Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-31
.THE PONPBIIAN FE7B.
A VERY STRONG PROBABILITY THAT. WE
WILL HAVE IT.
An Enthusiastic Meeting Last Night at Which
Sl,400 was Subscribed in About Five Min
utss-A Committee Named.

Pain Fire Works spectacles for this
city during the coming summer, was
not very we'll responded to, it being
rather bad night and big attraction
at tho Opera House. Still the meet
ing was respectable In size and full Of
enthusiasm. Among the gentlemen
present were Messrs.:
George Hook. F. c. Il. Schwertfeger,
A. M Jolly. L. p. Slsson,
Allan Brock. G. Ed Mendel,
d. T.. FrAlZheim, hugo Loosi
Hullihen Quarter, y. " Smltn,
Howard HaZlett, Z. 3. HIATT
Theodore kober, j. Z. Williams
II. o. OFT, Jas. Cummins,
e. A. Schaefer, henry Baer.
NJ. Sonneborn Henry Bieberson.
President Quarter, Of the Chamber,
called the meeting TO order with the
preparatory remark that be supposed
all present had read the morning papers
and knew the object and purpose OF the
meeting. He referred to the merits OF
the proposed attraction, and said he
felt sure it would be an attractive and
paying feature, and bring many people
to the city. Other cities were max
ing use OF similar enterprises
to advertise, and wheeling should
not be behind. The way to keep In line
was to get in line, first, and then stay
there. Wheeling had scarcely found
her proper place In the column as yet,
and it was time she had done something.
He then introduced Mr.. Skitf, Mr..
PAINS representative, who dwelt at
length upon the merits Of his undertake
ing. At the outset he said the specta-
Gle had been presented in many
cities no larger than Wheel
ing, during the past six
years, and always with the best OF re-
suits. The firm of James Pain & Son
were the largest manufacturers OF py-
rotechnics in the world, having facto-
ries in France, England, Australia and
America. The firm was, therefore, In
a good position to give splendid enter
tainment Mr. Skif then gave a de-
tailed aud vivid narrative OF the specta-
Gle OF the Last Days OF Pompeii," saw
ing 1t covered space of 3OOx75
feet, with buildings OF wood and
iron, a 65-foot representation OF Mt.
Vesuvius, and many other accessories;
the whole being illustrative OF fete
day in Pompeii, in honor OF Isis, being
worked up from Bulwer-Lytton's his
torical description This Was followed
by the destruction of the city, and a
general display Of fireworks closed each
evenings entertainment, $1,000 worth
of fireworks being burned nightly In
this final display alone. About three
hundred people in all were
used in making the presenta-
ton. He described what would be
done on each of the special days, giving
different programme each evening,
and said the plant to be brought TO
Wheeling represented a cost OF about
$50, OOO This plant would be erected
upon grounds to be secured by the local
people, the latter providing the neces-
sary grand stand, ushers, ticket takers,
ticket sellers, q band, etc.
The spectacle was identical
with that given In New
York, Philadelphia, and other large
cities, the only difference being that in
large cities it ran for fifty or sixty
nights, while in smaller places 1t ran
down TO ten performances, which was
the minimum number given. Mr.. Skill
dwelt upon the methods Of working up
the idea, methods OF advertising, etc,
pointing out that one OF the funda-
mental ideas was to have
series of such Spectacles here
during coming years, said the cost OF
the grounds the first year would be
greater than in subsequent years, and
then passed to q statement as to how
the necessary expenses had been met
In some other cities. He said he had
dealt with railroads, Boards OF Trade,
&C., but il was often arranged for
through local syndicate OF five or ten
gentlemen, who had behind them the
united business interests OF the city. This
syndicate became the promoters OF the
enterprise, and had at their command one
hundred boxes, of one hundred chairs
each, for which they paid one dollar per
chair, and disposed Of them among their
friends and customers, thus making a
sure return of $40, 900 from this alone.
He said Mr.. Pain had fourteen diff
ferent subjects treated this year at
Cleveland, Toledo, Scranton, Evansville,
Denver, Sioux City, Lincoln, Neb.,
Wilkesbarre, Chicago, New York, Bos-
ton, and elsewhere. Some OF these
were permanent for the season,
while others could be moved to two or
three different points during season OF
twelve weeks. 1t took two weeks to
erect a plant and Que week to tear 1t
down, so the number Of exhibitions was
limited. All the subjects were placed
this year for the season but three-two
in the West and one in this part OF the
country. He considered Wheeling es-
pecially well located by reason OF It's
great railroad facilities. A num-
Der of other points were touched
upon by Mr.. Skitf. On the question OF
cost he said be though $4,000 would
cover the outlay here In wheeling.
After looking over the ground, he
thought 5000 in boxes could be sold,
s., 900 for privileges, and on the night
of July 4th alone, he thought $4,000 or
s., 900 would be taken in. On tue sub
iect of location, he said he had visited
the old fair grounds, the new falr
grounds, and others, and after great
deal OF thought, he thought the old
grounds would be the best. He gave
several reasons for this belief. He then
went into details of cost, saying Mr..
Pain would bring the spectacle
here for ten performances for $4,000,
Of this 50, 900 to be paid when the plant
arrived here. and $1,000 after each OF
ten performances. He thought the
local expenses would not be more than
$1,000 more, or $4,000 in all. In other
cities the size OF Wheeling the average
receints had been about 100 per