1904 Season

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1904 Season Season
Leadership Joseph W. Dusenbury
The Olentangy Park Company
New Attractions Ye Olde Mill or Auquarama
Circle Swing
Palace of Illusions
Arcade
Pony and Camel Track
Palm Garden
The Colonnade
Theater Manager W.W. Prosser
Band(s) Wendell S. Powell's Olentangy Band

The Olentangy Park, Theater, and Zoological Garden opened for the 1904 season on Sunday, May 22, 1904.[1][2] Around 30,000 people visited opening day.[3] Wendell S. Powell's Olentangy Band returned to play afternoon and evening performances.[4] The park was to open on May 15, 1904, but bad weather pushed the opening a week and the theater presented vaudeville.[5] On Sunday, June 12, the park experienced its highest attendance of the season with around 40,000 parkgoers in one day.[6]

Park Improvements

The park expanded to comprise over 100 sq. acres. The Ball Grounds were enclosed and a large grandstand was added. The Dancing Pavilion and bowling alleys were enlarged and improved. Rare and interesting birds and animals were added to the zoo, growing it to be three times larger than the previous season.[4] The park spent over $50,000 (over $1.67 million in 2023) on improvements and new attractions.[7]

Injuries

Bear Attack

Peter Duffy, an attendant at the park's zoo, was attacked by a Himalayan bear when feeding the animals raw meat. Duffy was carrying the meat in a basket when the bear reached out of its cage to grab it. He became angry and opened the cage to confront the bear and take back the meat. The bear attacked Duffy causing lacerations all over his body. Other attendants saved Duffy, who survived.[8]

Lion Attack

James Emmett, an animal tamer, and his friend visited the zoo on May 31, 1904, and while walking by the cage with two untamed lions, tried to show how they sheathe their claws. Emmett grabbed a lion's paw and the lion used its other paw and claws to grab Emmett's hand and pull him further into the cage. Emmett's friend used his walking cane to beat the lion back. This aggravated the lion and it tore at Emmett's arm. The zoo keepers stepped in and used an iron bar to get the lion to let go. He survived and took the injuries in stride despite his friends urging him to go to a doctor for treatment. During the incident, park-goers ran and some fainted and rumor spread that the cage had broken.[9]

Lineman Knocked From Tree

Park lineman Charles Mayers was knocked from a tree while coming into contact with a live wire when working at the park in June.[10]

Passenger Station Restored

The passenger station for the park blew down during a wind storm the prior autumn. The Columbus Railway and Light Company restored the station using a concrete foundation that extended 5 feet into the ground.[11]

Hayes-Mackey Fence Dispute Ends in a Lease

Main Article: Hayes-Mackey v. The Olentangy Park Co.

Daniel H. Mackey leased a tract of land on the west side of High Street adjoining Olentangy Park to Park Manager Joseph W. Dusenbury for 10 years. Otho L. Hays leased a plot of land 462.37 by 584 feet on the west side of High Street adjoining the land in the first lease to the Olentangy Park Co., a corporation, also for 10 years. The leases began April 4, 1904, and April 12, 1904, respectively, at $500 ($16,674 in 2023) per year each, payable in four installments of $125 ($4,170 in 2023) each on the 15th day of May, June, July, and August.[12]

Lawsuit

F.R. Brown sued J.W. Dusenbury for $108.60 ($3,622 in 2023) due for building materials.[13]

Rides and Attractions

New Colonnade

Main Article: Colonnade

The Colonnade was a 270-ft. (82.3 m) long building lined with columns and built to the east of the theater and offered refreshments and amusements."[4][14]

New Funhouses

The Castle Mystic, also called the Mystic Castle, this funhouse was described in the Columbus Sunday Dispatch as "full of mirth and mystery," while Palace of Illusions was "entertaining, mystifying, and instructive."[4] The House That Jack Built was also listed in an ad.[15]

Mystic Castle

Main Article: Castle Mystic

This attraction had the endless tunnel, the haunted swing, the rocky pass, the collapsable platform, the grotto, Kelly's slide, Jacob's ladder, the fountain of youth, the observatory, the magic mirror, the drunkard's pathway, Dooley's art gallery, the mysterious elevator, and other features. It was constructed under the personal supervision of J.W. Zarro of Cincinnati.[14]

Palace of Illusions

Main Article: Palace of Illusions

This attraction had magical illusions, ghost shows, and other "weird and uncanny effects never before seen in Columbus." It was also constructed under the supervision of J.W. Zarro.[14]

New Ye Olde Mill or Auquarama

Main Article: Ye Olde Mill (First)

The Ye Olde Mill or Auquarama was a new water ride where boats with upholstered seats carry riders through "gloomy caverns, fantastic grottos, and unsurpassed scenery" with a torrent of water by an immense water wheel. After floating through subterraneous passages, they emerge into rooms containing electrically lighted scenic effects in scenes showing cotton plantations and Black musicians playing banjos. The next scene was based on Dante's Inferno with weird and ghostly effects, followed by "The Rock of Ages" with water flowing around a rock with a center of natural flowers. From there, riders pass through Arctic regions, then, under the sea with serpents and numerous "uncanny figures of every description." Mirrors were placed to enhance the immersive ride. The ride looped around to the start for the next set of riders.[14]

The ride was constructed under the supervision of C.B. and N.A. McDaniel of New York City and cost $15,000 (over $500,000 in 2023).[14]

New Circle Swing

Main Article: Circle Swing

The Giant Circle Swing consisted of a 75-foot (23 m) tall steel tower (some sources say 90 feet (27.5 m)) which revolves around a vertical shaft. Connected to this shaft at the top of the tower were six radiating arms described as being "like spokes of a great wheel or legs of a gigantic spider. Steel cables extended from the arms to carry cars of passengers. An electric motor at the base spun the arms, cables, and cars with centrifugal force raising the cars over 30 feet (9 m) above the ground at the full speed of 40 mph (64 kph). The circle created at its widest was 120 feet (36.5 m) in diameter. It was built by the North Penn Iron Company of Philadelphia and cost over $8,000 ($266,784 in 2023) to construct.[14]

New Down and Out

Main Article: Down and Out

The Down and Out was a type of slide that was a popular amusement park feature and was also at Steeplechase Park by 1903.[1]

Zoo

Main Article: Zoological Garden

The zoo was expanded to be three times the size. One of the additions included a large pressed brick animal house.[14]

Other Rides and Attractions

Olentangy Park Theater

Main Article: Olentangy Park Casino and Theater

Vaudeville returned for the 1904 season with two sets of performances daily throughout the season.[2] The Dusenbury Brothers made a deal with the Vaudeville Managers Association of America to obtain a vaudeville franchise for Columbus.[16] W.W. Prosser of Columbus was hired to manage the casino and J.K. Burke, former manager of Minerva Park, booked acts from New York.[17][16][4][18] Although the opening of the park was moved due to poor weather, the theater season began on May 15.[5]

Week of May 15

Acts and performances:[19][20]

  • Frederick Bond and Co.
  • Soto Sunetaro, "The Great Japanese Wonder"
  • Mlle Latina, from Columbus, singer
  • Mooney and Holbein, Australian tourists, singing, dancing, and comedy
  • Georgia O'Ramey, comedy
  • Eddie Mack, dancing comedian and monologist, including the one-act comedy, "My Awful Dad"
  • American Vitagraph showing pictures such as the great train robbery based on a real robbery on the Northern Pacific Railway
Week of May 22

Acts and performances:[21][1]

  • The Beautiful Ballet Unique, singing and dancing by eight girls
  • Dixon, Bowers, and Dixon, in their famous "The Three Rubes" act
  • Smirl and Kessner, comedy acrobats, in a sketch, "The Bellboy and the Waiting Maid"
  • The Hollands, comedy acrobats
  • Eugene Wack, cornet soloist
  • Musical Bentley, musician
  • American Vitagraph showing new pictures
Week of May 29

Acts and performances:[22][23]

  • Callahan and Mack, Irish comedy, in "The Old Neighborhood"
  • Frantzmathes and Lewis, rifle and pistol shooting
  • The Hollsworths, music and comedy
  • Loredo and Blake, comedy acrobats
  • Louis Granat, whistler
  • Reata Winfield, violin soloist
  • Farlardo, sound mimic
  • John Cartmell, black-face performer, "The Columbus Boy"
  • American Vitagraph showing new pictures
Week of June 5

Acts and performances:[24]

  • Will M. Cressy and Blanche Dayne in "Village Lawyer" or "The New Depot"
  • Duffy, Sawtelle, and Duffy in "Papa's Sweethart"
  • Jones and Walton in "Our Country Cousin"
  • Claude and Fanny Usher, comedians, in "Tough Love"
  • Dorothy Kenton, banjoist, known as "The Girl with the Banjo"
  • Eugene Wack and Harry Davis, cornet and euphonium duet, assisted by the full concert band
  • American Vitagraph showing new pictures
Week of June 12

Acts and performances:[25]

  • Mr. and Mrs. Neil Litchfield in "Hollowe'en at Brook Farm," a comedy
  • Armstrong and Holly in "The Expressman," a comedy
  • Harry Stanley and Doris Wilson in a musical comedy sketch called "Before the Ball"
  • Don Gordon, comedy novel cyclist
  • Vera King, songs and stories
  • Ferguson and Beeson in "The Arrival of His Lordship," a comedy
  • American Vitagraph showing new pictures
Week of June 19

Acts and performances:[26][27]

  • Emma Littlefield and Victor Moore in "Change Your Act or Back to the Woods"
  • Cal Stewart, storyteller and entertainer
  • Brown and Bartoletti, comedians
  • Milt and Maude Wood, singing, dancing, and acrobatic sketches on boards
  • The Gagnoux, a famous European act with jugglers and equilibrists
  • Alice Lewis, singing comedienne
  • Dorothy Walters, singing and whistling comedienne[28]
  • American Vitagraph showing new pictures by Hoyt Burnett
Week of June 26

Acts and performances:[29]

  • Horace Vinton and Eda Clayton in the one-act comedy, "Bill Casey, Burglar"
  • Martini and Maximillian, known as "The Illusionists Extraordinary" or "Two Comical Trixters"
  • Raymond Finlay and Lottie Burke in "In Stageland Satire," a skit with singing, dancing, comedy, and wordplay
  • Billy Clifford, of Clifford and Huth, singer and dancer
  • Sophie Burnham, soprano
  • Kholer and Kholer, acrobats
  • Bud Farnam, Blackface comedian and musician[30]
  • American Vitagraph showing new pictures and a rerun of "The Great Train Robbery"

Music

Wendell S. Powell's Olentangy Band with 30 musicians returned to play afternoon and evening performances at both the theater and the Dancing Pavilion.[4][31]

Outdoor Performances and Stunts

Activities

Other Activities

Ball Grounds

Main Article: Ball Grounds

The ball grounds were enclosed and a large grandstand was added. The park hired N.A. McCoy as the manager of the ball grounds, clubs, and teams from Columbus and the surrounding areas. There were games every day with special games on Sundays and holidays.[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Real Opening Day at Olentangy Park Today." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 22 May 1904. Pg. 4.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Vaudeville for Olentangy." Sunday Columbus Dispatch. 6 March 1904. Pg. 4.
  3. ↑ "Amusements: Olentangy Park." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 23 May 1904. Pg. 4.
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 "Grand Opening Olentangy Park, Theater and Zoo." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 24 April 1904. Pg. 4.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Amusements: Olentangy Park" The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 20 May 1904. Pg. 4.
  6. ↑ "Amusements: Olentangy Park" The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 13 June 1904. Pg. 4.
  7. ↑ "Grand Opening Olentangy Park, Theater and Zoo." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 25 April 1904. Pg. 4.
  8. ↑ "Peter Duffy has Narrow Escape from Angry Bear at the Olentangy Zoo." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 22 March 1904. Pg. 1.
  9. ↑ "Ferocious Young Lion Claws Hand of Tamer at Zoo." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 7 June 1904. Pg. 1.
  10. ↑ "Knocked From a Tree By a Live Wire." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 10 June 1904. Pg. 13.
  11. ↑ "Olentangy Station Restored." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 10 May 1904. Pg. 10.
  12. ↑ "Olentangy LEases Filed." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 12 June 1904. Pg. 7.
  13. ↑ The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 10 June 1904. Pg. 2.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 "Olentangy Park, a Coney Island Rival" The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 1 May 1904. Pg. 4.
  15. ↑ Ad. The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 24 April 1904. Pg. 4.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Vaudeville at Olentangy." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 20 March 1904. Pg.4.
  17. ↑ "Notes." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 17 March 1904. Pg.4.
  18. ↑ "Summer Parks Open." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 15 May 1904. Pg.4.
  19. ↑ "Olentangy Theater." The Sunday Columbus Dispatch. 8 May 1904. Pg. 4.
  20. ↑ "Olentangy Park: Bill for the Opening." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 10 May 1904. Pg. 4.
  21. ↑ "Amusements: Olentangy Park." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 22 May 1904. Pg. 4.
  22. ↑ "'The Old Neighborhood' Headliner at Olentangy." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 29 May 1904. Pg. 4.
  23. ↑ Ad. The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 30 May 1904. Pg. 9.
  24. ↑ "Cressy and Dayne at Olentangy Theater." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 5 June 1904. Pg. 4.
  25. ↑ "Summer Amusements." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 12 June 1904. Pg. 4.
  26. ↑ "Summer Amusements." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 19 June 1904. Pg. 4.
  27. ↑ "Amusements: Olentangy Theater." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 20 June 1904. Pg. 4.
  28. ↑ "Amusements: Olentangy Theater." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 23 June 1904. Pg. 4.
  29. ↑ "Summer Amusements." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 26 June 1904. Pg. 4.
  30. ↑ "Amusements: Olentangy Theater." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 27 June 1904. Pg. 4.
  31. ↑ "Olentangy Park: Its Many Attractions." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 3 May 1904. Pg.4.
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