River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-12-12

with age ana therefore Is wise economy "a
well as effective in beauty.
The office portion OF the building has the ten
stories located on the Wabash avenue side. Ii
has broad fight OF marble and iron stairs ald
three elevators. There are ls6 orfices, timely
furnished In antique oak and completely
equipped.
The Auditorium Recital Hail. containing 500
seats, is on the seventh floor, and was dedi.
Gated October ~
The hotel occupies the ten stories on the
Michigan avenue and Congress street fronts,
and has 400 rooms IL 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.
IL undoubtedly surpasses any diningroom 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. its high arched ceiling studded
with electric lights, the tinted marbles OF its
walls andits polished mahogany woodwork.
double series OF four sets OF swinging doors
gives entrance TO an equally deliberately deco
rated vestibule III feet long and 50 feet wide.
From this are entrances to the cloak rooms
under the rise OF the parquet. A large center and
two side staircases of marble lead TO the grand
foyer on the floor above. In the theater,
auditorium proper the llaCs OF sight are admira-
bic, giving an excellent view OF the stage from
all parts. The forty boxes have chairs for 30
people The seating capacity OF the parquet
is ,482. From the footlights TO the last row OF
seats it is 10 feet and il is 30 feet between the
boxes. The second balcony has 432 chairs, the
family circle 437 chairs and the gallery SEQ
chairs. This gives a total seating capacity OF
4037, The heating and ventilatlng arrange
ments are comprehensive and OF the most mod
ern devices. One OF the most ingenious devices
part OF the gallery and family circle. They are
so arranged that by pressure on lever they re-
verse on a half circle, shutting out both these
portions OF the house, thus controlling the seat
ing capacity, increasing or diminishing il as ne
cessity requires.
There are over ten miles OF steel wire cable
required 10 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 si75,C coo, but they are fire proof and
the stage constitutes great and permanent at
traction. The total depth OF the stage from
footlights to rear wall is 90 feet and from the
curtain line 70 the rear wall 62ls feet, leav-
ing an apron OF so feet. The clear
width between side walls is aS feet.
giving the total available stage room
OF 6,S62 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 10 feet,
which can be utilized on special occasions, such
as the holding OF conventions, the curtain width
will be but a 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, so
disposed that the entire stage floor is adapta-
BILE to the necromancy OF appearing and dis
appearing objects TO the depression or eleva-
tion OF scenes, and TO the production OF those
multitudinous effects that make up the stage
realism of dramatic, operate pantomimic or
spectacular representations. The frame work
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 supplied
with water from tank set in the tower Of the
Auditorium $50 feet above the sidewalk two
force pumps with a capacity of 400 gallons per
minute maintaining the pressure.
In addition TO these rams there = horizontal
hydraulic apparatus TO raise or lower the iron
curtain, the drop curtain, and TO control the
horizon" a panoramic device moving on a
semi circular iron frame around the three sides
OF the stage, the purpose OF which is to do away
with the ''slxy 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-
cisely-under the graduated lights - that OF
looking at the natural heavens. This is one Of
the chief glories OF this remarkable stage. The
possibilities are almost inconceivable, and a
revolution in stage productions will be inaugu-
rated if the mechanism works as satisfactorily
as there is no reason TO doubt IL will. The
bridges can be given movement that mimics
the gentle urdulation Of tranquil sea, or the
violent rocking that would portray the
anger OF the waves in a storm. The
stage might be set to represent the ocean in a
tempest with a ship and her crew tossing help
less at the mercy of the elements; the ship
driven before the gale might sweep across the
view, be whirled about in the mad sea, and
then be utterly submerged with the crew, all
before the gaze Of the spectators, such are the
admirable facilities OF this stage.
ClThe grand organ of The Auditorium was built
by Roosevelt, and while not as large in sound
ing stops as some others in tile world, will
suTpass all of them in purity of tone, as well as
in the latest Improvements and novelties in
electric and pneumatic power. The main part
of the organ is located in front OF the pros
cenium arch, o. the left OF the stage, the cham
Der designed 60 hold il being twenty five feet
wide, forty folr feet deep and thirtyfo four feet
high. The key board is placed in the left Of
the orchestra pit to allow the performer to
observe the leader should occasion require ac-
compartment with the orchestra This key
board controls seven different departments OF
the organ namely: The great, pedal, swell,
choir echo, solo and stage The key box, a
wonderfully complex and ingenious arrange
ment extends below the floor OF the hall and
contains the delicate combination action and
electric apparatus, intricate but perfect in the
simplicity Of their workings The cost of the
entire work will be $4,000. A summary OF the
number Of stops pipes and accessories used in
* As