui & nuet .mu . .
which, in a few years, will become as
noted as the Mardl Gras at New Or-
leans, for Portland has the finest roses
In the world, and a natural setting be
yond comparison for any kind of fes
tival or exposition.
During all of this time Portland has
liberally supported the Chamber of
Commerce, the exploitation department
of the Commercial Club, the Board of
Trade, the Manufacturers' Association
and Sfveral Kast Side clubs, to the ex
tent that they have all thrived and
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have done a large amount of excellent
and necessary work for the city. From
the standpoint of an officer of a com
mercial organization, Portland's public
spirit cannot be called into question.
The wonder is that with so many
organizations, all having the same end
in view, they get such loyal support.
It ia certainly a strong tribute to Port
land's -public spirit.
I cannot speak for the other organi
zations regarding the amounts that
have been spent by them, but during
the year 1906 the Chamber of Com
merce spent for transportation mat
ters alono nearly $14,000, not a dollar
of which was taken from the dues of
the Chamber, but was contributed by
GROWTH PORTLAND SCHOOLS
By I. N. FlelBchiier, Member Portland Board
( of Education.
THB most noticeable feature of the
growth of school population during
the past year is the remarkable in
crease in attendance at the Highland and
Arleta schools. Notwithstanding the erec
tion of an eight-room building at Vernon,
and the transfer of many pupils to
Irvlngton, Woodlawn and Williams ave
nue, the Highland school is again
crowded beyond its capacity, and meas
ures must be taken for its further relief.
Either an eight-room addition must be
made to Vernon, or, what seems more
probable, a site must be found for a
new building somewhere to the south of
Highland.
At Arleta the number of teachers has
increased to 16, and since there are . at
this point only ten regular schoolrooms,
it seems imperative that an eight-room
addition he erected.
At Sellwood the. increase in population
has been steady, and six additional
schoolrooms will be needed. It has been
suggested by citizens of that neighbor
hood that a small building be erected a
few blocks from the existing building. It
does not seem good policy to scatter small
buildings withct grounds all over the
city. Such lack of concentration is not
economical, and does not permit of the
best classification and supervision. While
we shall relieve the congestion at Sell
wood, our measures will probably take a
different direction from that suggested.
All the Albina schools are full. Room
for further growth will be provided by
finishing the Shaver school. This will
give six additional rooms, and will take
care of the situation for another year.
The Board had expected to construct the
new Williams-avenue building out of the
proceeds of the sale of the Russell-street
property, but as yet no satisfactory offer
has been made for the purchase of that
property.
- Because of the deplorable condition of
the old Peninsula school, that structure
will be demolished and a new building
erected on its site.
Arrangements have also been made for
the erection of a new four-room building
at Richmond. This will afford some relief
to the Glencoe and Sunnyside schools and
postpone the necessity of building In
( tnose neighborhoods
At both Woodlawn and Ockley Green,
all the rooms are occupied, but none of
them are overcrowded. It Is believed,
therefore, that present facilities in those
neighborhoods will be adequate for an
other year.
Last year the Board purchased In
North Albina a three-acre site upon
which to erect, at some future time, a
hiKh school for the northeastern section
of the city. It would seem that the time
Portland's public-spirited business men.
The entire amount received for dues,
amounting to nearly $16,000 more, is
all spent In the regular work of the .
Chamber, and still more is subscribed
for maintaining a permanent exhibit,
printing books, etc.
Portland supported the National Riv
ers and Harbors Congress more liberal
ly than any other two cities of the
country put together, and as an ap
preciation of this, very liberal sup
port J. F. Ellison, secretary of that
congress, writes: 'To no organization
In the entire United States Is the Na
tional Rivers and Harbors Congress
moro Indebted for consistent nd loyal
support than to the Portland Chamber
of Commerce, and It gives me very
great pleasure to bear truthful testi
mony to the fact."
And to this congress is due the credit
for the $5,ODO,000 annual appropriation
for rivers and harbors which will be
come a Governmental policy.
There are matters which upon first
glance do not seem to show the proper .
public spirit, such as the condition of
our streets, but a Western city grow
ing at an unprecedented rate, with
every thoroughfare littered with build
ing material Incident to such growth,
can hardly be expected to keep Its
streets in the condition of the older
settled, slow growing cities of the East.
And it Is better to have littered streets
and healthy rapid growth than im
maculate streets and stagnation. With
the public spirit that Portland has
shown in other things, this will un
doubtedly take care of itself at the
proper time, and our streets will be
In keeping with the city in other re
spects. The spirit is here, and it will
soon show Itself In the demand for
perfect streets, more parks and tine
drives, to be consistent with the spirit
shown by the individuals in the fine
architecture of their buildings, both
public and private, and the beauty of
their grounds.
Portland's public library Is one to
be proud of, its free museum is an
excellent one. There will also be publio
docks in the near future, and a very
large sum has been expended to secure
the best water on earth, when any
thing less thaif great public spirit
would have taken the water at our
doors, which is much better than the
average city gets.
A city has an individuality as much
as, if not more than, a person, s and a
comparison in any one particular means
nothing, but, taking the good and bad
together, there is not a city in the
United States, even in the world, that
can show the public spirit shown by
Portland, as-instanced by the facts
mentioned, which are but a few of the
many.
has arrived when provision should be
made for such a building. Our present
high schools will accommodate comfort
ably about 1800 pupils. After the Feb
ruary promotions they will probably con
tain more than that number, and will be
somewhat crowded. If a new building is
now authorized. It will probably not be
ready for use until September, 1909, by
which time the need for it will be urgent.
When the East High School was opened
a year and a half ago it was thought that
it would meet all needs for several years
to come. So rapidly has the school popu
lation been growing, however, that in
this as in other instances, the Board of
Education has erected buildings only to
find additional accommodations needed as
soon as they are completed.
CITTS SECRET ORDERS
By A. I- Barbur.
WITH a total membership of more
than 26,030. fraternal societies In
Portland are prosperous and
their enrollment Is constantly Increas
ing, riaviivaujr nu uiucia ui
tance are representee by local lodges.
' The Woodmen of the World, with
500 member;, has the largest enroll
ment. The United Artisans rank sec
ond, and other orders are represented
as follows: Maccabees, 2200; Inde
pendent Order of Oddfellows, 2000;
Ancient Order of United Workmen,
2003; Women of Woodcraft, 2000:
Masons, J900; Modern Woodmen of
America. 1500; Knights and Ladles of
Security, 1500: Benevolent and Pro
tective Order of Elks, 250; Knights of
Pythias, 1200; Royal Arcanum, 1000;
Red Men. 500; Foresters, S50. The
Eagles, Owls and several other orders
have lodges, the membership figures of
which are not available. The various
orders own property with an approxi
mate valuation of $1,350,000. The
Mason? are the richest, their holdings
fimfmntinir to about SfiOO.OdO. Thpv
possess two very beautiful buildings
the Masonic Temple, just completed, at
West Park and Yamhill streets, and tho
Scottish Rite Cathedral at Morrison
and Lownsdale streets. The Masons
also own their old temple at Third and
Alder streets and a new structure on
the East Side.
. The Elks have one of the finest club
houses in the West at Seventh and
Stark streets. It is valued at $250,000.
The Oddfellows hold property valued al
$175,003; the Woodmen of the World,
$145,000; tho Women of Woodcraft,
$100,000, and the Knights of Pythias,
$30,oOU.