The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-22
BIG CROWD At THE BALL
FIREMEN'S PENSION FUND WILL
REAP A LARGE BENEFIT.
The Attendance Greater than Ever
Bcfore-The Concert an En-
joyable Feature.

The tenth annual concert and ball given
by the indianapolis Fire Department last
night at Tomlinson Hall was perhaps more
successful in point of attendance than any
other of the nine which the 'laddies' have
given in the years gone by. A conserya-
tive estimate places the big audience
which came early to attend the concert at
three thousand people. Long before
O'Clock the main floor Of Tomlinson Hall,
with the exception of a small space which
was kept clear in front of the stage, was
crowded to its utmost capacity and within
short time the galleries were so uncom-
fortably crowded that many were forced
to escape to the long corridors which en-
viron the main hall in order to catch a
breath of fresh air. The proverbial one
more person kept coming. however. late
as 10 o'clock, and it was not until after the
concert was over that locomotion was at
all possible in the hall. The total receipts,
which are to be devoted to the firemen's
pension fund. were estimated at $500.
Tomlinson Hall was dressed in gala at
tire such as it seldom wears. From the
ceiling were suspended great streamers of
red. white and blue bunting draped to the
center and caught up at the sides. Around
the edge of the balconies a scrollwork of
green cedar was worked with beautiful ef-
feet on background of white muslin. The
stage completely hidden with flags
and banks upon banks of ferns.
The concert began promptly at o'clock.
the first number of the programme being
an instrumental selection. "a Salute to
America by the orchestra The second
number was an overture from "Galatea, !"
and was well received by the big audience.
The quartet composed of Mrs. Lotue
Adam Raschig, Mrs. Alice Fleming Evans,
Mr.. 3. +. Miller and Mr. Louis j. Dochez
delighted the audience with two numbers,
the first being from ''Rigoletto" and the
last from Martha" Each number was
joyable number on the programme was the
solo of Mrs. Lottie Adam Raschig. She
was so warmly applauded for her effort
an encore. The duet by Mrs. Evans and
Mr.. Dochez and Mr.. Miller's solo COM
pleted most delightful concert pro-
gramme and then the big audience was
shown the views which had been especially
prepared for the occasion by the Enter
tainment Supply Company, of Chicago.
After number OF miscellaneous views.
such as 1.-The man shaving himself" the
clown and the disappearing table," 'the
dog and the tramp" and number OF
others, a number of pictures illustrating a
fire scene were thrown on the canvas.
These were lOllOWtu III luTH ny pictures u
Mayor Taggart, Fire Chief Barrett and
others and the exhibition was brought to a
close with pictures representing the great
Bowen-Merrill fire, which occurred in this
city in 1890. The picture of the fire was
surrounded by the photographs of the fire.
men who lost their lives in the fire.
After the entertainment the great crowd,
as though reluctant TO leave the hall, grad
ually drifted out into the corridors and the
active members of the floor committee be-
gan to hastily remove the seats. 1t was
after 10 o'clock when the signal was given
for the grand march, and it was with the
greatest difficulty that the $50 couples led
by Assistant Fire Chief Coots made their
way around the hall to the stirring strains
of the orchestra. The congested condition
of the hall lasted until long after mid
night.