Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-15
RAMBLER'S NOTE BOOK.
SCENES Ar FOUNrAIs GARDEN.

GhMDLEIe ~ NO IL DSOA
SCENES Ar FOUNTAIS GARDEN.
What Goes On at u Springfield Concer
saloon.-The Sirens who Frequent th<
Place.-The Dizzy Piano Pisyer.-Remiu
tsceRces of the Piace.-Notes Of the
Week On General Subjects.
Two gentlemen, one Springfield man
and the other from Cincinnati, were talking
about the dives and concert halls Of Cincin-
natl, At the Lsgonda House the other even
ing, and the Cincinnati man was relating
some of the scenes of depravity and dfssipa-
tion to be witnessed any evening in the
Queen city. The Springfield man expressed
great amazement that such places should be
tolerated in a civilized city. Thank God,
said he, ",hat Springfield is not cursed with
such metropolitan features as yet" "Dont
be too sure of that" said another Springfield
gentleman who had overheard the converse
ton. before you make that assertion again
Just take the trouble to drop down to North
Market street q few steps from Main street
and in the centre OF the city. There you
will find . concert saloon, known Is Fountain
Garden. If you enter the place some Satur-
day night you will witness scenes which
will easily convince you, think, that
Springfield can furnish Cincinnati q few
points on the concert saloon business and
not half try"
The 6rst Springhelder was shocked and
became still more 50 when graphic descrip-
ton Of the place was given BY the second
speaker.
Finding on inquiry that 30 little is known
about the place by the general public the
writer resolved to explore its mysteries for
the bereft OF the GLoBE-REpUBLIc readers.
Let us visit the place some Saturday night
when it is most crowded, and when the hur-
rying crowd of workingmen and boys.re-
lsased for the weeks work, always contain .
number who are bent on painting the town
red, and making night of It" TIE history
Of Fountain Garden is well known. II was
originally built as a variety theater. In the
building plans, ample facilities for bar were
made and it was the intention to supply the
members OF the audience with beer and drinks
while they witnessed the play. When this
intentIon became known to the public such
long drawn out howl Of horror went up from
the moral element of the community that
council hasteaed to nip the scheme in
the bud by passing an ordinance for
bidding the sale of drinks in amuse-
ment halls. The theater was com Eleted ald
fitted up, however, and was formally opened
BY the lessees with q variety troupe, the hall
going BY the name of Crystal Hall. While
the novelty Of the thing lasted good houses
were the rule and several really meritorous
variety troopes played to good business, Ed
Cain the solo, roller skatist and managerial |
phenomenon Of blessed memory managed |
the concern. When the interest in the place |
gradually died out, the troups playing At the |
theater grew lower and lower, until the |
boards were finally held by the very loves, |
order OF variety stake" artists. Finally even |
this ceased to pay, and the place was then |
elosed. Every one admitted that the theater |
would have steadily paid, if the managers
had been allowed to sell drinks ON the prem
ises, but this public opinion would not have |
There was saloon next door, it il true, but |
this failed to answer the purpose
since the patrons of tn. house wanted to do |
fbarr -ipt r-hs 81.
For some months the theatre, which is |
beautiful little affair architecturally, was un-
used, except for public meetings, conventions,
etc. 1t will be remembeSed that the memoir
able convention which nominated General J.
Warren Keifer for congress over General |
Kennedy was held in Crystal Hall. End other |
meetings were also held there The place |
was next fitted up as German beer garden |
by Tyner & Davidson, who leased it for the |
purpose. The slopiug floor was made level, |
the seats taken out, and the place fitted up
with beer tables and chairs. Regular con-
certs Of really fine selections were given by |
the Big Six Band, and the hall then first be-
came known as Fountain Garden
Under Tyner Davidson the order kept was
very good, and the greatest care WAS taken
to exclude all improper characters. The
result was that the place was fairly
respectable in character, and was
patronized by many persons of stand
ing Of the city. But the venture
failed to prove paying one, whether from
the care which was taken to exclude improper
characters or from some other cause is not
known. The hall was then leased to the
present proprietors to be run as q common
concert saloon.
But let tie reader accompany rs to one of
the Saturday night soiress which take place
weekly at this resort. A few steps from Main
street and We are at the door. A brilliant
transparency announces the existence of .
saloon right next door to the garden, but the
place itself has q very quiet exterior, soli-
tary globe light over the doorway directing
the passerby within. We climb five steps
and enter the large door way and
proceed into the broad hallway
which leads 10 the garden proper. To
the right . large door led into the saloon, .
moderately sized apartment fitted up with .
large bar. The end Of the bar opens into
the auditorium Of the Garden. Very little
business is done At the bar, all the drinks be-
ing carried out to the Garden itself. At the
end of the hallway above mentioned, We
push back two large storm doors, and after
the descent of few steps End ourselves in
Fountain Garden proper. A large stove oc-
cupies the center Of the floor. The hall it.
self is arranged with beer tables and chairs