Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-04-09

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION
OF the Handsome New Building and
Its Interior Decorations-Bids to
be Received Mt Once-TO be
Opened ON January LIST, 1902.

Last evening at the conclusion of the
meeting OF the Board Of Trade build
ing company the plans for their new
theatre and Office building were made
public. The plans as they stand adopt
ed are practically the same as were
described in the Register several weeks
ago. The board has authorized the
architect, Mr. E. B. Franzheim, to re-
ceive bids for its construction up to
noon April 25th. These bids do not
include the seats or interior decora-
tons.
The exterior Of the building. though
very handsome. is to some extent a
disappointment, as it is not quite so
elaborate as would be expected of a
building of this class. The first story
of the building is of stone, while the
second story will be constructed of
terra Gotta and pressed brick in alter
nate rows. The third, fourth and fifth
stories will be constructed of brick
with cappings of terra Gotta over the
windows.
The entrance to the Office building
will be on the Twelfth street side and
an elevator will connect with the va
rious floors.
The entrance to the theatre is from
the Chapline street side. the doorway
being directly in the center of the
front, and in order that it could be
thus placed it was found necessary to
set the entrance to the gallery back a
short distance from the street
The arrangement of the cellar has
not yet been definitely decided upon,
but it is probable that it will be di-
vided up into turkish bath rooms, etc.
In the plans the theatre is given the
name of 1.-THE Court Theatre" but
this has not been definitely decided
upon, but is the name most generally
in favor. AS one enters at the Chap
line street entrance he finds himself in
the lobby where is situated the main
box office. From the lobby one enters
directly to the auditorium or into the
foyer and thence into the lobby. In
the auditorium one finds that the seats
are not arranged in the old circular
style, but are arranged in rows par
allel to Chapline street, the aisles be-
ing parallel to each other and perpen-
dicular to this street. There are only
two boxes on each side of the stage
there being no upper boxes. At the
side of the boxes are two loges.
The entrance to the balcony is from
the foyer, but the entrance to the
gallery is entirely separate and has a
separate ticket Office.
The theatre has a seating capacity Of
l 100 people, with standing room fol
500 more and the interior is so arrang-
ed that there is not post all over the
house to obstruct the view.
The proscenium arch is So feet high
and "a feet wide, being larger than the
one in the Southern theatre at Colum-
bus. The stage is 40 feet deep and &c
feet high and so arranged that the spe-
cial scenery of the most elaborate pro-
duction can be used At each of two
corners of the stage are spiral iron
steps which lead up into the flies. On
the level with the stage is the stars
dressing rooms, the actors dressing
rooms, property rooms and chorus
dressing rooms Each of these dress
ing rooms is supplied with all sanitary
appliances and lavatories.
On the second floor will be situated
the Board of Trade rooms ON the
Twelfth street side of the building. Or
the third and fourth floors will be the
Office rooms, thirteen on each floor
The fifth floor has not been decided
upon. 1t may be cut up into fourteen
Offices or used as a single lodge room.
The work on the theatre portion Of
the building will be pushed rapidly sc
that it can be opened on January LIST
1902, but the Offices will not be finished
up until April of that year.