, 1891-08-04
A BIG PURCHASE.
Opera House Block Sold For Thirty
Thousand Dollars.
The Purchasers are Joseph N
Carey & Bro.
Twenty Thousand Dollars Will Be
Spent in improvements.

The most important and at the same
significant real estate transaction which
has taken place in Cheyenne for a year
was the sale yesterday of the opera house
building with its furniture and fixtures
by the opera house company to j. NJ.
Carey & Bro.
The opera house was completed in the
fall of 1882. TIE main movers in its con-
struction we're Senator Carey, Henry G.
Hay and NJ. Il. Post. Through them a
stock company of prominent citizens OF
the town was formed to purchase the
site and build the building. The
money was paid in not with the idea that
it would prove a directly remuneratIve in
vestment, but because the pleasure loving
people of Cheyenne needed a place of
amusement for themselves and were be-
sides anxious to have such a resort as
would prove an advertisement to the town
and a satisfactory amusement place for
the people coming from abroad. For a
long time it answered the purpose very
well. but within the past few years it
has not been a differing success from
any point of view. What is every
body's business is usually nobody's bus
mess. This applied with unusual force
to the opera house. The building has re-
ceived scarcely any attention; the theater
auditorium has grown positively %unlnvit-
ing in appearance and the whole place
showed every evidence of neglect. 1t is
understood that a large majority of the
stock has lately been held by Senator
Warren. 1t is from him and his asso-
ciates that the purchase was Yesterday
made by Senator Carey and X. Davis
Carey. 1t was an outright purchase. so
that they alone now hold an interest in
the building, grounds or their appurten-
ances. The price paid was $50, 900.
The opera house is a large three-story
brick structure which occupies nearly all
of the 1872 feet square on the corner of
Seventeenth street and Capitol avenue.
The intention of Carey Brothers Is to re-
model and renovate the building through
out. A fine flagstone pavement will be
laid along the Seventeenth street and
Capitol avenue fronts. The present en-
trance from Caritol avenue will probably
be done away with. The space thus
gained will her be incorporated into the
storerooms which occupy the front of the
building. 1t is very probable that iron
fronts will be placed in both storerooms.
They will be lighted with French plate
glass windows and otherwise placed in a
condition which will compare favorably
with any storerooms in town.
As to the opera house itself. a new
entrance will probably be made in the
east end some distance beyond the present
entrance. AT the north end of the opera
house is an unoccupied space of twenty
two feet extending from the building line
to the south line of the alley. 1t is pro-
babe hat the building will be extended
flush with the alley. thus giving an oppor-
tunity to remodel the interior of the opera
house, the plan of which has never been
entirely satisfactory. Whether this idea
of extension Is carried out or not the
auditorium will be remodeled and thor
oughly renovated, the walls will be fres-
coed, the seating arrangements improved,
additions made to the scenery and such
improvements brought about as will make
the new opera house a model of attract
iveness and a source of public pride ard
satisfaction.
In the Encouragement of the interior of
the building it is probable that Library
hall will be lost ia the shuttle. When the
big new Turnverein hall Is completed, this
with keeie hall will furnish ample acco-
%mmodations in that respect. 1t Is prob
able thereafter that Library hall will be
cut up into comfortable office rooms. The
contemplated Improvement will cost be-
tween SI5, 600 and $50, 900. Work will
he begun rs soon as it is possible to ar
range the details of the plans and let the
contract.