Charles B. Ward, who has been singing at Proctor's Pleasure Palace for several weeks, has had an eventful career. He is known as "the Bowery Boy" because he sings ditties illustrative of life along the lower east side of New York city, of which section the Bowery is the principal thoroughfare. Mr. Ward was the first to bill himself as "the Bowery Boy," and claims that title as his right.
A MIRROR man had a chat with Ward one day last week in his dressing-room at the Pleasure Palace. " I began my stage career, " he said, "at 'Fatty' Stewart's place in Philadelphia as a boy soprano. I sang there during the Centennial. In 1879 I joined a juvenile opera company playing Pinafore. I played in several juvenile companies after that, and then joined Burton Stanley, doing a sketch. I filled in some time as a black-face monologuist in the West, after which I came Fast and was engaged by Edward E. Rice for The Seven Ages.
"After a season with Dixey, I went with The Pearl of Pekin. When that company stranded I joined the Bennet-Moulton Opera company. I left that and joined Reeves' Faust company with which I remained two years.
"In New Orleans I met Otis Skinner, who was managing Margaret Mather. He gave me a position as assistant stage manager and carpenter, and I stayed with the company for some time. I next joined Dockstader's Minstrels, and spent my first successful season with them. The next season I went out with a troupe playing Love on Wheels. It was a bicycle play, and we rode from town to town on wheels. While I was with this company I got a telegram to go to Chicago to sing in Tuxedo, and as Love on Wheels was on the point of collapsing, I went. The following season I was with Cupid's Chariot, in which I introduced 'After the Ball.' I was the first singer to telegraph Charles K. Harris about the success of the song. " I spent a part of a season with Primrose and West's Monte Carlo, and the rest of it with their minstrels. "My first real success was made at the Imperial Music Hall, when I sang 'My Pearl's a Bowery Girl.' Taking the advice of Andrew Mack, I dressed in a juniper and cap, which I bought from a truck driver on the Bowery. I sang this song at the Imperial for six weeks with great success.
"Since then I have played vaudeville dates, and have also played special engagements with Davis and Keogh's companies." "You have composed some music, have you not?" asked the MIRROR Man, "Yes, I have composed a waltz called Crushed Violets,' and the following songs: 'The Band Played On,' 'True Love,' 'Picture M,' and 'Only a Bowery Boy.' The words of the last two were written by Gussie L. Davis. I have two new songs which I will publish soon—'I'll Make Dat Black Gal Mine,' words by Dave Reed, Jr.. and 'The Girl With the Naughty Wink,' words by Edgar S Iden."
The New York Music Company, of which Mr. Ward is manager, is publishing all except one of the popular song series now running in The New York World. He expects that some of them will attain great popularity.
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