Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-14
THE NEW THEATRE PROJECT.

THE NEW THEATRE PROJECT.
The Registers protest against the
curtailment of the plans OF the new
theatre struck popular chord and 1t
is evident from the numerous and en-
phatic expressions on the subject that
the community at large is decidedly
averse to sighting the project, and to
any halfway measure, or compromise.
We want the best because we need ",
can easily support it and ought to have
it.
We understand the position of the
committee in charge of the project.
They are facing a discrepancy of some
se3. 600 between the plans drawn up and
the amount CT subscriptions to the
stock of the new theatre and are COM
PEELED either to curtail the plans or raise
more money.
Let them not hesitate a moment to
take the latter horn of the dilemma. 1t
is by far the most common sense, salts
factory and withal the easiest thing to
do. Go ahead with the present plans
and the money will be forthcoming.
There are many men of means in this
city who have not been approached on
the subject There are enough of these
to easily make up the deficiency and
much more if needed, But $4,000 more
need be subscribed. An additional
mortgage will raise the other $4,000
necessary to complete the sum requir-
ed 1t will not take committee many
hours to find subscribers to such a sum,
for so worthy and altogether excellent
an Investment.
We want nothing but the best in the
plans of this new playhouse. We want
no makeshifts. We have that already
We want a comfortable, roomy and
ccmmodious theatre, one capable of
seating the audiences that this com
munity can and would turn out to see
really first-class attractions if there
were sufficient seating capacity for such
audiences and stage room for the pre-
aentation of such attractons-neither
CT which we now have. We don't care
for elegance of decoration or richness
OF furnishings, but we do want con-
venience. plenty of room and comfort
Let the gentlemen having this pro-
iect in hand bear in mind we have real
ly a community at home and within
street-car reach that already mounts
up close to 100000 people We are
within less than one-hours trolley ride
OF this population and will shortly be
In close touch with a greater. It in
cludes that along the line of the Elm
Grove motor as far as Triadelphia, with
LMoundsville MoMechen, Benwood and
shortly will include Wellsburg and La
zearville, while on the Ohio side are
Martins Ferry. Aetnaville. Bridgeport.
Bellaire and shortly several other Ohio
towns will be within easy trolley ride
OF Wheeling. All this great territory.
making with Wheeling easily 100000
people, will be to draw upon for aud
fences for a first class theatre present.
ing first-class attractions.
Neither of our present theatres is
at all adequate for even our own people
when a really first-class attraction
comes-the result being that first-class
attractions do not come, there being
neither stage-room nor audience room.
While prices have to be put up out of
reach of the average theatre-goer to
make it pay. Circus day, with its aud
fences of close to twenty thousand peo-
pie each for the daylight and night
performances give an idea of the size
OF the population close at hand which
will seek Wheeling for the right kind
of amusements.
The committee will make the gravest
mistake If it shall curtail the present
plans. Let us prepare to be the amuse-
ment as well as the shopping centre for
this great population and meet not
only present but coming demands upon
us in no niggardly way. There is moth
ing so attractive in cities as their
places of amusement and it will be the
pest policy for Wheeling to meet this
requirement with all possible liberali-
". We must do this simply to keen
abreast of the times. For there is
Parkersburg, but one-third the size of
wheeling and with not a 1.-THE OF the
surrounding population to draw upon,
proposing to erect "the finest theatre
n the State" to cost 100000. If
Parkers'burg can raise this sum for this
purpose, Wheeling should be able 70
raise at least twice as much-and twice
as much is NOT called for