El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-16
THEATRE
~ CHIHUAHUA Is THE SECOND
LARGEST ON THE CONTINENT
AND COST 4 MILLION DOL
LARS.
Splendid Work of Architect King, OF Ell
PASO. on this and Other Bull
6inss in the Republic.

ing completion and will be opened and
viedicated on the night of May 1st.
\ representative of The Herald Wis
tied Chihuahua this week and was ac-
corded a trip through the mammoth
building in company with George E.
King, the architect and builder. The
Nsight is a grand one and few like it
are 70 he seen on the American con-
tinent Many erroneous stories have
gone the rounds about this building re-
Gently. and The Herald can now give.
some accurate data as collected from
yAIr King who has superintendent ev-
cry stroke of the work
The teater was begun by Governor
Ahumada nearly three years ago and
is now ready for the seats Up to date
the building has cost sS0o.000 and about
$500. .oOj in fixtures are yet to be added.
Exclusive of the stone and brick every
pound OF the material came from the
United States and nearly all the work
was done by skilled American labor.
Few buildings in America present the
appearance this one does II stands
in a prominent location adjoining the
>state house and towers over 100 feet
into the air The first story of the
building is made of fine white stone.
The front is as handsome as that of
any building on the continent and the
great portico extending out in front
. is the finest in the republic of Mexico
While the exterior of the building
would do credit to the proudest street
in New York the great beauty lies in
side The floors are tiled with the best
material the exquisite mural decora-
items are by an artist from Chicago.
the stairs are hand-carved walnut
made ready in the factories of Chi
cago. and every inch of the work does
credit To the judgment of the governor
and the architect
When one reaches the auditorium he
finds something sublime There are
few larger ones on the continent and
even with the Mexican rules of only
about six people to the box, the audi
torium will comfortably seat $500 peo-
pie The boxes are built one over an
other until the fifth balcony is reached
The paruuette is arranged to seat 100
. people and is only about one-third of
the seating space. The ceiling is sixty
feet above the main auditorium and so
constructed as to make it possible for
those in the highest balcony to dis
tinctIy hear every word uttered on the
stage. In the high ceiling are three
domes all beautifully decorated inside
and fitted with magnificent electric
chandeliers. Around the foot of each
balcony are rows of electric lights that
when lighted, give the auditorium
bright but even light. extravagant in
9he extreme
The stage of "Teatro Ahumada
bows to but one on the continent in the
point of dimensions, the Auditorium at
Chicago, and is only eleven inches one
way and seventeen inches the other
behind that The stage is ninety feet
wide and almost as deep The scenery
alone for this part of the building cost
a small fortune and was all made IN
Chicago by the finest artists in that
line Every color of electric lights is
a part Of the fixtures, and nothing was
overlooked to make it the most modern
in Mexico and as good the best in
America.
The finishing touches are now being
put on the interior and the greatest
social event in the history of Chihua-
hua will be the grand opening in May.
Mrs. Ahumada. wife of the governor.
and Mrs. Juan Birmingham. wife OF the
millionaire manufacturer at Gomez
Palacio. are to be the hostesses at the
grand ball to be given on the stage
= after the performance. They have IN
vited the elite OF the entire republic.
and the wealth. talent, and beauty OF
all Mexico will be present.
The theater is being built by Geo
F. King who was for many years
citizen of FL Paso. He was an archl-
tect and builder here in the sos but
later removed to Mexico and has since
made GuadalaJara his home.
\ great deal of Mr.. Kings work in
-Slexico is among the finest ever done
on the continent. He has put up
number of public buildings in different
parts of the republic during the past
Continued on Fourth Pase.)