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Melancholy Bereavement.
It is this week our painful duty to record the death of our venerable citizen Mr. "OLD DRURY" which sad event occurred last night between the hours of 11 and 12 o'clock at his well known residence in Chesnut street above Sixth. The deceased individual had long been suffering from a combination of complaints which baffled the skill of all the professional Quacks in the country ; so low indeed had he become reduced that his final decay created neither surprise nor regret ; in fact his last moments were so easily numbered that the precise hour was mentioned when his last scene would be shifted and his friends were invited to assemble round his creaking curtains for the last time. But alas ! it is with regret we have to state that few obeyed the summons--it appeared as if the deceased had been so unfortunate as to outlive his friends. On our side of the curtains we observed a few with care worn faces many of whom were endeavoring to solve within themselves that selfish problem "will the deceased leave sufficient either before or behind him to liquid-ate his debts ?" others were attracted thither from idle curiosity a few from no specific motive whatever while here and there a grinning "dead head" was to be seen as if gloating over the deccay before him ; on the other side of the curtain we are informed there was quite a collection of Flats some few looking on the scene with intense interest while others were gathered in groups ; on one hand was heard the exclamation "Can such things be &c.-- while from another quarter issued forth this lamentation-- "Ah ! woe is me-- See what I have seen--see what I see !" these wailings came from the "nearest of kin to the defunct" and seemed to shed a degree of seriousness on all assembled. The distinguished family of the "carpenters" were on the wing--and lent their aid till the final moment arrivved its gas-tronomical efforts ceased and its light of life having shed forth its last spark of lingering lustre had become extinct forever. Previous to dissolution the deceased expressed a desire to become generous and volunteered some unknown sum to "the poor" but as the invalid was too weak to be questioned as to whom he really meant it is doubtful whether this last wish will be complied with some maintaining that he meant his poor creditors while other insist that he meant the superfluity of the surplus population.
Our friend is now gone and "the place which knew him yesterday will soon know him no more ;" his numerous excellent qualities will long be remembered by many whilst his follies and his faults will fall to the dust even as he himself hath fallen ; they were not of his own seeking consequently he ought not morally speaking to be held accountable
for them. The true cause of his hasty decline may be attributed to the natural results arising from the formation of improper acquaintances and friends ; his first false step was in linking himself with a company of Ethiopian Serenaders and his second in trusting himself to the care and guidance of an unprofessional speculator ; this last intemperate act was his overthrow ; his reputation and his interests alike suffered his friends deserted him and thus forsaken and friendless he reeled-- he staggered and he fell receiving a blow from the effects of which he never recovered.
P. S.--The effects of the defunct were offered at Public Sale this (Wednesday) morning May 2d, 1855; they were neither numerous or valuable and brought but little. They consisted of a scanty moth-eaten ragged wardrobe--some musty books and music (not used for many years)--damaged canvass rotten ropes decayed lumber a pile of bricks sundry pieces of Marble and two Female figures (Madame Tragedy and M'lle Comedy) to whom the deceased had been formerly closely attached if not wedded but his repeated acts of inconstancy caused the blush of shame to mantle on their cheeks till at length his misconduct towards them increased to such an extent that ossification ensued and thus with petrified forms thy mutely beheld the downfall of their former friend and benefactor. "REQUISCAT IN PACE !'
THE NEW THEATRE ON CHESNUT STREET. --The new temple of Thespis on Chesnut street above Twelfth is being pushed forward rapidly towards completion. It is already under roof the large cast iron columns above the first story are in their places and the bricklayers are losing no time in putting up the brick work of the front. The dimensions of the building are sixty-six feet in width and one hundred and fifty feet deep. The main walls will be fifty-five six inches high from pavement in front to wall plate the rear walls being carried up to suit the rake of the roof. The front first story will be of cast iron ; in the upper section the two centre Corinthian columns will be of iron the others of brick piers surmounted by Corinthian caps. The cornices and the top finish will also be of iron. The ground under the stage floor is dug to the depth of twenty-one feet and a half clear of the stage floors.
All the dressing-rooms sixteen in number will be fitted up with counter-shelves and dressing-closets with doors and drawers under the counter-shelf. Ballet girls supernumeraries and gentlemen's dressing-rooms will all be furnished with every requisite as will also the hat and cloak rooms.
The proscenium arch will be supported by six pilasters with richly ornamented caps and bases. The pilasters will be fluted and reeded and all the ornaments executed in the boldest manner. The front of the private boxes and the dress circle front will be richly ornamented with moulding leaves brackets and scrolls and all interior ornaments will be of wood or papier mache except on circles of auditorium. The scroll work on the proscenium arch will be of wood richly carved and very bold. A wreathed panel will occupy the centre of the arch with a medallion head of Shakspere in full relief and two figures holding a scroll in one hand and a wreath in the other. The panel in the proscenium arch will be frescoed in emblematic figures and scroll enrichments.
The prominent parts of the ornaments of the proscenium box fronts pilasters caps entablatures brackets wreaths iron caps &c. will be enriched with gold leaf similar to the Academy of Music in this city. Thodome will be frescoed in emblematic groups of figures. The statues and busts on the outside front will be of terra cotta representing Tragedy and Comedy. A bust of Shakspere will also occupy a prominent position.
The main entrance to the house will be twenty-five feet wide with large open stairways to the dress and family circles. The auditorium will comprise a capacious par-
quet entered on a rise of two steps from the street and above this there will be an elegant dress circle with private and proscenium boxes surmounted by a family circle. There will be no gallery. The decorations of the auditorium will be chastely brilliant being entirely white gold and crimson. The house will be lighted principally by a splendid crystal chandelier.
The stage will be sixty-six feet wide by sixty-four feet deep the curtain opening at the proscenium being twentyseven feet with a height of forty feet at the proscenium. But it is on the stage itself that th greatest improvement will be made. There will be ample height and depth to take entire sets of scenes up or to sink them at pleasure ; whilst the stage will be so constructed as to enable nearly the whole of it to be sunk to a great depth in addition to the ordinary traps and mechanical contrivances thus affording facilities for scenic effects which no other establishment on this side of the Atlantic possesses. Particular attention has been paid in arranging the plan of the house to the important subjects of lighting warming and ventilating the interior. It is thought that in all these details the new theatre will be all that need be desired.
A first-class saloon sixty feet by sixty-four will occupy the under part of the building and with its marble floor and furniture throughout to correspond it will doubtless present a very elegant and attractive appearance.
The contractor has pledged himself to have the building completed by the 26th of December. Much labor remains to be performed before that pledge can be redeemed ; but no time is being lost and the work on the interior is going briskly forward while the bricklayers and other mechanics are engaged upon the outside. The new house will be under the lesseeship of Mr. William Wheatley and it is expected that it will be thrown open to the public some time in the neighborhood of Christmas.
The opening of this new theatrical establishment will give new life and animation to the western end of Chesnut street. It occupies the site of the three westernmost of the old-style fashionable dwellings known as "Boston Row." Immediately west of it is Concert Hall which stands upon the site of the old Gothic mansion at one time one of the stateliest private dwellings in the city. If its original owner and occupant John Dorsey or its later tenant John Hugh could revisit the spot occupied by their old and splendid home they would find no trace of it left and but little in fact of the old neighborhood as they knew it. The completion of the new theatre will be followed by other great changes in the vicinity.
THE NEW CHESTNUT STREET THEATRE which will be opened to the public on Monday evening next and of which the principal seats will be sold at auction tomorrow morning by M. Thomas & Sons at their auction rooms in Fourth street is one of the most exquisitely comfortable and in our opinion most tastefully decorated buildings for theatrical purposes we have ever seen. The auditorium is constructed on a model which brings the audience generally closer upon the stage than usual and is excellent both for seeing and hearing. The seats are spacious and comfortable and the Parquette which is perhaps the best portion of the house is admiraaaably arranged containing 586 seats while the Dress Circle by no means inferior in convenience contains 372. The Family Circle is much larger and its slope towards the stage is greater than usual-there being no Gallery. The ceiling is richly painted in fresco and ornamented by a superb chandelier which s ng at a sufficient height not to interfere with the view of the tenants pro tem. of the Upper Tier. The
proscenium of the theatre reflects great credit upon Mr. Button the architect being simply elegant both in design ornamental detail and color.
The size of the building is 66 feet wide by 150 fee in depth. The breadth of the opening of he proscenium is 33 feet while the depth of the stage is 40 feet 6 inches. The foot lights are sunken below the stage having double reflectors. In taking the stage of the Academy as a model Mr. Higbee the constructor has not merely confined himself to the excellence of ne of the best stages in the country but has exceeded it in everything which could possibly be added to it making this as near perfection in its line as possible. In short the house is one in which even Edwin Forrest may take a pride in appearing for the first time and which Mr. Wheatley may feel pleasure in opening for the first time
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C[?]Y BULLETIN.
THE NEW ARCH STREET THEATRE.--A battalion of workmen are engaged n completng the rebuilding of Mrs. John Drew's new Arch street theatre and extraordinary means are in progress to secure the opening of the house to the public towards the close of the coming week. This old favorite Temple of Thespis has not merely been remodelled or altered. It has has been almost entirely rebuilt no portion of the old structure remaining except the side and rear walls. All the rest is new and the increase in convenience elegance and comfort is no less important than that gained by an addition of twenty-six feet to the depth of the house.
It will not be necessary to inform any reader of the BULLETIN who is in the habit of passing along Arch street that the front of the new structure is of mingled marbled and stucco and that the latter is painted in imitation of marble. The fine statue of Apollo is placed prominetly in the front of the third story and painted whitw ; an act upon the part of the painter which M. Gevelot the sculptor of the sctatue would be apt to resent were he here to see the work of his chisel covered up with a coat of white lead ; but notwithstanding this invasion of the realms of sculpture by a rough branch of the sister art of painting the front presents a very handsome and striking appearance.
The interior has been so completely changed that no one among the old frequenters of the "Arch" would recognize in it their ancient favorite theatre ; all the old inconvenient fixtures and arrangements have been swept away ; modern improvements have been introduced increased space has been secured and the house is now one of the most elegant and pleasant in the city. The stage which is fully as large as the stage of any other plac of amusements in Philadelphia except that of the Academy of Music has been provided with all the improved mechanical facilities extant. New scenery has been painted the arrangements for shifting and handling it are more complete than of old and the stage throughout has been supplied with improved machinery and appliances. The proscenium is neatly and elegantly finished in the Grecian style and the arch over the stage is handsomely frescoed and adorned with a carved gilt eagle and with a painted bust of Shakspeare. The prevailing color in this part of the house is a delicate salmon richly relieved with gold. The drop curtain is already painted and suspended in its place ; it represents an Italian scene and those who have had an opportunity of viewing it pronounce it one of Mr. J. C. Hawthorn's happiest efforts.
The plan of the house has been altered entirely in respect to the seats. The audience is now accommodated in orchestra seats parquet circle dress circle and family circle. In theatrical parlance these seats will hold a thousand dollars and besides these seats there is a very large space that persons who are disposed to fill "standing seats" can occupy. Great care has been taken to secure an unbroken view of the stage from all parts of the house ; while each sitter has a space railed off in which to place himself with abundant sitting room and scope enough in front in which to stretch his legs. All the sitting forms in the house from the parquet to the family circle are made of black walnut with carved arms. Every seat is cushioned and covered with crimson velvet.
Instead of the old fashioned heavy fronts to the boxes light screens of beautifully ornamented perforated iron are employed. The same material has been used in front of
the orchestre and this is embellished with medallion portraits of Shakespeare and others of the old actors and dramatists. Messrs. Wood & Perot who made this beautiful iron screen work have achieved a great success and the painter and gilder have added materially to the fine effect of the work. The prevailing color throughout the house is white richly and chastely relieved by gold.
The acoustic qualities of the house are said to be excellent ; the ventilation cannot fail to be thorough ; while abundant light has been provided for. The architect has eschewed the plan of lighting the entire auditorium by means of a single mammoth chandelier as at the Academy of Music and the new Chestnut Street Theatre. Nineteen three light chandeliers are distributed around the front of the dress circle while a rich six light chandelier is suspended from each side of the prosecenium. There are also brackets distributed along the walls thus securing an abundant supply of light. This portion of the work was entrusted to Messrs. Cornelius & Baker and it was of course performed well. Taken as a whole the new "Arch" is a neat elegant and comfortable theatre ; no bars will be allowed in the house and no improper characters will be admitted ; its respectability will thus be maintained. As regards its popularity under the management of Mrs. John Drew there can be no doubt of that.
