The herald., 1897-01-27

of the music hall stage. which is al pres
ent utterly useless, a room 190XSlS feet
can be obtained. Mr. Ramseys plans
provide for an arena 1l0X220 feet. Raised
seats will entirely surround the arena.
On the main floor 1900 people can be seat
ed, and the gallery will hold 2100 more.
With the arena fioored for convention
purposes, the auditorium can be made
to comfortably seat 1900 people. An
immense single span roof without col
umn will cover this part of the building,
thus permitting nothing to interfere with
the view Of the spectators. The two main
floors of the present building will afford
numerous entrances and exits besides
those through the outside doors. Under
the lower tiers of seats will be stalls for
horses and cattle, dens for wild animals,
bath and dressing rooms for men and
women; in fact, everything necessary
to accommodate the many and varied
entertainments that will be held in the
arena.
The vast room will be thoroughly
lighted and heated and will be available
for any use at all seasons of the year.
There will be entrances on ST. Charles,
Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, and
through the main building. All the ma
| chinery will be removed from the base
ment, and building will be erected for
it across the street, where the asso-
citation owns a lot.
BY this arrangement there is scarcely
any kind of entertainment now in vogue
that cannot be given to great adVan-
tage in the building. The music hall will
remain as it is, but it will be altered so
that it can be reduced in size for small
| audiences, thus obviating the loss of the
| small hall. Space which has hitherto
! been wasted will be utilized, and the
number of exhibits during the exposi-
tion will be but little curtailed. The au-
| ditorium will be peculiarly adapted for
| large balls, as the arena can be easily
| foored. 1t will be the proper place for
bicycle races, walking or go-as-you-
please matches, horse and cattle shows.
dog and poultry shows. flower shows,
wild animal exhibitions Three forty
foot rings and hippodTome track can
| be placed in the arena. A board or cinder
path for bicycle and athletic competi-
ton, twelve laps to the mile, will be built
around the edge of the arena. Even foot
ball matches may be played there. In
! fact. in promoting this scheme the di-
rectors of the exposition believe that
there is practically no limit to the uses
to which the amphitheater may be put.
1t will have an advantage that no SINH
! lar building could have-central location
and convenience to street car lines
To Go all this, however, it will be nee
essary to have the municipal assembly
pass an ordinance granting permission
and, to secure the consent of the stock
holders. In granting The association
permission to build on Lucas square, the
city reserved certain rights ard inter
| est. This makes its consent necessary
to the proposed Improvement. An or
dlnance will be introduced as soon as it
can be prepared, and no opposition from
the city fathers is anticipated The di-
rectors believe that they will have little
trouble in raising the money to make the
alterations, as the men behind the
scheme can easily raise it themselves If
it is not forthcoming in other ways.
Bonds will probably be issued, and it Is
expected that the stockholders will take
all of them. 1t is thought that the work
of remodeling viii be commenced by
April 1st, ard rapidly pushed to compile
! ton.