The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-09-09


mer, Il. c. Mingst and II. @. Bal :
cock, 10 shares each I'll. i. Blemker.
z shares; Herman Jpnker. John d.
Roche, A. Dyer and VIM. NJ. Akin,
five shares each-making total OF
! ,238 shares-equal to s37, 140.
The organization of the company
was perfected at meeting of the
stockholders held in Masonic Hall
June 6, 1866, by the election of the
following Board of Directors: F. w.
Cook, George S. Sonntag. FL Gwath-
merry, John j. Chandler, T. P Car
son, w. E. French and Thos. Scant-
lin.
At che same meeting the real estate
subscribed was accepted at SIG, 692 30,
or $3.50 per foot of 40 feet
depth, or twelve dollars more
than the proprietors paid per foot
of ITO feet depth, at public auction,
ia November, 1865, which, it must be
conceded, was extremely liberal on
the part of the original owners. A
general plan of the Opera House. sub
mitted by our accomplished architects
Mursinna & Boyd, was accepted, and
the stockholders, though conscious Of
the inadequacy OF the means already
subscribed, determined to commence
operations at once, trusting to the
well known public spirit and liberality
of our citizens for further aid for its
completion.
The Board of Directors elected John
j. Chandler, President; Thos. Scant-
lin, Vice President; II. G. Gwath-
mey. Secretary, and f. P. Carson,
Treasurer, and at once proceeded to
contract with Messrs. Mursinna &
Boyd for plans and specifications, and
also to remove the old buildings.
The excavation was made, the
foundations laid, and the walls car
ried to the top of the basem ent ready
for the first tier of ioists early 10 the
Fall. The joists were placed in posi-
ton and the whole covered with lum-
Der to protect it from the weather.
The object was to permit the walls to
settle well before the superstructure
was put upon the foundations. They
are unquestionably the most massive
and solid foundations ever laid in
this city.
During the Winter contracts were
made for material, including 100000
bricks, and arrangements for prompt
resumption of the work in TIE Spring
of 1867, with view to have it finish
ed by the first of September follow
ing. Delays, however. occurred, and
it was not completely under roof until
near the end of December
By this time the finances were ex-
hausted, and the Winter was spent in
devising plans to unite the financial
knot, which, thanks to the energy
and sagacity of the President, ably
and heartily seconded by the Board
of Directors, and encouraged by the
Stockholders, was accomplished early
in the Spring Of 1868, by large ma
jority of the Stockholders increasing
their subscriptions, and by inducing
others to subscribe.
The financial troubles being re-
moved, an experienced mechanic, Mr..
David III. Speaker, formerly of Louis
vile, now a citizen of Evansville, was
employed to complete the interior,
the stores on the ground floor, and
the offices on the second floor, hav-
ing been in the meanwhile finished
and partly occupied. The work was
resumed and carried forward with en-
ergy, and to-day it viii be handed
over to the representatives of the
stockholders-one of the most mas
sive, beautiful and most admirably
arranged temple of amusement in
the West, considering its size and
cost.
The Dimensions Of the building, as
before indicated, are: First Street
front, GA feet; Locust Street front.
40 feet, forming with the JOURNAL
Office solid block from First Street
to the alley, and by far the most
massive and imposing block of build
ings in the city.
The front elevation is sixty feet
high, with massive iron columns
twenty-three feet high, surmounted
by heavy cornice. The front above
is of Green River marble. The side
elevation at the corner of Locust and
First Streets is the same as the front
but increases by reason of the natural
declivity of the street, as it extends
back to the alley, terminating on a
line with the JOURNAL Office, form
ing an even but diversified front of
exceeding beauty and grandeur.
The cut above will give our readers
a very clear conception of the exterior
appearance Of the building.
On each side the main entrance
are two massive iron columns project
ing several inches, supporting a mar
row balustrade of iron. These col
umns weigh 5000 pounds each.
The entrance is wide, the stairs
easy the first flight, of thirteen
steps, being divided by a passage-wa
leading to a nice room beneath and
back of the stairs. From the first
landing, eleven steps lead to the
second floor. Turning to the right
lond laft +vo aosv FIGHTS of a;0b+