Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-04
hEARNEYStAUSE FOR PRIDE.
Rejoicing Over the Completion of a Mag
nifoHt New Opera House,
BUILT BY LOCAL ENERGY AND CAPITAL
Description Of the Elegant Place of
cnt-,pistinguished Guests
at the Opening - Nebraska
weather Crop Bulletin.

]
lists and people in general were Interested
was the completion and dedication of the
new opera house. Years ago the old skating
rink metamorphosed into a PLAYHOUSE, be-
came the eycsore Of Kcarney's citizens and a
new opera house has been on each years list
OF Improvement, but lack Of nerve and
capital deferred its building, until the
kearncy opera house company was
formed early in 1890. At that time
the discomfort began to manifest itself
into talk of building an opera house in keep
inv with the city's progress in other enter
prises. The following list OF substantial
business men conceived the idea and put it
into execution: w. A. Downing. II. A Lee,
Hiram Barney, Homer j. Allen, w. c. Till
son, +. NJ. Hallowell, II. L. Downing, John
j. Osborn, Il. X. Greer, j. j. Bartlett, S.
Weibel, II. b. Porter, Charles a. Wiley,
which was incorporated under the name of
the Kcarney opera house company. The first
ten gentlemen named were made directors
w. a. Downing is president II. j. Allen,
vice presicent; j. j. Osborn, secretary; w.
| L. TillsOn, treasurer
After one year of solid work and untirng
energy these gentlemen have given to Kear-
| ney what its people long desired. The build
|
from plans furnished by McElfatriclt & Son
of st. Louis. 1t is one of the most substan-
tial structures in the country, built of gray
! sandstone from the Rawlins, Wyo, quarrics,
five stories high with basement The ground
plan is 15xl3O feet, and from the pavement to
cornice it is eghty-four feet The monotouy of
the stone wall is relieved by series Of WIDE
fiat arches over the main entrance, and small
round arches hn Wind b,,
columns, carving and moulding are seen in
almost every available space
Tho building will contain the Kearney
National bank which will soon boast of doing
business in one Of the cosiest and most elabo-
ratcly finished banking rooms in the west. The
interior necoratiOu Of this room is a pleasing
combination of richly embossed paper with
wood pulp wainscoting impressed with
artistic designs. The bank furniture is no
less in elegance, and is of the very latest
designs.
One large double store and two other
ones occupy tho ground floor beside the bank
while the basement and upper portions of
the building is cut into suites of large Office
rooms The general offices of the Kearney &
Black Hills ROAD will occupy the entire fifth
floor.
AT the grand entrance to the theater there
is large veStibue floored with marble To
the right is the electric elevator, and in the
front broad, easy stairway of marble rises
to landing which separates into two stair
cases leading into tho foyer This is sepa-
rated from the first floor by archways
heavily draped. The Darquet contains l2S
comfortable chairs, with padded leather
seats and old rose plush backs Twenty
eight Of the best seats are sofas, accommo-
dating two persons. The dress circle
contains 20 chairs, with backs of
combination plush and carved oak
The balcony projects seven and one.half feet
beyond the gallery columns and extending
back thrty-eight feet with an elevation,
making "A view Of the stage clear from every
chair. The gallery is large and comfortably
arranged.
The wall decorations are entirely frescoes.
The dome OF the theater ana sounding boards
are patterned after the Chicago Auditorium.
The dome represents sky with light tleecy
clouds and pcrforatiOns, allowing 100 incan-
descent lights of different candle power to
twinkle as stars of different magnitudcs.
Governor Boyd and his entire staff were
present at the grand OF enng as guests of the
city. a number of other distinguished men
of the state were also present. The governor
being called upon for speech, spoke in part
as follows:
when accepted your very kind invita-
tion to be pres 1nt this evening, having such
an aversion to public speaking / did so with
the distinct understanding that was not to
make any remarks. But the worlds stage
and all the men and women merely players,
and one man in his turn plays many parts
My part of the performance, a very pleas
ant part it is, is to congratulate
the people of Kearney upon the
completion of the magnificent structure.
When | first came to this country, over
thrty-tWo years ago, when the prairies IN
this vicinity in the summer time were COW
cred with buffaloes and the Indians hunted
and roamed over the plains at will, little did
| think then that | would live to see here
such a substantial and handsome city, aud on
the spot where now stand one of the finest
temples of amusement in the country.
at requires no prophetic vision to foreSee
grand future fof the city, because 1t pos
sesses within itself the elements of success
an active, energetic and prosperous people.
Obstacles vanish before the onward march
of such force. Your city is alive with that
spirit that has changed forest and prairie
into blooming fields and Towering gardens
that has spanned giant rivers with iron
bridges. checkered the face of our country
with railroads; that have built up great cities
of brick and stone, with their business struc-
lures towering toward the heavens, and their
palaces apd temples are the admiration of the
world.
81 can see results for your city in the
future, ana surely wish all that full measure
Of success to which you are so justly entitled
Manager MClteynolds Of the Funke at
Lincoln has leased the opera house and it
will be put on a circuit which will include
the same attractions as Lincoln. The grand
opening was success financially and nothing
but praise for the Kcarney opera house
company comes from those who attended.