The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-02-11
STARTING THE BALL
REVIVAL OF THE MOVEMENT TO
BUILD A BIG AUDITORIUM.
Quite an Inducement to Get the Re
publican Convention To Wichita.
Commercial Travellers Interest
ed III the Proposition and
Will Back 1t With Cash.

1.-THE Republican state convention will
be held here if an auditorium is built"
That is what's number of gentleman
| who called at the EAGLE Office last night
| said.
Among them were some well known
| commercial travellers who take a deep in
terest in the material welfare of Wichita,
and who have an opportunity of seeing
the Importance of large hall or audi
torium in this city-one that would be
| able to accommodate any number of peo-
| pie. The travelling men themselves will
have their annual meeting here in May,
and they are interested in the movement
to build hail as it is doubtful whether
there is any place now in the city large
| enough to accommodate them. Their in
terest in the movement is not passing
interest either, for they are willing to put
some money into it aud not trifie by any
| means.
With probability of getting the Re-
| publican state convention aud an
assurance OF the travelling mems conven-
tion it is thought that the results of both
meetings to the business interests of the
| city would more than pay for hall
sufficient TO accommodate any body oe
people that may meet here.
An auditarium can be built for S2, 500 or
So, 600 at most. IL looks as il that amount
cauld be made up here in a single
day, and it could be if people
stopped to think of its Importance for
moment. 1t means 500 each for thirty
men or $50 each for 100 men.
One gentleman in business in the city
has offered $500 himself This shows how
required sum. That gentleman has
studied the proposition from business
standpoint, and if other people did the
same thing there would be no necessity to
extort-peopie would volunteer contri-
buttons.
The gentlemen interesting themselves
in the movement will not listen to the
word contribution. They say that the
people would not be asked for a
donation, but simply for a
loan for there is no question
about the profit of an investment of this
kind
Hutchinson has an auditorium such as
Wichita needs, and while it is far away
from the business center of the city, it
paid 20 per cent on the investment last
year. and that is about all one could eX-
pect to get out Of any monied investment.
Besides this, Hutchinson, by reason Of
the accommodations afforded by such an
institution, reaped revenue of not less
than Sl00. 900 last year from the conveu-
tions and meetings held there. The mu-
sical club alone left between $4,000 and
SIS, 600 in the city. and that was only one
of a score of big meetings held
there. This year the Masonic bodies
of Kansas will meet there and they will be
worth Sl5, 900 to the citv.
Wichita, it is agreed by all, is the most
central point in the state for vast gather
ings. In the first place, all roads lead
here and the city is popular on account of
the characteristic hospitality of the people
and the royal manner in which they treat
their visitors. Then, again, the hotel ac-
commodations are better than in any other
city in the state and, all things considered,
it is the most natural place in the COM
monwealth for public gatherings. All that
it lacks is an auditorium, and that
will be secured at once if the movement
set on foot last night will be pushed with
the right kind of Wichita energy.
This is political year, and if an audi
torum is built it will nearly pay for itself,
for the campaign promises to be hot one
in this section Of the state, and there is no
doubt but that immense public meetings
will be held here.