The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-14
FOR A new OPERA HOUSE
Manager Mcdonald Outlines His Plan
to the Helena Board Of
Trade.
"A Special Committee Appointed
TO Consider the Proposition
at Once.
Ex-Prcsldont Parclaen Ii il Favor Of the
Erscsion u = First GLASS
Building.


Building.
Helena wants q first class opera house, and
there seems to BIO 4 good prospect Of having
one before the end Of tho year. The sub
ject was brought up by the Board Of Trade
last night and q oommittee appointed 70
consider tho proposition Of Manager Mo
Donald, Of the Great Falls opera house.
Mr.. Mcdonald told this members last night
about the plan upon which the theatsr Of
that place had been built. The gross cost
WAS $4,000. The ground upon which it
was erected was sold BY people who are
owners Of adjoining property, and they q.
poetic get more than their interest ont Of
the enhanced value Of the adjoining prop
ertN Manager Mcdonald said thAt Helena
wa tho pivotal point in the Montana or
cult, and in order TO maintain that position
should have : nrst class opera houss.. He
offered to give . bond guaranteeing six per
cent.son . building equipped a. m opera
house alone, and il built with the addition
OF store and Office room eight per cent.
would hs guaranteed ON tho Investment.
Tho opera house at Great Falls is 80 con-
struoted thatsa temporary flooring can pc
put into tho auditorium on a level with the
stage, making it available for large meet
inn purposes such as political conventions,
and also for balls and other social
purposes. Mr.. McDonald's idea is
to have this feature made a
a part OF the contemplated opera house
here. This would do away with the neces-
sity of erecting an auditorium building ! n
Helena for the use of the conventions which
are to meet here next summer and others
which it 10 expected will DO induced to
come to the convention city Of the north
west hereafter. N
Ex-President Parohen was heartily in.
favor Of the project and gave the members
Of the board some very plain talk. He did
not favor locating the opera house on Main
street but thought it should be placed on
either the. west or east side. Two blocks
away from Main street would not be too
far It wasstims that something was being
held latge lots of real estate upon which
they had not been building anything to
''loosen up.'' Mr.. Parchsn thought tho
project a good one and believed there would
DO no difficulty in forming . stock company
TO taks hold Of il and push the enterprise to
success.
e. D. Weed addressed the board in q
short speech during which he said that such
subjects could not be too much agitated.
He said there was too little interest taken
in public questions Of this character. 1t
was a shame that Helena did not have
could not e to Great Falls without being
Inundated at the contrast between the in
terast taken in public matters in the two
Cities. Money there 10 put under whip and
spur. We have money here in the banks
but IL lies idle and is not expended in the
opera house costing at least 100000. II
II were handled properly a frst-class build
ing could probably be put up for considera-
bly, loss money and the indirect benefits
that would accrue to the city from such an
investment would amount to a good many
no difference of opinion among the people
of Helena about 4 new opera house, that
question had been settled long ago.
Mr.. Mcdonald answered q number Of in
quiries addressed to him concerning the
Great Falls opera house, as to it's equip
He said that if a company could be TO med
Or if taken in hand by private individuals,
he was willing to give his time and assist
ance from now on until the completion Of
the building, and would take q lease on it.
He has arranged for plans from leading
LNeNUtlCAl ATCult6Ct6s u WIG OultoA 0GAt0b
giving estimates. H n
The only member of the board who spoke
in opposition to the project was H. b.
Palmer, who said he had been figuring on
a proposition of the same character, but
Ind been unable to secure \ piece OF ground
ment and make 1t a paying one. Ex-Presi-
dent Parchen did not agrse with him, and
eaid his calculations were based on the
assessed value per foot OF Main street. prop
erty, which was misleading.
President Muth appointed A. NJ. Hotter,
Robert O. Wallace, H.. M. Par0her and
Barnard Brown to confer with Manager
Mcdonald and render him assistance in his
proposition. There are many matters of
detail which were not brought up at the
meeting last night but which the commit
tee are empowered to deal with.
The auditorium matter was brought up
and tho board was addressed By Mr.. George
8. Appleton who briefly outlined a plan to
put up a structure to accommodate the CON
vcntions meeting here next summer. He has
figured on = building with a seating capac-
ity of 4,0OO to be erected near the Hotel
by two motor lines and the Northern Pa
ci6c and Great Northern railroads. II will
be amply able to accommodate any large
gathering which will likely take place in
Helena for some years to come. Mr.. An
spleton did not believe such a building
COulu DC GTeCUeu III tu6 City uNu MuNc W
pay. 10 build it at The Broadwater it
would be necessary to rely largely upon
those directly benefited. It has been ar
ranged to have Mr.. Appleton outline his
plan more in detail to the executive COM
mittse Of the board.
Ths executive committee appointed the
following members of the board to Coop
crate with the A. o. u. w. and Some of
Veterans to arrange for the conventions
here next summer: A. o. U. W., James
Sullivan, chairman, r. III. Howey. j. H.
Zimmerman; Sons Of Veterans, Robt. G.
Wallace. chairman, Junius G. Sanders.
VIM. Is. Votaw, u. D. Weed, Thos. b. Mil
Ter. A committee on finance will be
named later.
A letter was read from the national ex-
ecutivs committee on arid lands urging the
board to ado I resolutions endorsing the
Salt Lake platform in tho strongest terms,
and forward them to the Montana dslega-
ton in congress. The secretary was in
structed to answer by letter that the mat
ter had been disposed of by the state at
large. A communication from tho mayor
OF Savannah asking the adoption of reso-
buttons for q deep water harbor was laid on
the table.
b. j.. SchleGsinger presented a plan for
tho establishment of a vinegar factory. for
which about $8, 900 would be required.
Compressed yeast would also be manufao-
turod. It was referred to tho executive