The great West., 1889-12-13

1
boxes known to modern decorative art,
combined with the presence of one of the
most distinguished and critical audiences
in America, rendered the occasion truly
one long to be remembered by the queen
of the evening-Mme. Adelina Patti, the
sovereign of song. Four years ago Fred
w. Peck and a large number of other
Chicago capitalists conceived the idea of
forming themselves into joint stock COM
pany for the purpose of erecting building
that would surpass any other structure of
Its kind in the world The result tonight
is an edifice costing $1,000, 900, and which in
years to come will stand unchal-
lenged as representing the grandest
achievement of modern architectural and
decorative skill. The auditorium is equally
wonderful in design size and beauty. The
design is unique in that it is the first theater
ever built with the interior shaped like a
cone or speaking trumpet. The estage being
taken as the. apex of hollow cone, the
erched roof and diverging walls retreat in
eeries of constantly increasing circles, being
the acme of acoustic achievement. A few
minutes past s o'clock
THE PRESIDENTIAL PARTY
entered boxes reserved for them, and as the
vast audience fully recognized the chief
magistrate of the nation the momentary
applause deepened to a long-continued
ovation. The magnificent 175-stop organ,
with its 1000 pipes and bells, breathed
forth in accompaniment with the orchestra
the triumphal fantasia composed by
Theodore Dubois for the memora-
BILE occasion. The scene was one
long to be remembered. Beauty crowned
with jewels. craftsmanship with honor and
wealth with dignity, harmonized becom-
ingly with the magnifcence of the interior
of this grand temple of art. Among the
prominent people who occupied the boxes
were President Harrison, Vice President
Morton, Mrs. Morton, Secretary Halford,
Ferd w. Peck and Mrs. Peck, Assistant
Postmaster General Clarkson and Mrs.
Clarkson, Prof. David Swing, Gen.
r. A. Alger, Mrs. Alger and Miss
0ASCA, OAACCO 0tdCCo CuNSO NACoAoAA
and Mrs. Gresham, Gov. Fifer and
Mrs. Nfer, Gen. George Crook and Mrs.
Crook, Hon. J. s. Runnels and Mrs. Run
nels, Gen. H. c. Corbin and Mrs. Corbin,
Mayor Cregier and Mrs. Cregier, Gov. Mer-
riam and Mrs. Merriam, Gov. Larrabee and
Mrs. Larrabee and Gov. Hoard. There was
another burst of applause as the form of
Mayor Cregier was seen advancing to the
front of the mammoth stage, seventy feet
deep and ninety in width. In appropriate
language Mayor Cregier
WELCOMED THE GUESTS
of the evening, and to every courteous al
lusion to the president, the governors of the
surrounding states and to the officers of the
Canadian provinces the audience responded
with rounds of applause. In concluding
the mayor invited the city's guests to an
other occasion of even greater importance
which would be an era in Chicago's history
three years hence-the worlds fair of
1892. The mayors happy allusion
was heartily cheered, and not the
least appreciative in the vast
audience were President Harrison and his
party. In response to loud cries from a
thousand throats, President Ferd w. Peck,
of the Auditorium association, finally &C
ceded to the popular demand for speech
from the man in whose brain the Chicago
Auditorium first found conception, and in
language deepened with emotion assured
the assemblage that the present oc-
casion marked the proudest moment
of his life. He insisted, however,
upon dividing the honors of the occasion
with his associates, Manager Milwa1d Ad-
ans and the architect to whose genius the
-ediice would be a lasting monument. Ha-
bitual modesty once more conquered the
man who never faltered before human pos
sibility, and briefly concluding his address,
Mr. Peck escaped further congratulations of
the audience by saying: II have the distin-
guished honor of introducing to you the
president of the United States"
PRESIDENT HARR1soN's ADDRESS.
After the applause had somewhat SUBJ
sided, President Harrison advanced slowly
to the front, and bowling with majestic dig
nifty to the great assemblage, spoke as fol-
lows:
Some of my newspaper friends have been
pqzzling themselves to discover the reason
why l left Washington to be present here to-
night. I do not think 1 need, in view of
the magnificent spectacle presented
to us here tonight, to state the
motives which have impelled my presence.
surely no loyal citizen Of Chicago who sits
here tonight under this witching and mag
nificent scene will ask for any other reason
than that which is here presented. I do
most heartily congratulate you upon the
nifcent building without an equal 1n
this cOuntrv and So far as r Iyro,,