The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-26

was owned by the Boston public Ii
brary. Artists were sent to Boston
and sketches made from this au-S
thorlty.
The Great Chariot Race.
The representation OF the famous
chariot race was then taken up Not
only was it necessary to show the
contesting horses running at top speed.
but a representation OF thousands OF
excited spectators as well. Again, the
smashing of the wheel of Messala's s
chariot had to be made also. 2lm-
mense panoramas, th1rty-tWo zee! IN
height, extending around the sides
and back of the stage, were built, and
they revolYed from right to left on
massive cylinders. Upon this canvas
was painted thousands Of Romans
wildly cheering There are zoos feet
of canvas in these panoramas. Prop
erly to present the race the stage was
removed and substage heavily braced
was erected, two feet six inches below
the level of the footlights. During
the ordinary action of the play TINS
substage is covered with tightly Mt
ting platforms upon which the per-
formers appear. The chariots, driven
four horses, those, of Ben. Hur being
nearest the audience. A separate
treadmill 'twenty-seven inches wide is
provided for each horse. These tread
mills are endless chains of stout h1ck-
ory Stats four inches in width and
covered with rubber and canvas. They
rest on ball-bearing wheels within the i
apparatus. AS has been said before,
four horses are hitched to each char
iot The horses, chariot and tread
mills rest on separate platforms,
which in turn are on wheels placed on
iron railways supported by the con-
cealed sub-stage. To each platform
is attached a steel cable running over
pulley and operated by dynamo
in the cellar of the theater. Con
;cealed~in the bow of the chariot IS an
electric fan which blows the clothing
of the charioteers in the air, represent
ing their rapid movement thru the
air, and underneath each wheel an in
tricate electrical device which. throws
volumes of dust beneath>it and under
the hoofs of the fast-f1ying horses.
Stretching across the entire stage IS
E.belting four inches in width, upon
which is painted small stones and-the
/ ground in uneven surfaces. This Is
revolving rapidly by another set of
motors underneath the stage.I'E.! :. q. !"
Smashing of Messala's Chariot. !
/: After all this had been accom-
/ plished it was necessary to show. the
smashing of the wheel of Messala's
chariot by Ben-Hur's superior horse
! manship. When the two chariots are
abreast, Messala's wheel is torn off
| from it's axle. This is. accomplished
| at the moment of contact by pow
erful spring which, when released,
sends the wheel to the ground. The
horses run from left to right on the
stage and as the panorama is operated
from right to left, the, audience is
going with the contestants.
Presence of the Christ.
The. chariot race problem having
been: solved, klaw and Erlanger then.
submitted a plan Of action whereby
the presence Of the Christ would not
be represented during the action Of
the play, but his immediate nearness
would be felt by all who beheld the
drama. This occurs in the last act of
I the play. Great crowds of people
1 have, assembled at Mount Olive; for
/ it is Palm Sunday. Suddenly a pecu-
liar light Of purest white, which quiv-
ers with silvery glitter, flashes across
the scene and rests on, the faces Of
the assembled worshipers. This sug-.