Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-10-07
FOR WINTER
AMUSEMENT
Manager Culver Prepared to Handle
Some Of the Best Theatrical Com.
panies Coming This Way.
A COMMITTEE WILL ASSIST
Finishing Touches Now Being Made
to Opera House and Heating Plant
lnstalled-New Curtain.

During the summer months Mr.. Cul.
YER has been making such radical
changes in his opera house that it is
scarcely recognized by those familiar
With it's interior as well as exterior
appearance in recent years. Outward.
ly the building has been repaired and
rcpainled and to the real rises a
three story addition with small win
dows looking out on Main street.
The interior has been completely al
tered. New floor timbers and a hard
wood floor have been laid, the walls
have been painted, stage altered and
enlarged, entrances to stage and
dressing room changed and an addi-
ton made to the dining room. AS
completed the stage is thirty by forty
feet with a twelve by twenty-five foot
opening, and an addition OF ten feet
made to the depth OF the building,
gives ample room tor the production
OF dramas by a good sized company.
Five COmmodious dressing rooms
are now in connection and the plans
SO altered that The dining room can
also De- conveniently used Tor that pur-
pose. Below tho stage IS a furnace
room. W dressing rooms. toilet room
and store room. with az entrance from
the latter to the orchestra.
Plumbers are now engaged in plac.
ing the steam pipes around the entire
interior UI the auditorium and the
stage and the furnace is of adequate
size for heating the building on the
coolest nights. Water connections
have been made from the city mains
and a large plug and hose arranged on
the stage for fire protection.
When completed the house will be
abundantly lighted with incandes.
cents In clusters. 4 well assorted lot
Of new scenery has been purchased
and Il beautiful new drop curtain.
bearing as a center piece a scene on
Big Spring creek familiar to Lewis.
town people and tasteful advertise
mcnts Of about a dozen OF the leading
husihnsS houses of the city.
The cost OF the improvements made
has been nearly S3.00O and every ar.
~rangcmont will soon De complete for
the opening Of the house to the pub
lie. The main floor can now he used
for dances. but the stage arrange.
mcnts are not fully complete.
Heretofore il has scarcely been pos
s!blc to secure good theatrical com
paniCs Tor I.cwistown. The long stage
ride and consequent Inconvenience
and loss Of time has been prohibitiye.
but poor though the great majority of
the performances have been. the pa
trOnagc has been excellent. This has
encouraged Mr.. Culver 10 believe that
with the completion of railroad 0
nectiOns Lewistown would become a
good show town" as the phrase Is
commonly used. and to develop and
crafty this taste for theatrical per-
lurmanccs he has gone to this con.
siderable expense.
no hllbll u ldllA announced i'
schedule on the railroad will permit
IA company 20 jump from Helena to
Lewistown and Lcwistown to Living
ston without missing a night, or vice
versa should the company be from
the east and going west.
To assist Mr.. Culver in securing
good attractions and 10 solicit for
such the patronage deserved and re-
CURED. Mr.. Watson OF the Argus has
held discussions with several promi-
nent business and society men OF Lew
istown and last Friday gained the con.
sent Of six to act with Mr.. Culver and
himself in the booking of the compan.
les desired. These gentlemen are
George J. Bach. w. J. Wells, A. W.
War;. W. w. White, W. ID. Symmes
and f. +, Smith.
Correspondence with the manager OF
the Northwestern Theatrical associa-
ton. which association has the book
ing for nearly all the irst-c1ss thea
tres along the line of the orthern Pa
cifc railway. has been opened and
tine matter OF rates and train schedule
will soon be settled with the railroad
company.
II is earnestly hoped b. the gentle.
men who. for the promotion Of their
own pleasure. and without any pecui-
nary profit whatever to themselves,
have consented TO assist in the mat
ter, that the plans being made will
prove successful and that the patron
age Of the public will be as generous
as anticipated.
The first to secure will he a first
rate company TO open the opera
house, which will he ready very short.
ly and to this end arrangements will
be- made n e
Good theatrical attractions will
bring to I.ewistown many from the
towns near by and afford entertain
ment not heretofore o~btainable.
Mr.. Culver is in Helena this week
during tn" state fair and upon his re-