The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-02-27
OUR RALEIGH LETTER
RALEIGH WILL BUILD AUDITORIUM-THEAT
TO SEAT OVER $500 PEOPLE.
The Academy OF Music Building
and Other Property Bought for the
Purpose-0eneraI Toon's Work and
Funeral : New Superintendent of
transformations Other Matters.
I'm Our Regular Correspondent.
RALEIGH, n. C.. Feb. "a. @

RALEIGH, n. e., Feb. "a. OF.
Raleigh has at last perfected arrange
ments whereby a combined auditorium
theatre will be provided. amply sufficient
to accommodate any crowd that is likely
to gather on one occasion in Raleigh for
many years to come-and especially with
the view IF furnishing a hall large enough
to comfortably care for the great politi-
cal and other State conventions.
The auditorium company, formed
several months ago. have bought the
Academy OF Music building lin which
these conventions have been held of late
joining property with about 40-feet front
and running the length OF the present
building, and will make the reconstructed
hall as wide again as at present, put in
another gallery and enlarge the stage
fifty per cent, providing additional
entrances and exits. This will give us an
auditorium that will hold $500 and
more people, and at the same time pro-
vide a frst-class theatre with stage OF
sufficient dimensions to accommodate the
largest attractions and scenery that
come this way No other hall in North
Carolina can seat over 800 people at
present, believe. and therefore the con-
ventions will continue to be held here-at
the centre" the natural and most avail
able location.
GENERAL TOoN's WORK AND FUNERAL.
The funeral of General Toon, Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction. last Friday
was largely attended by the State Off
Gals, local military companies, represen-
tatives of Masonic and other orders, de-
spite the particularly bad weather.
While General Toon had been dangerous
~ i'll for two or three months, he had i'm
proved SO rapidly of late that his com
! plete recovery was expected, and he had
stated his intention to go to- his office
this week. When he suddenly expired
last Wednesday Qrom heart failure) the
sad event was as surprising as deplor-
able. He had exceeded the expectations
of his best friends in the successful per-
| Torrance of his new duties and had he
lived to complete the unexpred term of
three years yet remaining his record
would have been an especially fine one.
| The interment was in lakewood Gene
terry, this city His death leaves only
two surviving ex-Brigadier Generals of
the Confederacy in North Carolina, Gen.
VIM. r. Cox and Gen. W. p. Roberts-all
| OF them lin their twenties when COM
mssioned as such, Gen. Toon being "a
years OF age. only.
NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION.
The number of aspirants and candidates
for the office OF Superintendent of Public
Instruction is unprecedented, while many
Others are ''in the hands of friends. -
Enumerated in both classes the following
names have been presented: Ex-Governor
Jarvis, eX-Congressman Grady. ex-Super-
intendent Mebane, }. Allen Holt, Oak
Ridge; NJ. G. S, Noble, State University;
j. {. Scarborough, another eX-Superin-
tendent; W. 5. Long, of Alamance; j. Y.
Joyner, State Normal and Industrial Col
lege; j. 3. Carlyle, Wake Forest College;
O. l.. Springfield, Financial Agent Baptist
Female University; W. H. Ragsdale, of
Pitt; Ira T. burlington, of Johnston;
r. L. Madison, of Caldwell; W. T. Whit
sett, Of Whitsett Institute; W. g. Quack-
enbush, of Scotland; p. r. Law, of Robe
son; John Duckett, Chief Clerk in office of
Superintendent; j. T. Alderman. of Hen
derson; Ernest +. Mangum. of Wilson,;
John Blair, OF Wilmington.
( No one has appreciated the necessity Of
a frst-class man for this particular office
at this particular time more than Gov
ernor Aycock. the leader of the campaign
OF education'' now being undertaken, and
who names the man.
| VARIOUS MATTERS OF INTEREST.
Among other valuable Improvements
| heretofore noted in these letters), it is
now learned that $4,000 have been
raised towards the erection of the new
| 'Students' Building at the State Normal
and Industrial College, the students of
the College subscribing $4,000 last week,
| and that the cornerstone will be laid
| during the commencement exercises in
May
There will be no celebration a Roanoke
| Island the coming summer, as it has been
found impracticable to secure an appro-
priation from Congress during the session
| now drawing to a close. After comforting
with Senators Simmons and Pritchard
and the North Carolina congressman the
promoters of the plan have decided to
postpone it at least for one year.
The order of Red Men in this State will
probably build an orphanage, the plan
originating with Occoneechee Tribe of
Raleigh.
Miss Helen Gould and party of New
| York friends now visiting the South. will
accept DR.. McIvers invitation to include
| the Greensboro State Normal and Indus
trial College in their itinerary, and will
visit that splendid institution in few
days
| The proposed visit of Governor Aycock
and staff to Southern Pines, scheduled
for last Friday, was called off on account
of the funeral of General Toon.
The names of candidates for the official
shoes of the dead man We're being ex-
! plotted in the daily papers before Superin-