Necessity of recreation.--Lorenzo anticipates the need of
the people.--Provides a miniature theatre.--How it was
managed.--Moves to a new building.--A windstorm.--House blown
down.--Everything destroyed.--Discouragement.--President J. Young
speaks prophetically.--His prophecy fulfilled.--The Dramatic
Association organized.--Lorenzo presides over it.--Bishop McQuarrie
speaks.--Relates an incident.--The Social Hall erected.--Its
uses.--Concerning circulating medium.--Checks as good as gold.--Within
reach of all.--Assessment.
Realizing as he did, the fact that those who have the charge and
oversight of the people, without providing proper recreation, have
adopted a mistaken policy, Lorenzo made an elaborate effort, in this
direction, to meet the wants of the semi-progressive inhabitants of his
new-born city.
Early in the winter of 1855-6, while his recently erected dwelling
house was unfinished, he converted his largest room, which was fifteen
by thirty feet, into a theatrical department, by erecting a stage in
one end of this not-too-capacious hall--furnishing scenery appropriate
to the situation. He then organized a dramatic company; and during the
long winter evenings his amateur performers drew crowded audiences of
invited guests. The diminutive size of his auditory being insufficient
to accommodate all of the citizens at once, it was necessary, in order
to avoid partiality, to invite the people alternately, which gave equal
opportunities to all.
Here the old and the young, the grey-headed and the little prattlers,
met and mingled--the people were drawn together and a union of feeling
was awakened. These were free of charge. My brother, in connection
with the voluntary actors, furnished the entertainments--he held the
strings, not allowing anything of a demoralizing character to be
presented--carefully examining the plays before they were exhibited on
the stage, and only accepting such as would create innocent merriment,
or inspire elevating and refining sentiment.
The effect was very satisfactory, not only in producing pleasurable
recreation at the time, but was one of the aids in arousing the
partially dormant energies of the people.
This hall, and these theatricals, answered their purpose for the first
winter. During the summer, the people, although in their poverty,
experiencing the great need of a larger building, commenced the
erection of one forty-five by sixty-five feet. This was called "Court
House," and was designed to be at the service of the county for county
purposes, but was mostly built by the labor tithing and donations of
the people of Brigham City. It was an adobie building, two stories
high; they succeeded in erecting the walls, and early the next winter
Lorenzo had several thicknesses of boards laid on the sleepers overhead
as a temporary roof--fitted up the comparatively spacious hall, which
was twenty-two by forty-five feet, and moved his theatricals into the
basement.
With this improved condition my brother determined to have a dramatic
company of ability, and capable of attaining to celebrity in the
profession. Accordingly, he selected some of the most talented young
gentlemen and ladies, including several of his own family, and engaged
an actor who had considerable experience on the Salt Lake stage--set
apart one of his private rooms for the instruction of the class, in
which the students made rapid progress.
When the "Dramatic Association of Brigham City" was organized, Lorenzo
was chosen president, which position he has filled from that time.
But misfortune awaited them. After enjoying their improved
circumstances, and having successfully performed during the winter, in
the spring a terrific windstorm visited the city, and the court house
was blown down with destruction to the stage, theatrical scenery, and
all the accompanying fixtures, which, of course, put a quietus on the
Dramatic Association for a season.
The people were poor; they had struggled beyond measure to erect the
walls now lying in ruins, and how to repair the loss was a problem
which apparently amounted to impossibility--even the irrepressible
Lorenzo Snow felt almost disheartened. Not long, however, after the
trying occurrence, he attended a dinner-party at Brother Hunsaker's, in
company with President Joseph Young (familiarly called Uncle Joseph),
when, rather despondingly, as they sat viewing the ruins, he remarked,
"I cannot see how we ever can rebuild those walls;" when Uncle Joseph,
turning to him, very emphatically said: "Brother Lorenzo, the Lord
will soon open your way to build, and you shall have a much better
house than the first;" then taking a sovereign from his pocket, said,
"Take this for that purpose as a commencement." Lorenzo's feelings were
averse to taking anything from Prest. Young, and said, "No, Brother
Joseph," but, on second thought, it flashed across his mind, "Yes, I
will take it, for I think it a favorable omen--a starting point." And
so it proved--from that time the way opened little by little, and in
fulfilment of Brother Joseph's words, they erected a second structure,
in many respects better than the first. But in several instances labor
and ingenuity supplied the lack of cash. In case of roofing, not being
able to purchase nails, they made wooden pins with which their sheeting
is fastened to the rafters, as can be seen to this day.
The upper story of the building was forty-five by sixty-five feet,
and was used as an assembly hall, for meetings of religious worship,
concerts, lectures and dancing, until they built their large
Tabernacle. After the first year, the theater was transferred from
the basement to the upper story. A stage was erected in the east end,
18x45 feet, furnished with fine elaborate scenery and apartments, where
the members of the Dramatic Association had appropriate opportunities
to exercise and display genius and ability. They soon won laurels and
gained considerable celebrity, and were justly acknowledged as the best
dramatic company in the Territory outside Salt Lake City. The main
body of the lower story was used for county purposes, sittings of the
courts, etc., the county having assisted sufficiently to claim a share,
although, as with the first building, this also was mostly built by
labor tithing, and donations from the people of Brigham City.
On or about the middle of March just past, the writer attended the
Ladies' Relief Society Quarterly Conference in Ogden City. One of the
speakers, Bishop Robert McQuarrie, in addressing the large attentive
audience in the "Tabernacle," earnestly and eloquently impressed on
the minds of the audience the virtue, benefit and, as Saints of God,
the practical necessity of living in constant communion with and
acknowledging God at all times, and relying on His assistance in the
performance of every duty; he also admonished all present to honor Him
and cultivate His Spirit in their hearts, not only when officiating in
organized capacity and in religious exercises, but in their amusements,
he said, they should be governed by its influence, and engage in
nothing in which they could not, with propriety, ask the blessing
of the Lord. As a corresponding closing refrain, the Bishop related
an impressive incident which he said had made a lasting impression
on his mind. At a time not specified, he was spending an afternoon
with my brother in his family residence in Brigham City. A theatrical
performance was in anticipation for the evening entertainment, and
Lorenzo invited the Bishop to attend. He accepted the invitation, and
as the hour of opening approached all made ready for going, and when
in group assembled and ready to start, Lorenzo said, "Let us all kneel
down and pray," which accordingly they did.
As a theater promoter, theater director and theater attendant, this
little, yet significant incident is very strikingly characteristic of
my brother, and so illustrative of the leading principles of his life,
it is worthy of record as a true index and as a judicious monitor.
In 1875 the "Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association"
erected a Social Hall 33x63 feet, and two stories; the first was
designed for amusement, social and dancing parties, lectures, and the
assemblies of the Polysophical Association; the second for a high
school or seminary of learning.
"_How blessings brighten as they take their flight_!" Although the good
people of Box Elder County had exhibited well-developed appreciative
faculties, it is hardly admissible to suppose that they fully realized
the many advantages and conveniences resulting from their co-operative
system, which extended to the social, as well as to the business
and financial departments of society. The checks (scrip) issued by
this institution, as a home circulating medium, (until an unlawful
assessment, with its blighting touch, rendered it obsolete, as will
be fully explained hereafter,) were good as gold for admission to
theatres, lectures, dancing parties--in fact, wherever and whenever
entrance fees were demanded; and, independent of cash fluctuations,
they were within the reach of all--men, women and children. Being paid
out for all kinds of labor, they were accessible to all who were able
to work, and provision was made for those who were not.