Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-06-07
BUILT AN OPERA HOUSE IN ADAY
From the spokane Spokesman.

From the Spokane Spokesman.
For some months past the people Of
Colfax have heard wild rumors OF the
intention of the band to erect an opera
house sometime in the near future,
but no three persons outside OF that
organization suspected till yesterday
morning that there had been any def
nite shape to their many plans; but
now the institution is an astonishing
reality aud one Of which the city will
be proud for many years to come.
On Wednesday nigh5 there. seemed
to be something wrong with the cleo
trio light plant, and the streets we're
10 total darkness. Inquiries were
answered with the intelligence that
the engine was out OF order aud the
plant could notibe operated '9The peo-
pie were satisfied with this reply and
but little comment was made. Now,
it seems to have been part of a plot on
the part OF the band to hide their
scheme. Street loungers had noticed
for several days the beginning and
progress upon the work of putting in
the foundation Of the new building on
the Codd aud Stevens lots north of
the First national bank, aod iu the
last few.dags immense piles OF brick
aud lime bad been hauled to thcstre
/ in front OF the place, but it caused
little suspicion.
Soon after it got thoroughly dark
Wednesday night force OF about
seventy Ave men were brought in from
Spokane on Il freight train, and. un-
loading near the Msta street bridge,
armed with hods and trowels marched
to the place and silently began the
work OF lagang the brick upon the new
building. AS that side OF the street
was INSTRUCTED and the night dark
one no one passed near the building
and the ruse was not discovered.
Stealthily the men passed up and
down ana aloug.the walls and rapidly
they sprang upward through the night.
by daylight the outside walls were I'm
ishcd, ,.aDd. before any one was astir on
the streets yesterday morning the
scaifolding was taken down, and there
s,ood ia magnificent elegance the
proudest opera hOhse iu The north
west.
Men, women aud children thrOnged
down the-street dumb with astonlsh-
ment and admiration. Itseemed that
nothing short of magic conld have
erected such a structure withoutcaus
ing suspicion OF what was going ON.
just before daylight the masons fin
lshed their work and silently departed,
whilestheir places were filed with as
many carpenters, plumbers, decOrat-
ers, painters, etc, and all day the work
went noiselessly on inside the walls.
The heavily curtalned windows and
closely fastened doors we're ,besieged
all day by anxious people but revealed
nothing. 1T ten O'Clock bill poster,
armed with paste brush, came down
the street and stopping in front of the
building put up bills Announcing that
the Colfax Dramatic Company would
star their old,tine favOrites, George
j. Joyce, w. J. Bryant and c. e. r.
win in the drama "liickry Farm" at
the ColfaX Opera House, last night.
When the announcement was recog-
nized by the anxious and excited
crowd, long cheer Of approval went
up. The good news spread like wild
fire, and when, at 80 last night, the
building was thrown open. the streets
were crowded from the Co'fax hotel
to the court house.
Marshal Mackey had to call out his
entire force of one other man besides
himself TO maintain order. The jam
at the box Office was almost sufIocat-
ing, but the crowd was served aud
seated in the beautiful and capaclous
auditorium by $40, and the curtain
rose amid laundering applause, which
was repeated at intervals through the
evening. When the curtain had fall
Gu on the last act, and the villain was
finally and securely dead, the audience
would not be pacided until the act had
been thrice repeated for their benefit.
Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala,
Salvador and Costa Rica have given
their assent to the organization Of a
strong alliance for mutual protection.
Canaeta, the weed from which the
Mexlcans make their blood medicine,
is attracting the attention Of the med
ical fraternity.
Mckinley could not carry the Ohio
convention for his friends.
San Antonio boasts OF plenty OF
wild cherries and strawberries.
Bucklen's Arnioa salve.
The best salve in the world for cuts,
bruises, sores, ulcers, salt heum, few
er sores, letter. chapped hands, chill
beins. cOrns and all skin eruptiOns