Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-08-10
CENTRAL MUSIC HALL.
st. PauPs Coming Magnificent Opera
III luse-rhs Architects Plans Retro
spscsiy6.

luse-rhs Architects Piaus Retro
spsciivs.
Yesterday morning a party of gentlemen,
among whom were Commodore VIM. +. David
son, Capt. Human, paymaster in the United
statea navy, Col. Allen, of the Merchants hotel,
Capt J. r Hatcher, r. c. Munger, Esq,J B.
McElfatrick, the st. Louis architect, and man
with notebook, gathered into one Of the
apartments in Davidson block for the purpose
Of viewing the plans for the new Sc. Paul
theater. which Is 20 be called the Central
Music Hall. The plans for the new building
are the work of Mr.. McElfatrick.
who has been engaged In
theater building for upwards of thirty years
in different paris of the United States. Some
of the fine dramatic temples recently erected
by him are the new Opera house, Cairo, ILL., :;
McCauley's theater, Louisville, Ky; r bin
sons Op+ra house, Cincinnati; Grand Opera
house, same place; Park theater and the Eug-
Opera house variety theater re-
bully, New Orleans; the Opera
house of Montgomery, Ala; the
Opera house at Burlington, Ala; the pew
opera house at Hot Springs, A k; also Pope's,
Peoples, and the magnificent new Olympic in
st. Louis.
Mr.. McElfatrick exhibited his drawings OF
as well as he could to his intensely interests d
little audience, first explaining that the plans
had merely been drawn 10 work by-not for
exhibition-ahd that a number of alterations
h d been decided on since the original draw
ings were made.
The old o yera house, which stan DIS upon a
portion OF the site selected for the new one,
was built in 1857, after plans drawn by A.
Knight, architect. The ground WAS pur-
chased and the building put no by a company,
the principal shareholders ia which were
Capt. WIN. E. Davidson, John L. Merriam. Fl
L. Carver, W. A. Spencer, and Messrs r. S.
and K. G. Munger. The last
named gentleman was the superln end
ent OF construction, and he managed the
opened with grand concert, com bining the
music Al talent of st Paul and Minneapolis
The cost of the old structure and ground Oh
which It stands was $4,000. The different
shareholders sold out, one by one, to Capt
| Davidson, who at length became the sole
owner.
judging from the plans aeen yesterday, the
| new ,heaier will be one OF the finest in the
UHited States. 1t will have from,
of eighty. five feet on Wabashsw street. The
m insard roof will be taken off and story
| built on. The Wabashaw street front will bt
| in the renaissance style OF architecture There
| will be an entrance on Wa5ishew street six
teen feet in width, which will reach the audi
forum through spacious and elegantly fur
| nished foyer. The stores on Wabashaw street
will have doors leading into the theater, 81
that the whole front can be thrown
| open in an instant, il necessary
The auditorium will be eighty feet each way
and will hold 5000 people when standing
room is used. Fifty feet OF ground has beer
| purchased, at $500 foot. on Fourth street, sc
| as to have more than one grand entrance anC
II e. l. -
| fire. There will be potent iron fire-escap'
gallery running along the Fourth
street SIDE, and connecting with al
| the tiers in such a way that, takins
all the exits together, it will be easy to empty
| the whole house IN couple Of minutes. Th,
Fourth street enterance will be five stories
| high. The stage will be eighty feet wide
forty-four feet deep and sixty. six feet from tn
boards to the rigging in the loft. There will
| be q space of ten feet below the stage ant
ninety feet over all above it which will b.
room enough to admit of plays requiring tn,
heaviest mechanical arrangements.
The gallery will be reached by an entranc,
on the side towards the river, the building nov
used by Mr.. Haines will he taken ID. Unde
| the stage will be sixteen dressing rooms wit
| water and all conveniences. The dressing
rooms for the star will be In the second story
as will be the property room also. There vii
be eight proscenium boxes. The theater vii
be go . constructed that from an
seat In the house goo
view of the stage may be had. The stage viii
be fitted with machinery sets aud drops. Tn
building will cost Sl25 900. The good fast
displayed by St. Paul people in patronizln
first class shows, warrants this large inyes
ment in first-class play house. The wor
of excavation has commenced already
but there is great deal to be done, and Ii
old building viii not be touched before sis
of next year. No attractions have been bookt
later than May, aud 1t is likely that the o.
Opera house will by that time commence
undergoa transformation which will result
one OF the most perfect structures Of its cla'
In the country.