The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-29
Mr.. BLACKMAN'S OFFER
Says He win Enlarge MetropOl-
itan Hall
BY Purchasing Another AdjOin-
ing Lot on the Side.
With Galleries He Can Make It Hold
5000 People-Its Chief Draw
back is That It is too High
from the Ground.

l.. Blackman says that he is contem-
plating the extension of Metropolitan
hal to accommodate several thousand
people. He told a Journal reporter
that he is considering the matter but
has not yet fully made UP his mind.
His plan is to buy the lot adjacent
to his building on the south ana extend
his hail twenty-five feet south. 1t also
includes the extension to the alley
which would make a hail IS by $50 feet.
A gallery would be built on three sides
and Mr.. Blackman figures that 5000
people could then be seated Ia his hall
without crowding.
II think I can make these improve
ments'' said he for $4,000. and then
would have a hall which would accom-
modate any crowd that came to To-
peka. I know that the city needs some
thing of the kind badly and am think
ing seriously of extending my hall
though I have made no definite plans.
Il figure that if the hall is made rs
feet wider and extended back to the
alley that several thousand people can
be taken care OF without crowding. My
plan is to have a gallery built on three
sides and that would leave the front
There are now nineteen fire escapes
in the hall which affords a good pro-
lection in case of fire and the stairway
can be enlarged and perhaps new ones
put in so that there viii be little dam
ger The building is strong and there
would be no trouble about it holding
any crowd which could assemble in a
hall as large as this would be-
II viii know in a short time whether
o. Ha-.-
or not I have not Yet purchased the
lot south Of my han but it can be
bought and it would give me ample
room to carry out my plans"
Nothing has been done looking to the
erection of an auditorium OF any kind
for conventions. The people who were
talking of pushing the project are watt
ing to see whether something cannot
be done to make Hamilton hall large
enough to accommodate a large crowd
and serve the purpose, as DR.. Hamilton
seems anxious TO make the improve
ments in his hall which win greatly en-
large it's seating capacity.
If DR.. Hamilton could extend his hall
from wall to wall on all sides, taking
out his present living apartments and
all the ante-rooms, his hall might be
large enough to hold 5000 people, but
the construction Of the building is
such that it is said this cannot be done
without very great expense.
If Mr.. Blackman enlarges his hall he
would have to provide enormous exits
at the back 1t would be extremely
dangerous to put six thousand people
on the third story Of a building unless
there were some way Of getting them
out easily in case of panic. Steep
stairways would result in fearful loss
of life.
If Hamilton hall occupied the entire
second floor of DR.. Hamilton's build
ing and the stairways were doubled in
number, it would come very near to
meeting the requirements.
If an estimate could be made Of how
much it would cost to make the entire
second floor of Hamilton hall into one
big auditorium there are citizens in To-
peka who no doubt would be willing to
raise a large subscription to do the
work, with the understanding that DR..
Hamilton should follow out his inten~
ton Of bequeathing the hall to the city.