The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-03
SIZES FOR A NEW THEATER.
WIZ. b. DUB OF THE sCREvEN HOUSE
OFFERED s75,OOO.

| OFFERED S70,OOO.
/ But He Refused n, as He Considered
| That Corner worth MOre-He says
lie Was offered Nearly SfIO,OO0
Three Years Ago-This Party
Wants Ia for Syndicate, whom
He Claims Desire TO Put Up "A Bull
ding Like the Chicago Auditorium.
Mr.. Dorset would Not Say Wheth-
err or Not the OGer Came From
Him.
| Mr.. B. Dub, Of the screven house, at
/ Bull and Congress streets. has been Of
fered $500 for his property. but he refus-
I ed it. Mr.. Dub considers that his corner
is worth more and he fortihes that asser-
ton with facts as to rents paid him, to
prove it.
"A business man Of this city came TO
me the other day." said Mr. Dub to a
Morning News reporter, land offered me
$4,000 for the screven house. / die not
accept but told him that when he came
to my figure he could have it, The man
seemed anxious about it. and said that
he represented party or syndicate who
wanted 10 put up a fine building on this
| corner, like the Chicago Auditorium,
think.
He was quite enthused over the scheme
and told me many details. showing that
he had viewed the property closely or
else an architect had planned it for him,
from the house itself. This gentleman
stated that they intended to put up
six-story building. In the basement would
be barber shops, cigar stands, billiard
rooms, Turkish and Russian baths Of the
most approved kinds, and richly fitted up.
On the first floor they would nave a bank
and store rooms. on the second would
be the theater entrance, offices for the
hotel and other rooms. The building
would allow Of about 100 rooms for guests
with ample room for two or three hne
dining rooms. He had it all down fine,"
continued Mr.. Dub. with a smile HE
told me Of the plans and how they could
be worked out and how profitable such a
building would be.
"He didn't tell me who he was working
for, though l tried hard to ascertain He
only said that If / would sell for S75 600
he had a customer for me. I replied that
when my figure was reached 1 would ac-
cept."
Mr.. Dub would not state what his price
was, but in speaking Of the matter fur
ther stated that three years ago syndi-
cate, through the Equitable Life Insur-
ance Company, had offered him $4,000 for
the property. He was also to have the use
Of the buildings for the year, ard all rents,
and then at the end of that period to have
all the material of the house to remove.
Besides all he had the interest Of the
$4,000. so that really it amounted to about
$4,000.
The syndicate wanted to build a $780,
900 office building at that time The in
surance company would loan Them the
money If they purchased the lot. They
wouldn't come to my figures and we didn't
trade. I wanted $4,000 then, but l viii
do little better now," said Mr.. Dub's in
conclusion.
Mr.. c. II. Dorset. who is the represen-
| tative here of Messrs. Klaw q Erlanger,
| of New York, who have been talking about
a new theater for Savannah. was seen ana
asked about the progress of negotiations
for a site Mr.. Dorset was retcent.
You know how it is in cases of this
| kind said he. You must know that IN
| cases of getting options the utmost secrecy
must be observed. l can say this, how
| ever. The matter is being pushed forward
| with all speed possible. l have three sites
under consideration now. Where are
| they? Well" with a smile, ut won't do
to tell just at present. 1 can say. however
| that they are good locations and satisfac-
| tory to me. Soar Of them are corners and
| others not 1t is hard to say just at pres
| ent what viii be done or what shape the
enterprise will take. AS to an office build
| ing, 1 am opposed to it, as / think that Sa-
/ vannah has enough of them at present
| What will be done cannot be decided just
/ q Sc fg do 1ntrd do
| and it may develop into something much
| larger than now anticipated. 1 find much
| encouragement from the attitude of the
| business men and others approached for
| options on certain properties. Several
have stated that they would take stock for
4 a certain proportion, in an undertaking of
this kind. That shows that they think it
| viii pay
zone reason for the slow progress made
Is the fact that so many interested people
are out of the city. Mail correspondence
| on a subject of this kind is very unsatis-
| factory, and little can be done till the par
ties interested are seen personally.
II am satisfied with the progress, how
| ever. l haven't heard from Mr. Klaw
in fact, he IS waiting for me to report
! When l can get all the options in and then
show him each place, its price, size and
other points, why a speedy decision can
be arrived at and the full scope of the en-
terprise outlined.
Il am sorry that 1 cannot give you more
details just now. but in an enterprise of
this size one must work in the dark a
little"
Mr. Dorsett would not say anything
either way when asked If the proposition
to buy the Screven house property had
come from him.
CHANGEABLE WEATHER.