Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-12-27

and no one failed to feel its inSpira-
ton. The ushers were in evening
dress, the bon-bon boys in uniform.
and the cab caller was in full livery.
The large number present gave the
new house one of the severest tests
to which it will be subject, both as
regards the weight the balcony and
gallery will have to bear and the con-
fusion in filling and emptying. 1t is
needless to say there were no evil
dences of structural weakness and
the crowd came and went without
confusion or crowding.
Address by MT. MediII.
When the audience was seated Pres
ident T. j. Medill, of the Rock Island
club, and chairman of the general
committee, appeared on the stage
and delivered a brief address. He
spoke as follows:
Ladies' and Gentlemen-Beforet the
raising of the curtain to produce the
first entertainment in this magnifi-
cent new opera housed have been re-
questcd by TIE Rock Island theatre
committee. as it's chairman, to say a
few words relative 30 the history of
this enterprise. The people of this
city have realized for some time the
necessity of n new. modern grornl-
floor theatre building and have wait
ed for many years for some enterpris-
ing capitalist to come forward and
erect for them an opera house that
will meet their requirements. In this
respect. | believe, we have not waited
in vain.
THE incipiency of this project was
commenced by the Rock Island club
in the summer of 1899. The club,
through the instigation of James j.
La NeIle, invited George II. Johnston.
of St. Louis, a promoter and builder
of opera houses, TO submit PROPOSE
ton to build Il theatre building in
this city.
1.-The scheme provided for an adj
vanced ticket sale OF $4,000 upon
terms that are familiar to you all.
1t received the Endorsement IF The
club and measures ~. taken to CON
summate the enterprise.
But the undertaking was Il large
one and the labor extremely heavy.
After having been bufTeted about for
several months il seemed To have
died in despair. 1t was again revived
in the fall of 1900. and a General com
mittce of members of the Rock Island
club. representatives of the Retail
Merchants association and the Labor
Congress, were appointed, with F. w.
Bahnsen, president of the Rock
Island club. as chairman.
Under the ministration of this
committee much work was done. but
the labor being arduous and inccs-
SAINT. interest Jagged and il slept g
most beautiful sleep. 1t was in tn"
early spring of the present year that
il was again resurrected and Crap
pied with renewed yigor. During the
latter part Of February we first saw
the light of day. and in the month of
March we reached the goal of our
ambition. the completion of the
ticket sale.
"WhiIe the members of these vari-
Gus committees may long remember
the discouraging and arduous labors
performed. yet we can now feel that
our efforts were not i'm vain, but
pleased to know that our endeavors
are appreciated. The present com
mittee consists of +. j. Medill, chair
nan. +. w. Bahnsen. &. IL. KingsGury,
DR.. K. NJ. Pearce. Is. G. Berry. +. \.
Head. Charles McHugh. w. c. Mauck-
er. j. j. La Nelle, +. II. Guyer, Phil
Mitchell, II. p. Simpson. Walter John
son. Walter Rosenfeld, w. III. Ed
wards and ]. Silas Leas.
I'VE open here this evening mod
ern. up-to-date theatre, provided with
ample exits in case of fire. As to it's
interior arrangements and decora-
tions, it is second to none in the
state outside of Chicago. Its stage
capacity is greater than that of the
Illinois theatre, of Chicago, and is
capable of accommodating any of
the large opera troupes or eXtrava-
ganzas that travel throughout the
west.
Mr.. Johnston, the builder, mas
done much more than he promised
and We have every reason to feel
grateful to him for his efforts. You
will observe that we have named 1T
the Illinois in honor of the great
state in which we live and love.
Il desire on behalf If the general
committee to return our thanks to all
former members of this committee.
to the press of our city who have SO
ably and diligently championed OR
cause. to the subscribers who have so
literally assisted us, and particularly
To the members of the Rock Island
club. without whose assistance it
would have been impossible to have
erected this beautiful theatre
What of the Play?
What of the play? \ few words
will suffice. Are You n Mason?" is
one of those farcical conceptions
whose sole claim to merritt, indeed
merit there be to such class-must
of necessity repose IN proper inter
probation. Phe ground work is fur
nished by the playwright. The actor
must do the rest. Properly cast pro-
ductions of this order are enjoyed by
a certain percentage of theatre-go-