The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-11-10
BENTLEY GRAND OPERA HOUSE,
A Very Pleasant and Memorable EVENINGS
Entertainment Marks the Opening Of
the New Opera House,
Beautiful Go mmodious and Complete
Public Hail.

The opening of the Bentley
grand opera house last Monday
evening was one of the nota BILE
events in the growth and devel
opment of Milba1k. The city
has long felt the need of a com
Portable and pleasant public
gathering place in which to hold
the various entertainments, that
are wont to visit the city. The
Old skating rink, which O fnecess
ity had to be used for this pur-
pose was neither com Portable nor
inviting III any respect, and the
enjoyments Of ntertain mentS
held therein was greatly marred
by the conditions under which
they had to be presented. The
necessary cost of erecting suit
able building and the very doub
full income which would probably
oe derived from a building Of
this character seemed to preclude
the possibility of securing it in
the lear future. However, when
it was understood that Mr.. l.. H.
Bentley purposed erecting a
double building on the lots south
of the hotel ST. Hubert. it was
suggested that the building be
construc cted for an opera house
on the second floor. and to aid in
the project it was arranged that
a liberal subscription be made
by the merchants and business
men of the city to forward the
enterprise. A subscription of
something like $4,000 was speed
| lily secured and Mr.. Bentley
went into the matter with his
whole heart, secared the best
architectural plans possible, and
gave orders to the builders that
no reasonable expense should be
spared to make the new opera
house complete in every detail,
with the latest and best stage
appliances and the auditorium
thing of beauty and comfort
The finishing touches of the ar
lists touch were placed upon
the interior last week, and those
who were in attendance at the
entertainment Monday evening
certainly feel like congratulating
Mr.. Bentley on the splendid
success that has attended his eff
forts to give the city handsome
and commodious opera house.
Preceding the play to be pre-
sented short program of exer-
cises had been arranged for as
heretofore published.
Mayor Bouck presided as
master of ceremonies, and in afew
felicitous remarks called atten.
tion to the beauty and complete
ness of the building, and com
olimented Mr.. Bentley on the
success which had crowned his
efforts to make the opera house
structure that was in the high
est degree creditable to himself
as owner and proprietor and TO
the city of Milbank, stating that
the building might we'll be con-
sidered an acquisition in a place
many times as large as our city.
The mayor was followed by Hen,
ry S. Volkmar, who spoke of the
growth and development of Mil
bank, from wheat field to the
splendid little city it had grown
to be He was followed by edi-
tor Downie who in his remarks
suggested that in the eulogism
that was being heapeu upon the
men OF Milbank for their enter
prise, public spirit and other
splendid qualities, the ladies be
EN- braced, but as this caused a
mum Der of the young men to i'm
mediately ''sit up aud take no
tice, to avoid any disturbance it
was decided to postpone the en-
bracing until the conclusion of the
ceremonies. A very pleasing
vocal duet entitled "Greeting"
was then rendered by Miss Ger
trude Stone and Miss Louise
Selde, which received the hearty
applause of the audience. j. II.
daslam, Of Winnepeg. gave
a short address upon ''The
Young Man." and the grand
opportunities which are present
ed to him by the wonderful de-
velopement of the great north