The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-12
THE NEW GERMAN HOUSE
MOST COMPLETE THING OF THE
KIND KNOWN IN THE WEST.
New Portion of the Building to BE
Dedicated This Week-Artis-
tic Decorations.

steps We're taken TO DullQ a cluDnouSe Wnere
members and their families might enjoy
various amusements and the good company
of their fellow-members and families to-
gether. The result was Das Deutsche Haus,
at the corner of Michigan and New Jersey
streets which has become the synonym for
general home and rendezvous for eight
hundred men, their families and friends.
There is freedom and liberty in the very
atmosphere of the place and an invitation
to the German House is duly appreciated
by those who are not members and by the
visitors who come to the city.
The members left it to the last to build
the greater part of the original design for
the clubhouse, which should meet every re-
quirement and the coming week this new
part will be completed and opened, with
series of three evenings of festivities. The
entire building is valued at 100000, and of
this amount $4,000 has been paid, and it is
expected that in another four years the
building will be free from debt This speaks
well for the financial management, and it
is matter of pride 10 the executive COM
mittee that every cent of this amount has
been collected by the officers without ex
pense to the organization The clubhouse is
a massive building of brick and stone, which
occupies just one-fourth of city square 1t
faces the north, and has full western ex-
posture on the side. The design of the ex-
terror, and the interior, as WE'LL is simple
and yet adequate to the materials and gen.
eral effect There are two entrances, the
one in the center of the front and single
door at the left, where members may be adj
mitted without entering the great corridor
or vestibule On entering the wide oak
double doors there is a square vestibule OPP
posite a semi-circular ticket office Enclosed
in fancy glass. To the right and left are
short stairways to a landing, and these open
into the great corridor. There are heavy
doors which will allow draft or will close it
off when necessary.
From this wide corridor is the entrance to
the assembly hall and ballroom. The height
rises two stories. On the west is a double
row of windows finished with cathedral
glass. At the extreme south end is the
stage. This latter is forty-five feet deep
and sixty feet wide, the same width as the
hall, which is also ninety feet deep and will
admit of several hundred sittings. The wall
tints are in light green and ivory and the
empire wreath, tied with ribbons, is the
leading decoration in the windows, on the
walls and in the carvings of the oak wood
work. In the lofty arch is fretw0rk of the
ivory, which allows ventilation of the most
perfect kind. To the left of the room is a
q
this has. windows to the left which overlook
the garden. The stage is the most complete
of anything of the kind in the city. 1t is
lighted with electricity and has the German
prompter's box, with cap, in the center of
the front. 1t is provided with thirteen COM
plete sets Of scenery, which include street,
room, peasant hut, grand palace and
kitchen, all Of different grades, and every
thing thing that may be needed for almost any
be given. The scenery is all new, and was
painted by the celebrated scenic artist,
ing rooms, furnished with shelves, mirrors,
gas and electricity, and with small toilet
rooms attached.
play sceEe of the house itself will appear
as part of the street scene. In the light
ing of the hall the clusters of incandescent
globes are set in great ornamental wreaths.
Nothing is lacking to make this the amatuer
playhouse of the city, East of the main
entrance to this hall are the checkrooms
with facilities for storing thousands of
wraps. There is a ladies' parlor prettily
furnished and large window opening into
may be given out and received entirely in
dependent of the mems department
There are on the same floor three parlors,
the third of which is the library for the
Musk verein and is fitted up with music
closets, with shelves and drawers. The re-
hearsal or lecture hall is something which
is absolutely needful in this city, as the
May festival and other choruses know. The
one provided at the new house has an in
clined floor and seating capacity for 800
persons and there is space for at least sixty
more chairs. The platform is large enough
to admit of grand piano and the seats are
so arranged that every person may see the
director or lecturer and he them. At the
right of the platform is a door which opens
into a hall and this to a door on New
Jersey street.
Persons assembling for a concert or re-
hearsal will not have to pass through any
part of the building There is also a stair
way to the left of the small hall which leads
large above. This again speaks a
good idea of arrangement AT the side OF
the east corridor is a sitting room with a
stairway which leads to the kneipe. In the
basement of the new building are four new
bowling alleys with a raised platform on
either side for the accommodation of guests
so that the players will not be disturbed
by anyone being on the same floor with
them. All of the latest arrangements for
returning balls, etc. are in. These alleys
are for rent to clubs within the club and
any part of the new building will be rented
also to persons outside the club. Again to
the east of the bowling alley is broad
space. where tables and chairs will be
placed and this overlooks the garden. This
lower floor with the other and the balconies
from the large hall make four floors. that
overlook the summer garden. There is an
entrance from New Jersey street to the
garden. 1t is a winding path bordered with
arbor vitae and scarlet geraniumS. The
garden has covered stage at one angle
and there are numerous flower beds. The
Musk Verein Society expects to establish
itself in the new house entirely, using the
rehearsal room for it's meetings and giving
concerts in the large hall. The stage will
seat on the night of the opening concert 125
singers and the orchestra of forty musicians
augmented by twelve speciel pieces from
Cincinnati. The three societies of the Ger
man House are the Turner'S. the Musk
Verein and the Deutsche Klub. Every
member of the stock association must be-
long to one of these or he may belong to
more The dues in the Turnverein ard the
Deutsche Kiub are Sc each annually and
this includes the use of the gymnasium for
the one and the entire privileges of the
house for the other The dues for the
Musk Verein are S12 annually and this in
cludes the instruction in the chorus work
and 1t admits TO the summer night con-
certs to the four regular concerts of the
winter season. when there is a dance after
the concert, and to six orchestral concerts.
The first Of the summer night concerts
will be given June "a and one will be given
each Friday evening during the summer
The Musk Verein concert to introduce the
society to the members of the Deutsche
Haus will be given either July or 10. The
officers of the German House, which have
been reelected each year from the begin
ming are: President. Herman Lieber: vice
president William Haueisen: treasurer
Henry Schnull: recording secretary. AL
brecht Kipp: financial secretary. Clemens
Vonnegut, ir Each share is 500. There are
eight hundred stockholders and the list is
Ln;~nv adSnI m at tha rate of from ten f0