become necessary, if for no other reason than that people like to go where they can see and be seen; and hence, long before the corporated history of this place, rude efforts were made to revive. the dramatic exhibitions of other countries. Early in 1849 and in 1850 respectively, two circuses were established as the pioneers of popular amusements. One of these was on Kearny street above Clay, under the control of a Mr. Rowe, who subsequently converted it into a theatre. The other, of a few months' later date, was owned by Mr. Foley, and was located on Montgomery street below California. A short time subsequent to these, another was opened on the western side of Portsmouth Square. These were mere tent structures, where, on rude benches, congregated crowds of easily satisfied and deeply interested spectators, and where spring-boards bounced men of various sizes successively over one, two, and three horses; and daring riders, on broad wooden saddles, jumped through hoops and over ropes, most fearfully to look at. Nowhere else were to be had the materials for more legitimate displays, and the little-exacting populace were forced to content themselves with what they could get-paying without a murmur, their $3 for pit seats, $5 for box places, and $55 for the princely luxury of a private stall. On Monday evening, June 22d, 1849, a concert of vocal music was performed at the old school-room on the south-west corner of the plaza, and this may properly be regarded as first among the regular amusements of San Francisco. It was given, entirely unassisted, by Mr. Stephen C. Massett, at the suggestion of many of his New York friends. The little room was crowded to suffocation, the proceeds yielding the vocalist over five hundred dollars. The following is the programme, a curiosity well worthy of preservation, printed at the office of the "Alta California," then the only paper in the city. "Front seats," it will be observed, were reserved for ladies, of whom there were but four present. The piano used (we believe there was only one in the country) upon the occasion, was loaned by Mr. E. Harrison, the collector of the port, and sixteen dollars were paid for removing it from the custom-house to the school-room, situated on opposite sides of Portsmouth Square. "ON MONDAY EVENING NEXT, A CONCERT Will be given at the Court-house, Portsmouth Square, BY MR. STEPHEN C. MASSETT, Composer of When the Moon on the Lake is Beaming,' and other popular ballads. PROGRAMME. 1. SONG. When the Moon on the Lake.' PART L Words and Music by S. C. Massett. 2. RECITATION.-Mr. Massett: The Frenchman, the Exquisite, and the Yankee in Richard IIL 8. SONG.--Mr. Massett: My Boyhood's Home,' from Opera of Amilie. 4. AN IMITATION of Madame Anna Bishop, in her Song of The Banks of Guadalquiver.' 5. SONG. When a child I roamed.' Words and Music by S. C. Massett. 6. AN IMITATION of an elderly lady and German girl, who applied for the situation of soprano and alto singers in one of the churches in Massachusetts. S. C. Massett. PART II. 1. SONG.-Mr Massett: When time hath bereft thee,' from Gustavus III. 2. Mr. Massett: Loss of the Steamship President,' by Epes Sargent. 3. Mr. Massett: 'I'm sitting on the stile, Mary,' by W. R. Dempster. 4. AN IMITATION of the N. Y. Razor Strop Man, John Smith. 5. BALLAD. She wore a Wreath of Roses.' (Mr. Massett.) J. P. Knight. 6. BALLAD." List while I sing." Composed by Stephen C. Massett. 7. YANKEE IMITATION.- Deacon Jones and Seth Slope.' S. C. Massett. 8. To conclude with the celebrated 'YANKEE TOWN MEETING;' In which Mr. Massett will give imitations of seven different persons, who had assembled for the purpose of suppressing the press.' Tickets $8 each, to be had at Dr. Robinson's, Chemist and Druggist, on the plaza; at the 'Parker House,' of Mr. Massett; at the office of Col J. D. Stevenson, and at the door on the night of the performance. N. B. Front seats reserved for ladies!" The first theatrical performance in San Francisco was a representation of "The Wife" and "Charles the 2d," by a small company, under the control of Messrs. Atwater & Madison, who had been some time organizing a theatre, in January, 1850, in the second story of a building at the rear of the old "Alta California" office (then located on Washington street, about midway of the plaza), known as Washington Hall. The most that can be said of the exhibition is, that the performance was poor and the room well filled. The genuine good taste of the people, however, could not long remain satisfied with such impositions. San Francisco was leaving its embryo existence. Its population of talent and education ceased their menial occupations, emerged from their filthy lodgings, and doffed their coarse red shirts for Chesterfieldian apparel. All their wants now had to be of the same luxuriant kind. The circuses no longer drew |