The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-19
THE AUDITORIUM
TO Be COMPLETED
Board of Directors viii Take
Definite Action.
A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS
Would Complete the Structure. Which
Gould be Leased for Three Thous-
and Year-Seventeen Thous-
and Expended.

At meeting of citizens interested in the
Auditorium held last night in the rooms of
the Commercial club, 1t was decided to be-
gin active steps to complete the building
at the earliest possible moment
Quite a number of prominent citizens
| were present, all of whom stockholders
| in the company and promoters of the en-
terprise.
M. v. Joseph was elected chairman and
Robert H. Baugh secretary of the meet
ing, which resolved itself into an informal
| conference to discuss such plans as might
| be presented.
President ]. A. VanHoose of the Audi
torium company was called upon and stated
| that he had called the meeting for the pur-
| pose of seeing If something could not be
| done to raise sufficient money to complete
the building He briefly pointed out the
many uses to which the building could be
put and the great good which would re-
suit to the city by its completion.
He stated that he had authorized Mr..
Wheelock, the architect, to get bids for
clustering, wainscoting and painting the in
terror, but ding the stage, boxes, proscenium
arch dressing rooms, and, in fact, the en-
IlS nlllSu, SACSpb the HCdAiHSf piulilDl
and seats, which he ascertained could be
done at cost of about $500. To complete
the building entirely, no estimated would
cost about 100000
The question, he said, was: What are
| you going to do with the auditorium
Mr.. Van Hose expressed the belief that
| $500 could be raised to put the building
in such shape that the deed to the property
could be obtained from DR.. Smith accord
ing to the terms of the contract.
He also stated that the city fathers
should be asked to contribute something
toward the fund which he suggested could
be made as an advance payment for the
rental of the building, for holding public
school exercises and all other public pur-
poses for all time to come
Henry B. Gray, treasurer of the COM
pany, submitted a report showing that
ST., S2S in cash and building material had
been expended and that the net indebted
ness of the company was about $780, On
motion, the report was received and filed.
THE question of raising the necessary
money was discussed by .Messrs. w. H
Graves, r. N. Rhodes, B. Steiner, T. H.
Motion, j. Fl. McCary, NJ V. Joseph, L.
". ciark< and others, who were unani-
fnoiisy Of the opinion that III could be
done.s.sS7&
Mr.. Steiner submitted a proposition to the
meeting. On behalf OF himself and asso-
ciates, in which he offered to buy all out
standing stock at twenty-five cents on the
dollar and to expend $4,000 in completing
the building, fitting it upsfor theater, to
be open to all public meetings.
Another proposition was made by Mr.
Steiner that if the company would raise the
necessary amount to put the building in
such shape that the deed would be deliv-
cred he would subscribe an entire issue
of $1,000 of preferred stock to fit the build
ing up for practical use.
On motion of Captain Graves the chair
was authorized to appoint two committees
of five members each, one to call on the
mayor and board of aldermen and one to
solicit additional subscriptions to stock in
the company.
The several propositions were informally
discussed, and on motion the board of d.
rectors were requested to call a meeting of
the stockholders of the company to con-
slider propositions to issue preferred stock
or to raise money by mortgage or other
means to complete the building and to elect
n board of directors and consider the ques-
ton of increasing the capital stock of the
company.
President VanHoose at once issued a call
fcE meeting of the board of directors, to
be held at the Commercial club rooms this
afternoon at O'clock.
1t was stated at the meeting that if the
building could be completed that 1t could
be leased at rental of $1,000 per annum
for a theater.
Chairman Joseph announced the follow