Evening star., 1896-10-30
NEW COLUMBIA THEATER
It Will BE Thrown Open to the Public No
yvember 8.
Description Oft the Decorations and
Appointments Of the House
and Stage.

The work on the new Columbia Theater
Is now about completed. and when thrown
open to the public on Monday evening,
November 8, 1t will be one of the few
theaters In Washington that have been fin
ished complete before asking for the public
patronage.
The audience enters from F street through
three sets of handsome oak doors into a
lobby 30 feet wide and 75 feet deep, and
f1nde the box Office about half way back on
the right side Of the lobby. The floor is
laid In mosaic and III the vestibule the
name Columbia Theater" is beautifully
inlaid In antique tiling. At the end Of the
lobby there is door that opens on the
stage from the left. and on the right there
is an entrance through elbow into the
auditorium. where the beholder Is at once
surprised at the graceful outlines Of the
house. Its snugness and its warmth of
color; The prevailing coler is green, re-
heVed with terra Gotta and gold.
Inc chairs are upholstered In green cor
duroy, have spring bottoms and backs are
very large and roomy. averaging - inches
In width. and are absolutely noiseleSs,
working on rubber washers.
Inc boxes number twelve in all. three
tlers of two boxes each side Of the
proscenium arch. The fronts are of orna-
mental copper. are draped in brocaded silk
with yellow figure and are very rich.
Inc mouse In many respects will resemble
Dafy's and the Garrick theaters in New
YORK, the balconies being very close to the
stage and are bound to meet with popular
iaNor The balcony Is reached from the
main floor and + street lobby.
Inc curtain opening is 81 feet square and
the curtain will fit into a gold frame of
laurel leaves, tianking which are double
plasters, paneled with ornamental designs
over tfe proscenium are eight ornament
al panels and in each is suspended laurel
wreath surrounding one of the letters which
coliectlVely will form the name of the
house These letters will be in gold and
VIII De made prominent by the prevailing
'ihtS OF terra Gotta and green which sur
round them.
There viii lbe two curtains, the asbestos,
winch Will be raised only when perform
ahce IS In progress. and which will be orna-
mehte1 by a painting, entitled Songs of
othef Days The act drop will be work
OF art and will be a revelation to Washing
ton theater goers. The picture itself is
from the famous old Italian painting
Loves Altar and the excellence of the
drawing is only exceeded by the richness Of
the coloring. The house is absolutely fire
PROOF, and with the exception of the window
siils and the floor, which is laid on con-
crete, there is not piece of wood in the
auditorium
The stage. which is thirty-five feet deep
and eighty feet wide, is equipped with all
modern appliances even to the fire-proofing
OF the scenery. Here. as in front of the
house, there is nothing that could burn
In fact, the Columbia is one of the first fire
proof houses that is fire proof Every pre-
caution, however, Is taken to prevent pan
les, and the house is literally provided with
emergency appliances. The exits are suf-
hciently large 10 empty the entire house in
about a minute. Nearly the entire 18th
street front is taken up with them, in addi-
ton to the very ample facilities that the +
street lobby alone would offer.
The house will be the most perfectly ven
tlated one in the country, being provided
with two exhaust fans for removing the
Nitiated air in addition to the main supply
fan that will furnish either hot or cold air
as may be required. Even the gallery will
be well provided for in this respect the
nigh ceilings alone rendering more perfect
ventilation possible than is ordinarily found
in this sighted portion Of the house.
The house Is member of the great
theatrical syndicate that is headed by Nix
on and Zimmerman. and its fortunes will
be directed by that firm. This will insure
the very best attractions at all times, and
with MeSsrs. Frank b. MetZerott and Jos.
f. Luckett in charge of local affairs, as the
managers of the house, It's popularity
should be assured. Mr. Nathan Stein will
occupy the box office, and the orchestra will
be under the leadership of Henry Sauntel-
mann, who was the leader of the Marine
Band orchestra under SouSa. 1t is the pur-
pose of the management to make the Or
chestra a feature of this house at all times.
Others of the house staff are as follows: A
II. BetZ, head doorkeeper; George Cotton,
he ad usher; 7. j. Mccullough, stage car
penter; Thos. c. Ringold, electrician; Geo.
Cobb property man.