Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-03-08
THEATRE is SECURED
New House Will Be Built in Rock
Island the Coming
Summer.
THE CANVASS COMPLETED TODAY
Success Crowns Agitation Be-
gun Three Years Ago-The
Ticket Sale.
THE CANVASS COMPLETED TODAY

theatre the coming season. All doubt
as to the success of the project
banished today with the close of the
general canvass.
The tickets for the first nights per-
Torrance have all been disposed of
and the new theatre is assured. 1t
will be erected the coming summer
on a site to be chosen at an early day
by G.. H. Johnston and his associate,
j. B. Arthurs. the last named of whom
has labored so faithfully for the en-
terprise, in which he has been ably
assisted by the general committee,
consisting of President Il j. Medill
and F. W. Bahnsen, of the Rock Island
Club; President George II Kingsbary,
of the Retail Merchants association;
E. c. Berry. until recently president
of the Tri-City Labor congress; to-
gether with other members of the
Club and Merchants associations and
a number of other public-spirited
citizens who have given willingly
of their time and money in order
that the city might have a play
house in keeping with its other mod
ern attractions.
Movement Started Three Years Ago
From the first THE ARGUS has be-
lieved that the undertaking would
win if the persistency were put forth
that is necessary to the swinging of
all public projects of this nature. For
three years this paper has been agitat-
ing a new theatre and has reason
therefore to feel particular pride in
the Success that has finally been met
with. Naturally it was preferred that
home capital provide the play house
and at one time it looked as if a COM
pany would be formed for that pur-
pose, but business men who investi-
gated found they could not build and
conduct theatre with profit. Then
it was that the Rock Island Club
took the matter up and appointed a
committee composed of j. j. La Velle,
DIR. r. NJ. Pearce, Hon. f w. Hurst,
S. S. Davis and Louis Kohn.
George H. Johnston, of St. Louis,
who has made for himself wide
reputation as promoter and
with and invited by the club theatre
committee to visit the local field. He
came here and made his proposition
to the club to investigate. The club
committee spent weeks in investigat-
ing Mr.. Johnston's credentials and
found that his every representation
was backed up to the letter by the
people of the cities where he had en-
gagged in similar enterprises.
Hustling for the Enterprise.
After the Rock Island Club had in
dorsed Mr.. Johnston's plans, the Rock
Island Retail Merchants association
and the labor congress identified them
selves with the project. Committees
were appointed in every ward to make
the canvass for the advanced sale.
This general committee took the mat
ter in charge and created an executive
committee composed of the presidents
of the Rock Islsnd Club, Merchants as
ISOLATION and labor congress, delegating
to it general charge of the undertak-
ing, and since then that committee
has devoted itself diligently to its
task. 1t was deemed wise to aban-
don the canvass during the fall
months owing to the campaign, and
it was not resumed until after the
holiday season. In the meantime
Mr.. Bahnsen had been succeeded as
president of the Rock Island club by
Mr.. Medill and the latter took his
place on the executive committee, the
other members, however, retaining
Mr.. Bahnsen as an associate in token
of his efforts during the early |
part of the canvass. Mr.. Medill |
since becoming chairman of the
executive committee, has been I'M
ceasing in his endeavors. as has Pres
dent Kingsbury, of the Merchants
association, the heads of Rock Islands |
two representative commercial and |
business organizations having worked |
hand in hand for the city's interests. |
The risk of invidious distinction is |
too great to undertake the mention of |
all responsible for the success of this |
1t is safe presumption,
however, that most of the people of |
Rock Island generally have encoun-
tered those most prominently identi-
led with it at one time or another, and
% all who have in any way contributed
20 the success of the project, either by
work or subscription to the ticket sale
,r by both, the fact that Rock Island
has accomplished that which it set
,ut to do, that it has tested the spirit
If the people and found them not
should be an abundant COM
,ensation.
Selling the Tickets.
Mr.. Johnston visited Rock Island
n several occasions during the past
ear, presenting plans OF the building |
Ie agrSed to erect on condition that
n advance ticket sale of at least
10. 900 be first secured. j. B. Ar
hurs came here and began the can
ass last summer, but was called
way when IL had been halt COM
,leted. About month ago Mr.. Ar
hurs returned and resumed the ticket
ale. At times it has been discourag- i