The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-10
NEW SUMMER THEATER
VAUDEVILLE PERFORMANCES TO BE
GIVEN AT 'FAIR BANK"
William Irons Plans for the Popular
Fall Creek Resort--NO More
Free Admissions.

Fair Bank" the summer garden on FAN
creek between Illinois street and Capitol
avenue, is to be made even more attractive
than it was last summer William Iron,
proprietor of the place, intends to build
stage, where vaudeville performances will
be given In addition, brass band will
give nightly concerts. 1t will be the plan
to alternate numbers between the hand on
the hill and the theatrical entertainment on
the stage. Plans are now being prepared for
the stage, which is to be rustic in its effect
TO conform to the other features of the
grounds There will be no curtains or drops.
The entrances and background will be con-
cealed with plants This will give the stage
bowerlike appearance. A space in front
of the stage. sufficiently large to contain
800 or 600 reserved seats, will be under cover.
The lattice that separated the grounds from
Capitol avenue will be moved seventy-five
feet further west and the stage will be
erected In the southwest corner of the
grounds, where the performance can be
seen from the hill and ali parts of the
grounds. Mr.. Iron says that nothing but
the best vaudeville attractions will be
booked, and he estimates that his expenses
for performers will run $500 a week. No
bookings have been made, but correspond
lists. As indianapolis lies at an easy stage
from Chicago, Cincinnati, st. Louis and
other cities where vaudeville is popular in
the summer resorts, the proprietor of Fair
Bank believes he will have little difficulty
in making first-class bookings
There is to be change in the policy of
free admission to the grounds. A fee of
about ten cents will be charged at the gate.
will ho 11,a or
reserved seats. Arrangements will be made
by which seats can be reserved downtown,
SO that those who do not care to go early
will not be compelled to stand. Mr.. Iron
thinks this will prove popular plan. An
other Improvement is to be made in the
matter Of vehicles Instead of being per-
mitted to drive through the grounds, sheds
will be provided where carriages and other
vehicles may be left standing. There was
much confusion on the driveway last sum-
mer Some people simply desired to drive
through the grounds, While others wished to
remain in their carriages listening to the
music. The blockade was sometimes an
moving to those who were in the grounds
Mr.. Iron claims that the plan of charging
q fee at the gate will make it easier TO ex-
clude undesirable characters, as police OFF,
GERS Will see every person that enters In
spite of the vigilance of patromen and
walters last summer, some undesirable peo-
pie entered the grounds occasionally. While
they were not seen by attaches of the place.
patrons observed them occasionally and 1t
created bad impression. Mr.. Iron men,
toned an instance where one person was
expelled five times. While Fair Bank did
not make a fair profit on the Investment
last summer, MIR. Iron says that at the
same time he did not lose money.
Il always had confidence in Fair Bank"
said he, and still have. OF course our eX-
penseS were very heavy. Most of the time
there were seventy-five employees. Some
nights we did not take in enough to pay
penses, when the weather was chilly and
people did not care for ice cream lemonade
and other cold refreshments. Some i'm
provements in the grounds and manage
ment of the place Will be made from the
experience of last year. / do not think any
one will object to paying a small fee at the
gate. Not more than one-third of the peO-
pie who came to enjoy the concerts last
summer bought anything. They We're peo-
Such l think, would have been glad 10 con-
tribute toward paying the expenses of the
entertainment offered them. My idea in
providing reserved seats is to look out for
those who do not want to come early in the
evening. You would be surprised at the
great number that came early four or five
nights in the week to get the best places
on the hill, In order to see and hear every
thing that went on. The walters, some of
whom were working on commission, would
not go near that hill. They could not earn
their salt We kept run OF the patronage
from the carriages and figured that nothing
was sold to more than one carriage out of
twenty"