The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-01-26

The o.e Public Building Deer Lodge Nee

Among things sminently desirable for Deer
Lodge to have il Town Hall. There Ii NO
place In the town now adequate In size fer
the assemblage Of It's people for conventions,
general meetings, dances and theatrical.
Masonic Hall il too small and the ceiling too
low; what Is known a. O'Saills Hall Is
miserable old building, too narrow, cold, and
deficient acoustically. The only rsdeeming
features 1t has Ia Hne stage curtain, superb
ventilation, and some high ceiling. Mr..
o'Neill put the present improvements on 1t
under a lease-probably all he was justified
in doing-but the building never can be made
. good hall. The court room cannot, Of
course, be had at all times, and Ia not the
place anyhow for theatricals and dancing,
and IL Is too small. This ends the list Of
buildings at all available. What 10 wanted Is
building erected especially for these pur-
poses. 1t should be of brick, at least 4oxl00
feet outside with ceiling in proportion. OF
this, twenty-five In the rear would 90 to the
stage and fifteen feet off the front to retiring
rooms or box office, leaving 42I57 feet Of an
auditorium or dancing floor. This would
give ample room on stage and In hall. The
building should be erected If possible on .
corner, on or very near the main street, with
side and rear as well as front exit, and the
hall foor should be not exceeding four feet
above the ground. 1t Is suggested hall
might be put on above some building or
buildings now erected or to be erected That
would be bad policy. 1t would be built too
small, and be dangerous in case Of FIRE or
other alarm. Let US, II we build at all, build
well, adequately and safely. The Collegiate
Institute and the several churches, built
principally by the contributions Of citizens
Of Deer Lodge, generally without anticipa-
ton Of any money return on the investment,
are solid evidences of public spirit and lib
eralisy. The building we speak ofis rs much
needed As was any Of these, will increase in
value and pay at least light interest on the
investment. Its only under protest against
the discomforts they will be subjected to that
our people now attend entertainments or So
cial Assombl ald many will not 60 at all if
they can avoid it. When they do, fairly
attended ball results in quadrille sets being
compressed !ntc Al space the size Of dry
goods box, while dramatic entertainment
heard. Let us have good hall. There will
be better assemblies and more enjoyment;
better representations by better companies
and more for your dollar. The time has
come when we ought to do this. The cost of
building material aud labor will be nearly or
quite ~ low this year A. 1t will reach while
good times last. Our schools and churches
and hotels are something to be proud of ;
our Town Hall is disgrace. Our children
are well cared for; the saints have comforta-
bic sanctuaries; the traveller is fed and lodged
like Congressman. Now let us build some
thing where, after the days labor is done,
We can all congregate, hear and see, and have
room and comfort and safety, and not feel
mortified when our friends from abroad as
semble with US. Will Col jerks give US an
estimate of the cost? And then, II it is in
sight, will not some energetic citizens lead
OFF in organizing joint stock company and
carry the project to success?