San Francisco Minstrels

“THE ENTERTAINMENT presented the past week by the San Francisco Minstrels was a varied and most enjoyable one. The first part was replete with the eccentricities of Birch and Backus, the enders, while the singing of David Wambold, Ira Paine and Oberist was very pleasing. The ‘Tyrolean Song’ of Oberist was well rendered. The ballad of ‘When the Corn is Waving, Annie Dear,’ was beautifully sung by Mr. Wambold and deservedly encored. The melody is pleasing and the words are such as appeal to the sympathies of an audience. Ira Paine sang ‘Out in the Streets’ in a manner that elicited hearty applause. This gentleman possesses a good voice and he knows how to use it. Birch’s song of ‘The Dry Goods Clerk’ and Backus’ song of ‘Bye Words of the Day’ were all good and each received an encore. The jokes brought forth by these two worthies are very laughable and the audience are kept in the best possible good humor. In the olio Johnny Queen did   the ‘Broadway Dancing Master’ well, while John Mulligan and Billy West provoke the heartiest applause of the evening by their act of ‘Behind the Scenes.’ Billy West in his singing of Robin Ruff gave a capital imitation, both in voice and manner, of J. L. Carncross. Legget [sic] and Allen, the pedestal dancers, continue to be well received. The after sketch of ‘A Theatrical Agency’ was very funny and wound up with the old walk around of ‘Shoo Fly.’”

In a divorce suit, Ira Paine’s wife asked for alimony support, stating that Paine earned $2,500 a year.