The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-14
BEGINS WITHCARPETS
Crawford Grand Fixing up at
Last.
MANY NEW IMPROVEMENTS
Drop Curtains, Scenery and
Paint to Come Next.

Wonders never cease. Especially is
this true in Wichita The Crawford
Grand Opera House which was erected
in 1887 with all the modern improvements
and paraphernalia, beautifully frescoed,
and which was the admiration of the
elders and the wonder of the youngsters,
is to have new carpets. Not any Of your
mating or common carpets are to be laid
upon the floor or in the aisles, but rich
Brussels, the finest that money can buy.
The house was built in 1857 by Messrs.
L. NJ. Crawford, o. c. Daisy and P. V.
Healy. Thousands of dollars were spent
to make it the most gorgeous theater in
the state of ansas and furthermore they
succeeded in their ambition at that time
But few years after the house was put
up Populism became rampant, times be-
came hard and dollars were hard TO get.
The scarcity Of money did not allow the
people to attend, besides it was not pop
ular; the long-haired Pops had not put
il among a thousand other things in
their party platform. The good troupes
could not come here and take chances
yon getting a good house. For few
years everything was demoralized and
the beautiful opera house, along with the
car works and the watch factory, were
allowed to run themselves. Occasionally
a company would drop into town At first
no one would go to see what was on the
stage. After awhile, by hard work upon
the part Of the manager, more were in
duced to come and at last fair sized
audience could be counted upon to go
and see most any performance. Then
Major William Mckinley of Ohio got on
the big stage and after that every one
dug down into their pockets and instead
of finding enough to buy two tickets with,
discovered that they had enough TO go to
the restaurant with after the show and
get a midnight lunch. 1t was such an
innovation that it first surprised the peo-
pie but as they found that by little hard
work they could go into the pocket reg
ularly and repeat the game and enjoy
themselves, something they had not done
for several years, they got to going reg
ularly to the theater. This fact was sent
broadcast over the country with the re-
suit that all of the companies wanted TO
come TO Kansas and Wichita. Mr.. Craw-
ford saw his way clear in the meantime
to fix up the house. He advertised for
bids for 80 yards of the best Brussels
carpet to be obtained. The bids were to
be scent to him sealed at Topeka. Yes
terday he opened them and George 1nnes
& Co. of this city, were the lowest bid
ders and received the contract. There
were Kansas City, st. Louis and Chicago
houses competing. but the Wichita house
was victorious This is only the begin
ming of many other improvements that
are soon to be inaugurated at the Craw-
ford. 1t may be a month or two, but
they are coming. and after such long
wait two months will only be as day
compared with the past. New scenery
will be purchased. but best Of all and one
that will be appreciat ted by the theater
goers the most, will be a new drop cur
tain. Then will come the painters and
frescoers. and when they get through
with the house the Wichita theater going
people will not be able to recognize the
place.