The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-12-16

CAIRO'S PRIDE!
THE NEW OPERA-HOUSE,
DEDICATED LAST
NIGHT.
A. GRAND AFFAIR-A SEA OF HAP
Ply FACES BRILLIANT SCENES
AN ELOQUENT GRAFTON
FROM HON. JOHN II.
OBERLY-" THE MAS
COTE" BY THE
FAY TEMPLETON
TROUPE.
THE EVENT.

history of Cairo, because of the grand
event which occurred then. The amuse-
ment loving people of Cairo and vicinity,
who formed the great throng in the spa
cious auditorium of the new opera house,
will not soon forget the night upon which
it's doors were FIRST thrown open to them,
and will probably hold in vivid remen.
brance every little incident connected with
it on that night. A thoughtful and sp-
preciative observer, whose memory could
recall the days Of the old rookery which
the new palace has displaced and dwell
upon the many disappointments expe-
rienced by the Cairo public, because Of the
failure of similar grand enterprises in the
past, must have looked upon the complete
success of this undertaking with infinite
satisfaction. The history of the several
efforts, by representative citizens, to give
Cairo an amusement building which should
combine all the beauties and conveniences
Of the modern theatre, is full of interest;
the more SO now, that repeated failures,
much disappointment and long, persistent
struggles with the problem of the success
or failure of the enterprise, have
finally eliminated in the completion
of the pslaial temple Of Thespis,
which was thrown open to the public last
night.
A number of years ago the subject was
preached among several prominent gentle.
men in the city, the principal movers then
being Messrs. w. Fl. Morris, NJ. F. Gilbert
and II. H. Candee. The movement pro-
gressed SO far as to have plan of the
building to be erected, prepared by q
prominent St. Louis architect at an
expense of fifty dollars. But here the
movement stopped short and was ere long
forgotten. Other attempts were made by
one or more prominent gentlemen, with
Mr.. NJ. F. Gilbert and Others in the lead,
to work up an interest sufficiently strong,
and induce q sufficient number of monied
men 10 lend assistance, that the project,
once begun, might be pushed to sue
cessful issue; but these attempts also ended
in nothing and'the matter was allowed ia
drop into oblivion. The latest unsuccess
full movement, but which was the forerun.
ner of the successful one, began in the
spring of the presentyear. The prime mover
this time was Captain Thomas W. Shields
one Of Cairo's representative citizens, who
conceived the plan of purchasing and TO.
modelling the old Atheneum building in ,
manner that if carried out, would hav,
given the people of Cairo handsome ant
comfortable little theatre. The Capital,
communicated his plan 20 Mr.. DAME
Hartman, the lessee Of the Atheneum, ant
this gentleman entered heartily into tn,
captains plans and offered to become
partner to the enterprise, which offer wa
accepted by the captain. Thus agreed, tn
owners of the building end the groun,
upon which it stood, who we're Mr.
A. B. Stafford, of this city, ant
Miss Barnes, Of Baltimore, were consulte,
as to the value they placed upon the prop
erty; but it seems that no satisfactory I'm
derstanding could be arrived at. AT an
rate, nothing came Of this plan and for
little while the people of Cairo, who hs
looked forward with much pleasure eve
to "remodeled" little old building, wei
once again compelled to chew the cud {
disappointment.
But il was ordained that the people {
Cairo should occupy themselves in tn
way but little vile; Captain Shields vi
determined not to be thwarted in his dete
mination. He was satisfied, as were 9th,
prominent citizens, that Cairo stood grea
ly in need Of new theatre building, an
: that those who would supply the nee
would not only derive a fair pecunial
benefit therefrom, but would receive tf
lasting good wishes Of the amusemen
loving portion of the Cairo public. Durin
q visit to New Orleans, with TIL
idea ever uppermost in his mind, he mad
s 1t point to examine the largest building
! there, and was favorably struck with tn
fact that some of the principal ones wei
built in the rear of large business house
with one side running parallel with stree
20 as to afford ample facilities for exits
the open air from all parts of the building
On his way home, the captain decided upo
emitting the aid Of one or two 9TH
men of means and building
ANEW AND GRAND OPERA HOUSE
. upon any convenient sight that could
procured in the city. Soon after his arriv
home he laid his new plan before N
Daniel Hartman, who was delighted wi