Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-11-15
MORE THAN PROMISES
Theatre Promoter G. n. Johnston
Pleases the People OF
Muscatine.
ERECTING HANDSOME OPERA HOUSE
Giving the City Even a Better
Building Than He
Agreed To.

As an illustration of how Rock Is
land may expect to fare at the hands
of George H. Johnston, who is pro-
noting the new theatre project here.
the following is taken from the Mus
catine News-Tribune:
Work at the new Grand opera
house goes merrily forward, notwith-
standing the fact that MIR. Johnston,
the promoter. only shows up semi
occasionally. i never bother my
head about the work after it is once
started said Mr. Johnston to the
News-Tribune some time ago, for l
always have a man in charge that
knows as much about how things
should be done as l do, and some
times little more. / know every
day what has been done, no matter
where happen to be.
This seems to be the secret of Mr..
Johnston's success. He has built so
many opera houses GEO or more) that
they seem to arise from the ground
of their own accord after they are
once started. A visit to the opera
house yesterday showed work being
carried forward in every department.
without delay, bother or interruption.
Yesterday MIR. Johnston came in,
the first visit he has made for several
weeks. He is stopping at the Grand,
accompanied by his friend, William
Foley, a capitalist of Lincoln, Ill. In
conversation with News-Tribune re-
porter, Mr.. Johnston said:
81 never like to open an opera
house until can guarantee good st
traction. To open a new house with
an inferior show will mean a disap-
pointment to the people, and then you
will not have their confidence. l pro-
pose to open this house properly. even
if the opening has to be postponed I'M
terest in a house by any means after
it is built, and 1 intend to start the
good people of Muscatine with one of
the finest theatres in the west. 1 am
in no hurry to do i'll only want to
do it right. / have many calls to
build houses elsewhere got one to-
day from Halifax. But I've never yet
made the mistake of disappointing the
people where I've built theatres, and
am too old to begin it now
Gives Moneys Worth.
Zone of Mr.. Johnston's peculiari-
ties seems to be giving the people the
worth of their money. The News
Tribune learns that he has departed
Commercial club in these respects:
The plans called for St. Louis buff
pressed brick on front of building.
Mr.. Johnston has extended it also
along the Walnut street side.
The specifications called for 165
electric lights. The opera house will
have PSI.
The plans call for 3.story tower.
The building has 4-storY tower.
The plans call for $50 seats. The
opera house will contain 1000 seats
"In explanation of these little irreg-
ulsrities, Mr.. Johnston said, when
asked about it by reporter: Well.
1 always make it a rule to give the
people just little more than l agree
to. Then everybody is satisfied
The flooring is all down except on
the stage and the plastering is all on
except little in the lower part, and
that will be on Saturday night. The
electric appliances are all ready for
the fixtures. The steam heat is turned
on. The canvas is nearly all made
and ready for painting. The drops
will be 1Sx3S feet. and the wings are
Is feet high. Mr.. Johnston will be-
gin scene painting on the Goth. and |
this artistic work will require from
four to six weeks. though it is imper-
alive to get the scenery necessary for
one play ready before opening. The
plastic ornamental work is all on the
balcony front and upper boxes, and |
the frescoing was started yesterday.
The intention is to open sometime |
between the 10th and 18th of Deem
Der, inclusive, and if it is not possible |
to open by that time to wait until |
after Christmas, because the mer-
chants, business men, and in fact |
everyone will be very busy from the |
18th until after Christmas. For this |
reason, if the opera house cannot be
opened prior to the 10Th, it will re-
main closed till after Christmas"