Dresden Enterprise Apr 24 1896 - The Illustrated Edition Part 22 "The Harper-Detrick Company"

This is the twenty first in a multi-part series featuring the April 24 1896 edition of the Dresden Enterprise.  If you missed the previous posts you can find them here: part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, part nine, part ten, part eleven, part twelve, part thirteen, part fourteen, part fifteen, part sixteen, part seventeen, part eighteen, part nineteen, part twenty, part twenty-one.

It was recently pointed out to me that John W. Moran owned an opera house in Dresden.  This was news to us and another interesting fact to add to the family history. 

In 1889 Jonathan B. Jeffery's published a Guide and Directory to the Opera Houses, Theatres, Public Halls, Bill Posters of the Cities and Towns of America.  In addition to listing Moran's Hall we know there were two hotels, a Friday paper, C.B. Travis was the bill poster and the baggage agent was R.D. Hart.

The Harper-Detrick company, under the management of Mr. W.N. Cross, closed a week's engagement at the opera house last Saturday night.  They appear all this week at Martin and next week at Huntingdon.

The engagement of this company in Dresden has been a series of most enjoyable treats for the theater goers and lovers of the dramatic.  The cast is made up of first class talent, and that their work here was thoroughly appreciated was evidenced by their reception each night.

As an emotional actress Miss Harper needs no other recommendation than the tears shed by the audience on the night of her appearance in "East Lynne," when her acting, as Lady Isabel at the deathbed of her son, was so natural that it seemed almost doubtful that it was really acting.  They are all refined, quiet, sociable people, and gained many friends during their stay here.

Manager Cross, while a young man in years, has had a wide experience in the show business, having crossed the continent several times with strong companies, and he seems to thoroughly understand the management of shows.  He states that will book only companies that he knows to be first-class, and for next season the opera house promises to be a source of much pleasure and enjoyment to our citizens.  Mr. Cross will close this season at Martin on the 23 of next month, and at Dresden immediately following that date with a good company in a three night's engagement.

The complete list of links in this multi-part series:

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, part nine, part ten, part eleven, part twelve, part thirteen, part fourteen, part fifteen, part sixteen, part seventeen, part eighteen, part nineteen, part twenty, part twenty-one, part twenty-two, part twenty-three.