The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-30
Mrs. Ming Will Build 1t on the Site
of the Theater Now
in Use.
A Pen Picture of What It Will
Look Like When Com
pleted.
A Seating Capacity of Fourteen Hundred
and Twenty-Five Exits-The Jockey
building,


been perfected for temple of song
and drama that will not only be in keeping
With the progress of the Queen city Of the
Rockies, but, that for elegance of architec-
ture both exterior and interior and the
completeness in every appointment and de-
tail of the stage equipment and furnishings
will have no superior in the northwest.
Mrs. Catherine Ming is the enterprising
person who is going to give Helena an
opera house of which all may be proud.
Brief mention was made of this fact a
few days ago in these columns, and yester-
day reporter was permitted to examine
the plans through the courtesy of the we'll
known architects Paulsen d Mcdonnell.
Since nobody else has set the pace to-
wards carrying out the many projects for
new opera houses that have been announced
during the year, Mrs. Ming, the owner of
the present opera house which bears the
family name, has concluded to lead the way.
The new structure will be on the site of the
present one on jackson street. Mrs. Ming
owns the adjoining property extending to
Breckenridge street, and running back 2lO
feet. To begin with, money will not be
modern genius and invention can suggest.
The building will cover space of ITO feet
frontage BY 30 feet in depth. It will be
six stories high with high dome Gaping
of the front center. Part of the building
will be devoted to stores, Offices and lodge
halls.
The main entrance ON jackson street will
be thirty feet wide and the foyer will be
twenty eight feet high. The entrance will
be laid in marble, and plain and acoustic
thing, while the ceiling will be of orna-
mental iron. The entrance to the reserved
seats will be on Breckenridge street. This
will be grand and fitted up with the same
elegance as tho main entrance. On the
Breckenridge street side there will be a
large lobby for the patrons of
the theater. with separate cloak
aud coat rooms for ladies and gentlemen.
The amphitheatre will have 68O seating
capacity. Besides the two grand entrances
to the opera house there will be an entrance
on jackson street to the business portion of
the building, while there will be three en-
frances from the alley to give exits to the
rear court. and in another alley leading
from the Breckenridge street side there will
be three more outlets.
The dress circle will give seating capac-
ity of $50, besides number of family
lodges and boxes have from three to six
seats. The second balcony or gallery will
have an entirely separate entrance from the
alley, which will be absolutely 6reproof
from the ground to the entrance to the
The total seating of the house will be
1,40O.
Regarding the stage, it will be enlarged
twenty feet deeper. There will be i've
dressing rooms for male and female stars,
rooms for the subordinates. ballet and
chorus girls, also private convenience for
the scene shifter and all the latest improve
ments. The stage and auditorium will be
divided from the ground and roof by q
brick wall. There will be two asbestos cur
tains which in case of fire will effectually
separate the stage from the opening proper.
Besides water pipe with openings at every
six inches will be extended around the
stage in case of emergency. This arrange
ment will separate the auditorium from the
stage in most perfect manner. The great
est attention will be paid to the safety of
theatre-goers in case of fire.
furnished in the most stylish and elaborate
manner. The space between the rows of
seats in the amphitheatre will be enlarged
10 per cent, feature that will be appre-
ciated by the patrons of the house. There
are only three outlets from the amphi-
there will be five. The heating. lighting
and ventilation of the building will be
driven by mechanical appliances of the
latest approved pattern. There will also be
an elevator to handle stage properties, be-
6ides passenger elevator in the business
portion of the block.
Especial attention will be given to fire es-
cape and exits. There will be eight outlets
from each balcony and twenty-five outlets
in all, and each and every exit will
have connection with the side
walk. Electrical appliances will be
that upon seconds notice each opening
will be thrown open. The management will
see that all the exits are used at the closing
of every performance. This will be done
to accustom theater-Goers to their use that
people may know how to escape. Each
aisle in the amphitheater leads to an outlet.
The first story ON the Breckenridge side
will have grand cafe and restaurant, and
a saloon for the convenience of those who
60 out to ''see man" between the acts.
Besides the stores on Breckenridge street,
there will be 100 offices in the upper stories
the architects say they could arrange first
class quarters for the Board of Trade il
they desired to lease place for few years.
The fact that Paulsen d Mcconnell will
be the supervising architects will lead the
people of Helena to expect something very
fine. They designed the Broadwater nata-
forum, Montana university. Pittsburg
Bailey and Montana National Bank blocks
and many other fine buildings in Helena
and Missoula.
Mr.. Paulsen expects to leave for the east
during the coming week to make study oil
VA0 rucbs OpoIA HOUSES III tue county AOu
make any advantageous additions to his
plans for the new Ming opera house that
may suggest themselves.
Contract Let.
The contract was awarded yesterday to
Dou9herty d Andrews for the construction
of a new Office and store building ON Sixth
avenue near jackson street, for Richard
Jockey and DR.. ]. j. Lesser. The buildins
will be of brick, 40x60 feet, three storie,
and basement. It will cost altogether $l8.
ha Ene hod nit oil