The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1889-12-14

this Interesting trend Of statistics It may 30
further remarked that the cost of the iron
work, including the stage, was over 100000
There are 1900 windows and 1900 doors
In the building The number Of electric
lights IN the Auditorium proper is 4,5OO
and the hotel and balance OF the build.
Ing nearly $780, making about 10000
IN all; there are eleven dynamos, eleven boil
ers, twenty-one pumping engines and thirteen
elevators; there are over twenty-five miles Of
gas and water pipe; there are $50 miles of
electric wire and cables there are 10000 feet of
polished plate glass; 100000 lineal feet OF fur.
ring iron, and 175 900 square feet OF wire lath
were required; there are 1000 square feet OF
terra Gotta tile, arches and partitions, the cost
thereof being $4,000; there are over $1,000
square feet OF Italian marble mosaic floors, which
contain over $1,000 separate pieces of marble;
The total cost Of construction and equipment
OF the building will reach s. 7OO,0 O0 and, with
carrying charges Of about 100000, will approx
mate an aggregate of fully So, 800, O00 The
french Government paid over 81, 600 600 for the
Paris Opera house, besides 100000 for the
ground, and its erection occupied thirteen
years; yet its capacity is but onehalf of that OF
the Auditorium, and the structure contains
nOLn1ng but an OperahOuSe. It is furthermore
pronounced inferior both in beauty and in it's
practical features. This is true of all the great
! opera houses of Europe, including those of
Vienna, Frankfort, Dresden Berlin and Milan.
The plan Of decoration is consistent and ele-
CANT throughout the building, the Auditorium
| and main rooms of the hotel being finished
| mostly in gold and ivory tone OF color This
has been costly, the quality of the gold leaf be.
ing exceptionally fine (twenty three carats).
but 1t is permanent and grows more beautiful
with age and therefore is wise economy as
we'll as effective in beauty
The office portion IF the 1ui16inp hac tho +o,,
stories located on the Wabash avenue side. It
has broad flight OF marble and iron stairs and
three elevators. There are 1876 offices, finely
| furnished in antique oak and completely
| equipped.
The Auditorium Recital Hall, containing 500
seats, Is ON the seventh floor, and was dedi-
Gated October H.
| The hotel occupies the ten stories on the
Michigan avenue and Congress street fronts,
| and has 400 rooms. It will be opened JANUARY
| on the European and American plans. The
| grand dining-room, $50 feet in length, occupies
! the Michigan avenue front of the tenth story
1t undoubtedly surpasses any dining-room in
| the world, both in the matter of convenience
and richness Of furnishing.
| The visitor to the Auditorium portion of the
building enters through a magnificent lobby
| with its immense pillars OF porphory. its floors
of rare mosaic, it's high arched ceiling studded
with electric. lights, the tinted marbles of its
walls and its polished mahogany woodwork. A
| double series OF four sets of swinging doors
gives entrance to an equally deliberately deco.
rated vestibule III feet long and SO feet wide
From this are entrances to the cloak rooms
under the rise OF the parquet. A large center and
| Two side Stalrcases Of marble lead to the grand
| foyer on the floor above In the theater, or
auditorium proper, the lines of sight are admira.
| Die, giving On excellent view Of the stage from
all parts. The forty boxes have chairs for 200
| people. The seating capacity of the parquet
is ], 442. From the footlights to the last row OF
seats it is 10 feet and it is 80 feet between the
boxes. The second balcony has / 432 chairs, the
| family circle 437 chairs and the gallery 500
chairs. This gives total seating capacity OF
| 4,O37 The heating and ventilating arrange.
| ments are comprehensive and Of the most mod.
| ern devices One Of the most ingenious devices
are the hinged ceilings that make the coves in
part OF the gallery and family circle They are
| so arranged that by pressure on lever they re.
verse on q half circle shutting out both these
portions OF the house, thus controlling the seat.
ing capacity, increasing or diminishing it as ne
| cessity requires.
| There are over ten miles OF steel wire cable
required to operate stage machinery Spec.
| tacular effects can be produced on the Auditor.
ium stage that are not possible elsewhere. The
stage and equipment, including iron curtain,
cost over Sl75,00O, but they are fre-proof and
the stage constitutes great and permanent at.
traction. The total depth OF the stage from
footlights to rear wall is SO feet, and from the
| curtain line to the rear wall 62h feet, leav.
ing an apron Of 81 feet. The clear
| width between side walls is 90 feet,
giving the total available stage room
| OF 6,o6S square feet, an extent more than
equal to the demands OF the most sumptuous
OF practicable productions. Though the total
proscenium opening has a width OF 76 feet
| which can be utilized on special occasions, such
as the holding of conventions, the curtain width
Will be but 47 feet. The aggregate weight Of
| these curtains is $1,000 pounds.
The stage is built in sections, four in number
and these may be elevated or lowered separate.
~. There are numerous traps and bridges, sc
| disposed that the entire stage floor is adapta,
Die 10 the necromancy Of appearing and dis.
| appearing objects, to the depression or eleva,
| ton OF scenes, and to the production of those
| multltudlnous effects that make up the stage
realism OF dramatic, operate, pantomimic OF
| spectacular representations. The framework
| OF these numerous traps and bridges is of iron
| and steel, and all the mechanism of the stage
is operated by hydraulic system. The nine.
teen rams that supply the power are supplied
with water from tank set in the tower of the
| Auditorium, $50 feet above the sidewalk, two
force pumps with capacity of 2,4OO gallons pei
minute maintaining the pressure.
| In addition to these rams there is horizontal
hydraulic apparatus to raise or lower the iron
curtain, the drop curtain, and to control the
horizon" panoramic device moving on
semi-circular iron frame around the three sides
| of the stage, the purpose of which is to do away
with the 'sky borders' and drops This horizon
has been painted by eminent artists on an end.
less roll, with alternate sections depicting the
| sky of every season Of the year and of every
condition OF weather, so that when there is an
exterior set on the stage the effect will be pre-.
c1sely-under the graduated lights - that OF
1 looking at the natural heavens. This is one oil
the chief glories of this remarkable stage The
! possibilities are almost inconceivable and
! revolution in stage productions will be inaugu.
rated II the mechanism works as satisfactorily
! as there is no reason to doubt it will The
| bridges can be given movement that nnimics
! the gentle undulation of a tranquil sea- or the
violent rocking that would portray the
anger of the waves in storm The
stage might be set to represent the ocean in
tempest with ship and her crew tossing help.
less at the mercy Of the elements; the shir
driven before the gale might sweep across the
view, be whirled about in the mad sea- and