The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-10-21
AN OPERA HOUSE AT LAST.

In our local columns this morning Will
be found an account Of proposed opera
house for Dallas. The incorporators are
gentlemen and business citizens whose
names are guarantee at once for the sue
cess of the enterprise begun, and for the
completion of tho needed building. They
have set to work at ii in business fashion,
and so, barring accidents, next season will
see this city with dramatic accommodations
and entertainments such as we ought to
have, and indeed ought to have had long
since. This will ensure to us the presence
of lrst-class companies, not merely
semi-occasionally, with but one or two
performances, but during the theatrical
season. From neighboring counties TO
these several exhibitions will come our
friends from the cities and towns at once
for their own pleasure and the transaction
of business with our merchants. To this
end the railways leading hereto will doubt
less issue reduced rates for excursion tick
cts. Wherefore there need be no fear that
more and even better troupes than have
be sn vouchsaied to US in the past will reap
ample reward by contracting to play at this
great railroad center, or that the opera
house will not pay as an Investment. But
to positively secure the latter desideratum,
the incorporators will be wise if they
shall have regard to to the following facts ;
Let the site be selected in such locality as
al, II 4, al,
considering the present status and pros
pectivc growth Of Dallas. A few dollars
saved now by investing in lots prospectively
not to increase in value would be false
economy, when Others at little higher fig
ure for the same space, may be worth
double in few years. One Of the elements
of income will be found in the rental from
stores citherin the basement or on the ground
floor of the building, and locality will have
much to do as to the price to be received
from that source. In the next place, let the
house be 50 well and, thoroughly constructed
that there will be no fear of unnecessary
competition for years to come. Too small a
building unfortunately located, or without
the proper accommodations for both the
audience and the troupes, might
lead to other structures and so
result in extra quantity OF in
lcrior quality all around. Sutcrior vcntila-
ton, ample precautions against the acct
dent of fire, abundant modes of egress for
both actors and audiences, sufliciency of
stage space, comfortable .dressing-rooms,
variety ofmovablc scenery and ofmachinery,
comfortable seats so adjustable as to facili-
tate egress, etc, ETC., are all matters to be
considered. Nor is the subject of acoustic
construction to be omitted. 1t must be
considered, also, that the Dallas of ten
years hence will be at least twice, if not
thrice, the size of the Dallas OF to-day, and
this is another reason why locality is now so
important an element of consideration.
But we presume the incorporators have
reflected on or will duly care for all these
requisites and adjuncts, which we have
suggested rather as an appetizer of the gem
cral thought. We congratulate the gentle
men on the manner OF their start, viz: The
advertising lots which parties may have for
sale for the intended project, the offering of
a premium for the best plan of structure,
though it might have been well to have Of
fcred a couple ofpremiums for the first and
second choice of the committee. The propo-
sitions are fair and but need what they will
certainly receive, bona fidc treatment, to
concentration