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Show proposed mm mmmm Playgoers Wonder Why Salt Lake Orp lieu in Is to Go Into Trust. MIN0RJTV STOCKHOLDERS ALSO ASKING; QUESTION Labored Under Delusion That Martin Berk Already (Jon-trolled (Jon-trolled Playhouse. j Stories aro current In the theatrical world that n merger of all tho theaters Included In the Orphcum circuit. Ih to take place nnd that Martin Beck, general mannger of tho Orphcum Theater, and Realty company and Mr. Meyerllcld, Jr.. president of the same company, wore to hold a conference with Howard Garrett, of the local Orphcum looking to the taking tak-ing in of the Salt Lako Orphcum and also tho Orphcum nt Ogdcn. formerly tho Grand opera house. Salt Lake stockholders In the Orphoum had been led to believe, as nlso tho people, peo-ple, that Beck and Mcyorllcld owned tho control of tho Salt. Lake and Ogden Orphoums. hence they aro making Inquiries In-quiries ns to why It was necessary for these gentlemen and the compnnv thev represent to desire to merge house's which they were alleged to already own ...... . i-umpiuiy. which they likewise owned, and intimations worn that It looked as If thoro was a frcczcout upon he minority stockholders being attempted. at-tempted. Has Bock Got Control? It will be remembered that a year or more ago the public was Informed that gIfJ'l Ueek had sreurod control of tho fcalt Lake Orphcum thoater, tho best paying pay-ing theater on IhO circuit, with the possible pos-sible exception of San Francisco and Los Angeles. But did Mr. Beck secure thc control? ask tho mlnorltv. The fact that he Is now anxious to take tho Orphenm hero in a great combine com-bine would certainly Indicate that ho did not control. The fact is. so It Is slated, that neither .Mr. Beck nor Mr. Mcycrfleld control the stock of tho Orphcum then- Has Booking Interest. On the other hand. The Trlbuuo Is informed in-formed that the Interest, which Beck and Meyerlleld own In tho Orphcum here, is nothing but that they have an Ironclad agreement regarding the bookings and that they control this. For booking the shows they receive U'J ,;0Iits on every dollar that goes through tho box office, so that It Ih Immaterial to them what Isaiire al'' fr lh 121"CC"L ,T'kcoft The Salt Uike Orphoum has been a gold mine for Its projectors. Tho Ogdcn Orphcum owned by or controlled by the bait Lake management, has never had a paying house; so It Is alleged, since It opened. Why. then, would Mr. Beck want to tako a dead property and attach It to a live one Is hard to understand. To Build New Orphotun. nT!,e.v ? Mr ?oclt aml Mr Ncyor-flolil Ncyor-flolil to Utah now Is to consider a pro-posul pro-posul for the building of a now Orphcum theater In Salt Lake. In view that thc present theater plays to capacity audiences. audi-ences. It is believed by those who control the playhouse, that a larger Orphcum would moan larger returns, henco sites have been carefully looked after and options op-tions secured upon grounds" situated for a playhouse, but which necessarily must be centrally located. This location. It Is said, has been secured on Stnto Klrccl. but on tho opposite side of the street from where thc present playhouse Is located. lo-cated. Real Reason of Visit. Should a new theater building bo erected erect-ed before a now agreement Is made re-gardlng re-gardlng thc bookings, the proprietors fear (hat. a. greater percentage might be demanded de-manded than 1-1 por cent of tho grosn receipts, henco a conference. Thl.'i. so Tho Tribune is Informed. Is tho real reason rea-son of thc visit of Meyerlleld and Beck to Utah now. So long as tho return of 1-4 per cent comes In those on tho Inside In-side are wondering why a merger should be talked of which would mean an Increase In-crease In expenso account and necessarily a decrease In the percentage for bookings. |