The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1886-12-20

the work has been done, j. b. McElfatrick
II Son, have probably prepared plans and
supervised the construction OF more large
theaters than any firm In America. and their
name, itself. Is as perfect guarantee as can
be given of the sUlldity and perfect safety OF
the New Opera-house. Every precaution
has been taken TO guard against fire. A per.
feet water service supplies the stage, and
there are coils OF hose ready for use IN the
fly galleries, as well as on the stage, In case
OF any accident. At the rear Of the stage are
two sky lights 81 adjusted that they open
automatically In case of fire, creating a draft
away from the auditorium, preventing all
danger Of fire from foot-lights or scenery.
THE AUDITORIUM.
The theater proper Is divided into par
quette parquctte circle, dress circle, balcony
and gallery. There are also eight private
boxes elegantly appointed and commanding
by their arrangement perfect view OF the
stage. There are seven rows OF chairs In the
parquette circle, twelve rows In the par
quette, eleven In the dress circle and bal
cOny and twelve In the gallery-the whole
aiforling ample seating room for Loo
people. The stage IL ~ feet wide and 40
feet deep from the fOot-lights to the rear
doors. These doors are seventeen feet wide
and open directly on Losoya street IN the
rear. There Is the most ample provision for
exits. In addition to the Is feet entrances
on Alamo plaza and Crockett street, there are
two entrances on Crockett street and two on
the opposite side of the building, each five
feet wide. opening from the parquette circle.
There is also stage entrance on Crockett
street. These various exits give ~ feet of
open doors not counting the outside gallery
stairways, nor the stage exits; There would
be no trouble In clearing the house In from
two minutes to two anil half In case of fire,
the starways being ample to accommodate
any rush from the dress circle.
DECORATIONS AND CURTAIN.
Standing just where the parquette circle
Joins the parquette the full beauty of the
interior begins to grow upon the vision
The frescoing both In design and execution
isexquisite. This work has been done I'M
Toomey, of the ST. Louis firm of Nox0n,
Albert Il Toomey, and has been executed
with rare taste and skill. The brush of ar
fist Piccin is plainly VISIBLE here. Step
ping to the centre of the parquette and fac
ing towards the foyer the full ceiling deco
rations come into view. The ground color
of the whole Is brilliant terra Gotta and
orange. the dado a deeper tone of the general
shade, the whole embelished In modern dec
orative style The centre piece of the cell.
ing Is large square Illuminated by radiated
sun beams, bordered by square bands of fes-
toons and ideal heads. TO the right and left
of the centre piece are deliberately decorated
side .pannels with open scrolls of music,
musical instruments, garlands, etc. The
principal decorative work Is the prOcenium
arch The centre is a finely executed, life
like portrait of Shakespear. Ideal heads rep
resenting tragedy and comedy, elegantly fes-
TONED with roses In garland, and exotics,
flank the head Of the great bard. The. whole
effect Is unique, decidedly striking and bold,
end very pleasing to the eye as 1t lights up
under the crystal gas fixtures. Over the
boxes Is tapestred decoration of crimson
brocade, bordered by quilting of peacock
blue, so naturally executed as to be easily
taken for real tapestry. In front of the cur
tain IL "a m asivp pavp decorated In running
scro Is Of gold The box trimming Is In warm
grays heavily interspersed with gold leaf
and colored bronzes. The gallery fronts are
treated in the same general style. Under
color, conferred by ideal heads surrounded
with grifins and other gr0tesque forms.
The drop curtain is a figured subject repre-
senting Geaut's Beauty and Booty before
a Moorish Court" The garden of a Moorish
palace is representative architectural fea-
lures shown in strong and well harmonized
lights and shades. Thirteen figures are
portrayed, all well posed and full of spirited
action. The border of the curtain repre-
sents heavy folds of peacock plush drapery,
shot with cloth of gold in an elaborate man
ner, faithfully portraying the Moorish ara
basque traccry.
ELEGANTLY FURNISHED.
The building committee, determined that
comfort should take precedence of all else
ordered opera chairs, specially constructed
and two inches wider from center to center
than the latest regulation chairs. This has
slightly reduced the seating capacity of the
house, but 1t has given to theatre goers In
this city the most comfortable opera chairs
to be found in the country. These chairs
are from the Rob. Mitchell Furniture com
pany. of Cincinnati, the same house that re-
Gently furnished the Driskill Hotel of Aus.
tin, probably the most complete In all Its
appointments of any hotel in America.
These opera chairs are solid oak, screwed
and bolted and finished In imitation of dark
cherry and In antique and natural oak.
They are elegantly upholstered In imported
mOhair plush-thOse In the parquette deep
in the dress circle, old gold. The seating
and backs of the chairs In the balcony are of
perforated wood. The chairs are 81 inches
from center to center, provided with hat,
coat and umbrella rack, and are elegant
samples of the uphOlsterers art. The aisles are
laid with strips Of carpeting and the promen-
AIDE, ladies retiring room, managers Office
and stairways, as well as the boxes, are COW
cred with the best body Brussels.
The ladies' retiring room and the managers
Office are comfortably furnished In reed and
rattan. The boxes are provided with the
latest pattern Venetian chairs, the seats up
h0lstered In silk plush. The box fronts art
elegantly draped with lace curtains and
lam brequlns. nickle-plated rails and arm
rests, with small screen curtains. Specia
feature of the box arrangements is the pri
waite stairway, leading from the parquett,
circle directly to the upper box tier This
| will be appreciated by ladies who have run
the gauntlet of the balcony stairs, and the
whole length of the dress circle In order Il
reach their boxes. The opening between tn,
foyer and promenade will be provided with
lattice work and heavy portiers draped bacl
against the columns. The ordinary plan OF
lighting by a heavy chandelier has been dis
carded, and three dozen small chandeliers
pendants and brackets, with their crysta
reflections give light and sparkling eifec
to the entire interior The seating arrange
ments are admirable. The cramped c0ndi
ton so native to the very best Opera-hOuse
Is entirely avoided. The seats are not Onl,