Abbotts 5th Get Together 1938
by Percy Abbott
There was a "hot" time in the old town of Colon on Saturday, Sept. 10th, as the big show and other "doings" of that evening climaxed the several days of visiting with magician-friends, glutting ourselves with magical demonstrations, and the dozen other activities which constituted our annual Get-together. We had 283 magicians registered. Counting the ladies and friends who accompanied them and the twenty or so magicians who came late Saturday and failed to register, we had over 500 visitors. At the big public show on Saturday night, literally hundreds were turned away. We plan for two performances next year ... We had meant to tell you more about this enjoyable affair but our time and magazine space are cramped by factors over which we had no control.
We also meant to devote more space to Chester Morris and his grand act which we caught at Flint, Mich. Everything about both performer and performance was top-notch ... And there was Chester with another very prominent theatre manager, almost literally on his knees, begging him to play just any dates which he could in his theatre. But Chester's time was so fully booked that there was nothing for him to do but hurry on to his bookings in large eastern cities.
Such things as these loomed large in our minds a couple of weeks ago. But now a bit of tough luck and a tremendous load of extra work to be done have crowded all these thrills from our immediate thoughts. You see on Saturday night, Sept. 17th, just one week after our big night, there was another hot time-too literally a "hot" time-around the Abbott plant. At 9 P. M. with all of the staff off for Saturday evening, fire broke out in the rear of the magic factory and gained much headway before it was discovered by neighbors. The fire department was on hand in double-quick time and did a very remarkable job. Office records, though smoky and damp, are still intact. More than half of the tools and heavy machinery around the shop were salvaged without appreciable damage. All illusion cabinets, piano, curtains and stage effects in the theatre upstairs were completely destroyed. The stock loss we estimate at $10,000. But thanks to the fact that we had a very large supply of magic equipment- the largest, in fact, to be found anywhere in this country-the remaining $20,000 stock enables us to ship almost all orders on time. Shipment of merchandise was resumed on Wednesday, with the offiqe and the shipping department in one "borrowed" building and the workshops located in an available building some few blocks distant. We anticipate having everything strictly on schedule within a very few days.
Because we are printing this "Tops" on a smaller press than usual, and because much salvaging of equipment and materials must he handled by our regular employees who understand the value and care of the damaged articles, we feel much hampered and are compelled to omit some items which we had hoped to give you in this issue. But we are getting "Tops" out AT THE USUAL TIME. Any of you who have been thru this "fire and salvage" experience will understand how much effort is entailed in doing that.
Gerber the Magician was our first customer after the fire. Mr. Gerber came in at 8:30 o'clock Monday morning. He found us already more or less 'established in new quarters and before he left he purchased several pieces of magical apparatus. Mention of this is by way of convincing you of the most important fact which we wish to get over that we are doing business as usual, and with our customary prompt and careful service.
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