The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-14
THE DOOMED CITY RISING
BUILDING POMPEII FOR vESUVIUS
TO DESTROY.


artificial Lake, the Historic City and
the mokin9 Mountain-Three Hun
dred People 70 Take Part in the
Spectacle.
The grand auditorium for the Pompeiian
exhibition, which is to hold the crowds
nightly during Merchants week, is practi,
cally completed, the only work remaining
to be done being TO place the last of the
seats in position.
The auditorium is the largest Of the kind
ever erected in Savannah, and, with one
exception, the largest structure Of the kind
ever erected in the south. This is no mere
"boom" assertion. Every one who has
yet seen it is struck with its immensely
People who want to have their eyes opened
by new sight may take look at the audi
torium--that is, If the managers will let
them in which they won't do. The wonder
ing public will have to stay on the outside
until the gates are thrown open on the first
nights exhibition Several sights will
await them then. First, the immensely of
the grand theater; second the crowds, and
lastly and chiefly the grand spectacle Of the
Last Days of Pompell," and the exhibition
Of fireworks.
TO SEAT 1900 PEOPLE.
An auditorium that is built to seat 1000
ton will show that. And it will actually
seat. not merely giving standing room, but
seating over Il, 900 people-nearer Is, 900 in
fact, so one of the contractors, who has
made a calculation of the seating
room, says If everybody and all
the strangers that come to town should take
notion to see the spectacle the first night
nearly 10000 people could be crowded into
the grounds by using the aisles and the
space IN front Of the auditorium. So there
need be no fear of crowding.
The dimensions Of the auditorium aud
grounds give some idea of their unusual
size. The auditorium has front of 1855
feet with a depth Of 1856 feet. Beginning
at the level of the ground
it rises gradually to hight OF twenty-four
feet at the rear. The front is occupied by a
double row Of private boxes, slxty-four in
all, capable of accommodating five persons
in each box.
THE AMPHITHEATER.
Behind these the rows of seats begin,
rising one behind the other, sixty~three in
number and capable of comfortably accom-
modating $50 people each. The space at the
back is allotted to the coloTed people and is
capable of accommodating 5000. The
display can be seen as well from
the rear as from the front, and in the
opinion of many, the view is better from tue
rear. One of the chief beauties of the
structure is the ability to see the whole dis
pay from any beab upon IL Without incOp-
venience. There will be no necessity for
standing up to get good view. A feature
of the structure is the solid man.
ner in which it is built.
In fact, for a temporary structure
Its solidity is unusual, except in Savannah,
where things are usually done right. There
is no danger of breaking through under
the weight of crowds and Gripping and
manning hundreds of people, as has fre-
quently been the case in other cities where
a flimsy structure had been hurriedly
erected at the smallest possible cost
The auditorium is built Of solid inch
plank supported by heavy timbers, and
with support underneath every five feet.
A drove of mules might be driven across it,
without hurt either to the mules or the
structure
THE CITY OF PoMPBu.
The whole Enclosure is 500 feet in length
by 355 feet in width. The picture, or model
of the city of Pompeii, which is
to be destroyed each night, has a 300
feet front. In front of the picture is the
lake, which plays an important part in the
representation. 1t is 200 feet in length on
the stage side, 275 on the side next the audi
ence, So feet in width and several feet deep.
1t will be filled with water a day or two be-
fore the exhibition begins.
Charles Cordel and o. d. Price, stage
carpenters of the company, are now at
work erecting the picture under supervision
of Stage Manager Walter Clifford. Artist
g. Fl. Fox is experimenting the laying
out of the picture and seeing that every
piece goes in its proper place. The picture
was painted in London by e. II. H. Kirby,
the celebrated scenic artist.
About 10000 square yards of canvass
will be used in the production alone, reach
ing sixty feet above the ground. The pict-
ure is beginning to assume the shape of the
ill-fated city of Pompeh as portrayed in the
display.
THE CITY ITSELF.
The Egyptian temple faces the lake on
the right from the audience, and the sena-
tors temple on the lett.
The center piece of the picture is the
public bath house, which served the
Romans as sort Of club. On he left Of
the bath house is the temple of Isis. The
city is a perspective view, the appearance
to the audience being as if it were looking
down upon a large city with temples, pub
lie buildings and residences aud mountains
in the rear.
About 800 men, women and boys appear
in the production. The speciality artists
will give exhibitions in wrestling, bicycle
riding, wire walking and other athletic
sports. The wRrdrobes which will be used
IN the exhibition are entirely new and viii
be worn for the first time at this production.
PAINS people are arriving daily. The fire.
works people are expected the latter part of
this week.
Agent J. D. Lee and Manager Clifford &C.
compan!ed a MORNING NEWS reporter in his
visit to the grounds yesterday afternoon
and explained every thing in detail Both
agree that this is the largest amphitheater
before which thePompeiian picture was ever
placed in America with but two exceptions
that at Manhattan beach and that in
Louisville, KY.
THE SITE OF THE EXHIBITION.
The location, at the corner of Anderson
and Montgomery streets, is a very favorable
one for transportation. The Belt Line, pass
ing immediately by it on Montgomery street,
will carry crowds from both directions.
The City and Suburban can do nearly the
same thing, its line passing along Anderson
street.
The Barnard street line can place people
on Anderson street from the heart of the
city. The Whitaker street line will also
prove available in handling large crowds,
being less than three blocks from the main
entrance to the grounds. Both lines have
ample room to block up cars to accommo-
date the crowds that will leave with a rush
after the performances are over.