The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-04-14
HEAR BOTH SIDES
Hennepin Delegation Will Listen to
Arguments on the Music
Hall Plan.
w. L. Harris Says the Armory Plan
Would Not Be a Feasible
FIJI One. 81

Plans for the proposed auditorium and
music hall in the court of the city and
county building will be considered at a
meeting of all parties interested at the
rooms Of the courthouse commission this
evening. At the meeting of the Hcnnepin
Legislative delegation yesterday a COM
mittee of five was appointed to hear both
sides of the question and determine the
feasibility of the project
Leading architects will tell why they
favor. or oppose the scheme; the court
house commissioners and originators OF
the idea will give their reasons for sup
porting it; aldermen will outline their
position; and still others will argue in
behalf Of the erection of a building of
such proportions as to accommodate a
large auditorium to be used as a conven-
ton or music hall and an armory. The
question has excited such general: inter-
est among all classes that a lively meet
ing is expected and it is certain that all
interests will be ably represented. =:
Armory Plan ImpractcabIe.
w. L. Harris, asked his opinion of the
relative merits Of the courthouse and the
armory combinations for an auditorium,
said:
Il am not welded to the courthouse
proposition If anything better Develops so
long as 1t Is tangible, definite, and gives
| us within a reasonable time the hall we
need so badly. If sufficient amount of
money were provided to give us a proper
ly arranged hall, in conjunction with the
proposed armo1y building, it would be all
right. but 1 am not in favor of using the
same room for a drill hall and an assem-
! bly, hail. for this reason: The level floor
necessitated for drill hall is entirely
out Of the question for a properly arranged
assembly hall. Moreover, the seats ir
such a hall should be permanent as vel
~ ONE S,,o1i i -
lasting nuisance to have to tote the chairs
In and out every time there was a de.
mand for the hall. Then, again, the chairs
would necessarily be light, uncomfortable
affairs.
AS I understand 1t the drill hall is II
use, except during the summer, five nights
a week, and all that the public could ex
.pect in the way Of accommodation, woule
be that occasional evening which would
| not interfere with the drill. The require
| ments Of drill hall necessitate a hal
built without posts, therefore it would b.
| impossible to put the drill hall in the base
ment, or the assembly hall on the secont
floor, even if it is were desirable to do so
The armory building is intended, as I un
derstand it, to be about $50 by 200 feet.
| - Nov I am not at all in favor of using
| the drill hall for a public assembly hall ex
cept on occasions where we need a hal
| accommodating five or six thousand peO
| pie, where they do not mind being crowd
! ed, where people are willing to stand up i
| necessary, and where the essentials of E
| modern auditorium are not demanded.
| think the armory would work in finely fo1
! such gatherings, but it cannot be made &
proper incline together with a permanent
stage also with fixed seats, or at Least
semi deta enable. I think the armory idea
would work in finely for such case as
have Indicated but for such events as
graduation exercises of our schools con.
ventions. city inaugurals, meetings to dis.
cuss civic affairs receptions to promin
| ent visitors, lectures, ETC., it is not admis.
sable as a practicable proposition, II the
hall idea is combined with the armory, 4
should be practically separate building
and I do not believe it would be possible
| to build such a building, properly equipped
for less than S25O,000. and this withou
any considera ton of a fire-proof struc
| ture.
| "This is the mathema teal problem tina
| confronts us-if it is going to cost from
! 100000 to 100000 to install the proposed
hall in the courthouse, where there is NJ
| foundations or walls to build, where tn,
| lobby or entrance, the exits, waiting
rooms, toilet-rooms, coatrooms are al
ready installed in a fire proof building
with heating, lighting and ventilatin,
plants already to be connected, how mucl
will it. cost to build deta ched buildin,
with anything like these advantages?''