The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-07
COLISEUM ASSURED
FIRST ENTERTAINMENT FOR NEW
AUDITORIUM IS AN IMMENSE
SUCCESS
CITIZENS GO IN THOUSANDS
Five Thousand Heard .E1Iks' Min
streis Last Night-Speakers On
the Project Cheered to
the Echo.

More than 5000 citizens, aetuated by
that most laudable of sentiments, civic
PRIDE, thronged the Auditorium last night
| to witness the reproduction of the Elks
minstrel performance for the benefit OF
the st. Paul Coliseum fund.
Long before the hour set for the open
ing Of the doors the street in front OF
the building was crowded, almost from
curb TO curb, with surging mass who
desired to help to build the Coliseum for
st. Paul by contributing their mite of
25 cents
The doors once thrown open, the crowd
slowly, but in perfect order and in the
best OF humor, filled the vast Auditori-
UNI TO It's utmost seating capacity. Be-
fore 8 O'Clock every available seat in the
mouse was taken, and from that time
on the crowd continued to come, until
| every inch of the room from which the
performance could be seen sheltered a
spectator.
They were enthusiastic, and fully real
lied the importance of this, what might
be called the initial step towards the
building of a st. Paul Coliseum, and when
Judge Willis appeared on the platform
TO introduce speakers who would talk to
the audience until the curtain was ready,
the announcement of the object of the
gathering was met with prolonged ap-
plause.
THE Coliseum is assured is the SEN
lament that seemed to pervade the en-
tire gathering of over 5000 souls. Ev-
cry mention of the project, every an
nouncement of future entertainments for
the same purpose, and in fact every ref
erence to the erection Of such a build
ing, was met with the most hearty and
earnest applause. The audience realized
that they were there for some other pur-
pose than to be entertained by the very
excellent show that the Elks presented.
They realized that the corner stone for
this great project was being laid, and
the 5000 people gathered there constitut-
ed evidence of the most conclusive char
acter, that the people of St. Paul believe
in the Coliseum, believe in Tie comm {
tee that has the work in charge and final
ly believe in St. Paul's ability to accom-
plish anything in the line of public en-
terprise that her citizens set about to do.
Speakers All Sanguine.
Judge Willis spoke briefly of the pro-
ject that has taken the city by storm
and introduced Ross clark Mr. Clark
spoke of the excellence of such an en-
terprise, and of t.-e- many good results
that must inevitably come from lAe well
| directed and concentrated enthusiasm
which the people Of st. Paul have shown
in this enterprise.
er, ard he followed the same line of ar
gument that Mr.. Clark had advanced.
| He expressed his implicit belief in St
Paufs ability to accomplish results in
any public enterprise.
j. Adam Bede was also among the
speakers. His quaint humor and clear
forceful manner of delivering facts took
the enthusiastic audience by storm and
| Mr.. Bede most heartily indorsed the en-
fornrjcp Caid ha hn1iauod
farmer in the state would be willing to
add his mite to such a laudable enter
prise. He believed that every man in
st. Paul should have at least one 81 share
of stock in the building for every member
Of his family, and he spoke eight shares
| for himself and family. He said that
from what he had seen of this enterprise
that he believed the solution of taxation
would be to do away with taxation and
depend upon subscriptions entirely. He
said he was sure there would be no diff
Guilty at all in raising all the money
| necessary to carry on the government
if the same public spirit and enthusiasm
would be shown in that as has been
shown in the Coliseum enterprise. Mr..
Bede told number of his quaint stories
and sat down amid the hearty applause
and enthusiasm that characterized the
entertainment all the way through.
AS for the entertainment itself, little
has been left unsaid of it. The excellent
character of the whole show, the many
exceedingly good specialties and the
other pleasing features all went to make
the event a most successful one.
Much credit is to be given to the
Auditorium management for the excellent
manner in which the patrons were taken
care of. The building was most comfort
able as to temperature and there was no
crowd or crush inside the building. The
seats We're arranged in manner to ac-
commodate the greatest number, and
anyone who goes there to see the many
shows that the committee has in store
for the future can be assured of every
comfort.
The gathering last night was typical Of
st. Paul 1t was positive evidence of
the city's ability to build and maintain
coliseum. The character of the gath
ering was such thatfit represented every
class of people and the corner stone Of
the Coliseum was laid indeed, and under
the most suspicious circumstances that
any enterprise was ever launched upon
the seas of public approval. The receipts
of the entertainment were considerably
over s., 900.