Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-06-28

crowded full 1900 people. II is estimated
that 1900 people saw the opening perform
ance.
The building, which is not yet com
pleted occupies the entire block between
Madison avenue and Fourth avenue, and
Twenty-siXth street and Twenty seventh
street With the exception Of about $50
feet Of the western end the entire ground
floor is taken up by the vast amphitheatre.
At present the eastern end Of the amphi-
theatre is occupied by n stage, whose elabo-
rate prosccnium and curtain and splendid
scenery form the most striking feature OF
the place. But when tho performance is
OF such nature that no stage is required
the proscenium the curtain, the scenery
and the stage itself can bc literally folded
up and laid aside. This is not the least
wonderful feature of the building.
Another remarkable fact is that not
withstanding the great width Of the hall
there are no pillars to obstruct the view
The great roof is supported by steel trusses
of 1855 feet span, which are said to he the
largest and lightcst in existence. Fully
half of this roof consists of an enormous
skylight, which can be noisecssly rolled
away on clear evenings, so that the per
formance may practically be given in the
open air. This was done at about the mid
die Of the first performance, and nine
tcnths Of the audience knew nothing of it
until the fresh air on their faces made
them glance upward.
The great floor space in the center il sur
rounded by sloping tiers of seats, the top
tier being about ten feet above the level Of
the street. Rising above these are five
tiers of private boxcs--1O5 in all--and above
the boxes stretch the galleries. At times
when the stage is removed the boxes and
galleries will extend in a magnificent, un-
broken ellipsc around the entire amphl-
theatre. When the stage Is in place tho
western end of the cllipsc is cut Off.
At the eastern end of the amphitheatre
is the estate box" which will be reserved
for the use of the president, the governor
Of the state or other high officials when
they are present. This is elaborately fin
ished in white and gold, and, like all the
other boxes, is fitted with curtains of
dark. rich red
The prevailing tone of the decorations is
similar to that of the Metropolitan Opera
house-sold masses of cream white and
light copper. There are no "furbclows or
fxins," the decorations are almost severe
in their simplicity, but the air Of grandeur
and immensity thus obtained would have
been sacrificed by elaborate frescoing and
ornamentaton.
The lighting arrangements are simply
dazzling. Along each of the roof girders
incandcscent lights have been placed at in
tervals of about foot. There are 1000 of
them in such positions, and others are fixed
in clusters along the sides and before the
boxes. Pendant from the roof hang other
clusters, 600 lights making up the central
group,
The acoustic properties of the building
are more nearly perfect, probably, than any
other building ever built Of like size 4
speaker on the stage can be distinctly heard
in the rsmotest corners of the auditorium.
Besides this great amphitheatre the
building contains--or will when it is fin
ished-a tasteful theatre of good size and a
splendid music hall.