The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-20

crowded full a, 600 people. 1t is estimated
that L, 900 people saw the opening perform
| ance.
The building, which is not yet COM
pletsd, occupies the entire block between
Madison avenue and Fourth avenue, and
Twenty-sixth street and Twenty-seventh
street. With the exception Of about 16o
feet of the western end, the entire ground
floor is taken up by the vast anphithessre.
At present the eastern end OF the amphi-
theatre is occu pied by stage, whose elabo-
rate prcseenium and curtain and splendid
scenery form the most striking feature of
the place. But when the performance Is
of such nature that no stage is required
the proseeniunl, the curtain, the scenery
and the stage itself can be 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 be the
largest and highest in existence. Fully
half Of this roof consists of an enormous
skyhght, which can be neiSelessly rolled
away on clear evenings, so that the per-
open air. This was done at about the mid
die of the first performance, and nine
tenths 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 is 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 boxes-105 in all-and above
the boRes stretch the galleries. At times
when the stage is removed the boxes and
galleries will extend in magnificent, IN
broken ellipse around the entire amphi-
theatre. When the stage is in place the
western end of the ellipse is cut off.
At the eastern end of the anphitheatre
is the state 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 deliberately 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-solid masses of cream white and
light copper. Phere are no ''furbelows or
fxins," the decorations are almost severe
in their simplicity, but the air OF grandeur
and immensely thus obtained would have
been sacrificed by elaborate frescoing and
ornamentation.
The lighting arrangements are simply
dazzling. Along each of the roof girders
incandescent lights have been placed at in
tervaIs 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, coo 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 A
speaker on the stage can be distinctly heard
in the remotest corners of the auditorium.
Besides this great amphitheatre the
building contains-or viii when it is fin
ished-a tasteful theatre OF good size and a
splendid music hall