The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-05
THEATER HAS BEEN SOLD.
The Purchasers Of the Property TO Take
Possession April IS Next.

POSSESSION april ID h64L
/ The American Theatrical Exchange
! Compromises by Paying $4,000 for
the Property, and EIr. Johnson is to
/ Retain Possession During the Present
/ season-The Purchasers VIII Spend
S35, 900 in Remodeling the Building
and Making a New Theater-The
Largest Theatrical Circuit in the
World.
The sale of the Savannah theater to the
Americal Theatrical Exchange was
brought to ahead yesterday, ana after
further conference with Mr.. T. Z. johnson,
manager, agreeable terms were reached
and the papers were signed.
NIessrs. Henry GreenwaIl, Albert Wise,
and Frank Cox, the architect. who were
here for the purpose Of making arrange
ments for a theater for this association, re
NAMED over yesterday instead of going of
the night before as they had contemplated.
As stated In the MORNING News yesterday
thoy were considering a proposition from
Mr.. T. L. Johnson to buy the property out
nv tbA p'fD'a- ealAA eAAllADAAAIN b-Aes bA4A9
would propably be accepted.
TO COMMENCE APRIL Is.
Other terms were agreed on yesterday,
however, and Mr.. GreeuwdQ viii pay only
100000 for the property, but Mr.. Johnson
is TO retain charge Of the property until
the close of the present theatrical season.
The purchasers of the property viii re-
ceiye itApriI Is, 1898, so that they can be-
gin breaking dirt and complete all the
work required To be done underground be-
fore May /, when they would be prohibited
by the city ordinances from digging. May
/ they viii be given full possession Of the
property.
Mr.. Greenwall said yesterday that no ex-
pensc would be spared to make the Savan-
nan theater one of the handsomest in the
south. H5 said that by the time the
American Theatrical Exchange put it in
shape, between $4,000 and $4,000 would
have been spent on the property.
FROM NEW YORK TO CALIFORNIA.
He said that the exchange had to have a
theatcr here and that when they came here
they came with the intention Of getting a
house in some way or other. This com
pletes the circuit of the exchange, he said
from New Y orz to California in two direc-
lions, either through Chicago or New
Orleans, and the circuit is the largest per
haps in the world
The American Theatrical Exchange has
only been started two years, but it is said
II IS now booking the great majority of the
nrst-ciass attractions in America. Only
savannah was needed to complete the
circuit and give the exchange full swing
after the Atlanta theater had been OBJ
tanned. This company comes to Savanna
to build new tneater practically, and viii
put into it about 100000 without asking a
subscription from any Of the residents.
They admitted they had to have the
theater, but 1t is an enterprise that will
probably do Savannah much good.
WHAT THE ARCHITECT SAYS.
Mr.. Frank Cox is the architect who will
arrange the designs for the new or remod-
eled building. He has already outlined his
ideas with regard to what he intends to do.
| Nothing, he says but the side walls of the
present building will be used. The front
and back walls be torn out, the building
will be extended twenty feet to the front.
will be three stories in hight, with a large
tower on top, and will be IN the old empire
style to main Jain the antiquity of the build
ing. There will be a large archwaY twenty
feet wide in front at the main entrance,
| made OF Georgia marble, an elegant marble
! lobby, large and roOmy stairs to the bal
cony, ladies' and gentlemen's retiring
rooms, parquette dress circle, balcony, gal
lery, etc The seating capacity win be
] 200, which Is 500 or 400 greater than the
present capacity There will be elegant
plush upholstered opera chairs and eight
boxes, four on each side, finished and fur
nished in the best style.
TO BE A HANDSOME BUILDING.
The decorations, frescoing and scenery,
Mr.. Cox says, Will be the handsomess and
best, the lightning will be done by modern
appliances, and the stage room will be CON
siderably increased. Mr.. Cox says he in
/ tends also TO look out for the people on the
stage, and to put every modern convenience
! in the dressing rooms. He viii pay espe-
! cial attention to acoustics, and the line of
/ sight, be says, will be such that there will
/ not be q bad seat in the house
/ Mr.. Cox is q theatrical architect, and has
made this line of work a speciality He
! says the theater will be done in white, old
! ivory and gold, which are Mr.. Green wall s
| favorite colors, and are used in every thea
] ter he builds. He says he is not only going
! to give savannah new and pretty the
alter, but handsome building as web.