Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-01-09
CITIZENS COMMITTEE,

~ JAMES mCOhOSSEN, W
i R. H. JOHNSON. y
ness sseeseeseeeeees s:eeeseS
Mr.. Dunbar, chairman, in behalf of
the committee makes the following
statement ''Messrs. Johnston and
Fischer have constructed the Opera
House according to plans and specitica-
lions In the most perfect manner and
they have gone further-making many
valuable additions The committee are
well pleased and entirely satisfied
Both Messrs Johnston and Fischer are
perfect gentlemen. They are honest,
square and perfectly reliable in all their
dealings. So much so, that we never
asked them to give us a guarantee of
any kind. Their word is as good as a
written contract every time, and we
would be pleased to recommend them
to any town desiring an Opera House"
The opera house was fully com
| pleted on the 10th of November,
and would have been opened to
the public some time ago, only
that Mr.. Johnston would have an
attraction that he was certain would
please the majority or he would wait all
winter, and all are satisfied now that
he understood his business. With all
of Mr.. Johnston's peculiarities, those
who have made his acquaintance have
learned to esteem and respect him. He
is most decidedly a man of his word,
and nothing can swerve him from his
line of duty. He has given our people
better opera house then the contract
called for, in many ways, especially in
the seating capacity, there being about
$50 seats instead of $50. His chief aim
has been to please and fulfill his con-
tract to the letter, in both of which he
has been eminently successful He has
faithfully lived up to his agreement to
purchase all material possible from our
home people, and everything has been
so purchased with the exception of the
opera chairs.
The Curtis & Yale Company and the
Werheim Manufacturing Company
furnished all the sash and doors and all
interior finishing, and Mr.. Johnston in
forms US that the material was the
very best he has had for years and the
cleanest work he has ever used.
The Alexander Stewart Lumber Com
pany furnished all the lumber used in
the building. The Ringle Pressed Brick
Company and supplied the brick and all
plastering was done by Henry Goebel.
The steam heating was put by in by
Thos. Delaney and the gas fitting by
John Lee. The draperies, carpets and
box chairs were furnished by the
Livingston Mercantile Company and
the furniture by Chas. Helke. o. G..
Callies supplied all oils and paints.
James Montgomery and w. T. Collins
furnished all the hardware. The Wau-
sau Electric Lighting Company did the
electrical work and put in the combi-
nation fixtures. The piano was pur-
chased from E. M. James. All the tile
work and setting of the gas mantel was
done by Urban F. Burner, of Milwau-
kee.
All the labor on the building was
performed by Wausau men.
While Wausau's former opera house
may have cost more money than our
new one, it was not its equal in many
particulars.
DESCRIPTIVE.
The picture at the head of this article
is perfect representation of Wausau's
new opera house The building stands
on Fourth street, directly east of the
court house 1t is flush with the street
and covers a ground space of 70x12O
feet. As will be seen by referring to
the picture-the front, which consists of
the lobby and other rooms and
the auditorium-is 60 feet wide, whilst
the stage part is 20 feet wide and much
higher so that the scenery can be prop.
erlr arranged. Walks, five feet wide,
on either side lead to doors opening on
to the stage. These are for the con-
venience of those who will occupy the
stage and for exit from the auditorium,
balcony and gallery in case of fire.
There are six doors opening on to these
walks, which, with the large doors in
front, enables the whole tAeater to be
emptied in the shortest possible time
II would be simply impossible to ar.
range building of this nature with
better means of escape in case of fire.
The front of the building is of St
LOUIS cream colored pressed brick, and
that placed over and around the en-
trance IS rock faced The trimmings
are of Bedford stone and plastic relief
work, which renders an effect that is
rich and beautiful. The balance of the
large building is Of solid red brick
Tie entrance, to the lobby. as can
be seen has two sets ofdouhle doors con
aiming beveled edge plate glass windows
The lobby is 14x20 which has tile
floor and Is handsomely decorated in
Dutch pink, with finishings of choco-
late, mahogany and gold. On the right
is the cloak room where wraps viii be
taken care of free of charge. On the
left is the box Office and smoking room,
both are nicely and conveniently
The former has a ticket /
window opening into the lobby and
another into the auditorium. from |