Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1905-02-22
OPENING OF ELKS' THEATRE LAST
NIGHT BRILLIANT SOCIAL EVENT
Brief History Of Prescott Lodge, With
Principles Of Order Tersey Stated
Review of Inception and Con
struction Of Building.

Yesterday, February Doth was gala
day for Prescott Elks, and marked an
epoch in their history. The particu-
lar event which occurred and which
will mark an important date in their
history was the opening of their mag
nificent new theater building, by the
Florence Roberts company.
The EIks' building of which por-
tion is devoted to the theatre has a
frontage on Gurley street of one hun
dred feet and extends back 1271a feet
towards Union street. The building
is three stories high in front and in
the rear beneath the theatre part it
has a basement used for dressing
rooms and for the heating plant for
the building.
Facing on Gurley street are four
stores, two on each side of wide yes
tibuIe which forms the entrance to
the building and through. which is the
entrance to the theatre.
The second story, over the stores
and this vestibule, is divided into
twelve office rooms and one large re-
ception hall. This reception hall is
divided into three spaces by large col
umns in which it Is proposed to place
mineral exhibits for free exhibition.
The office rooms will also be occupied
by mining companies for their offices
and the entire floor will thus be
made a sort of mining headquarters
and viii, be devoted exclusively to
this industry in one way or another.
From the large reception OF mining
exhibit room on this floor there is a
large balcony facing on Gurley street
from which an excellent view of the
city is obtained.
On the third floor there are two
large and commodious lodge rooms
with a large hall between them, all OF
which has metal arched ceiling. Each
lodge room is provided with two ante
rooms and lockers. There is also a
balcony on the front of this story
from which a splendid view of Whip
pie, the Black Hills, San Francisco
peaks, Granite mountain, Point of
Rocks, can be seen.
On top of the front of the building
it is intended to place large life size
bronze Elk, the gift of Senator W. a.
Clark, the material of which will be
taken from the United Verde mines.
On each sideIof this elk is flag pole,
one for "OId Glory" and one for IL e
flag of the order. In the front of the
building is also a clock made of jew
eled glass, with its hands pointing to
the hour of eleven, an emblematic
hour of the order of EIks.
The theatre is on the ground floor in
the extreme rear of the building and
the entrance to it is through the wide
vestibule from the front which leads
into the foyer of the theatre, from
where the entrance to the balcony and
gallery and to the upper floors are sit
uated.
From the vestibule to the foyer the
entrance is through large folding
doors. which open outward. On the
right of the foyer are the gentlemen S
smoking room, lavatory and toilet and
on the left hand side are the ladies'
parlor, lavatory and toilet. Each of
these parlors is provided with a drink
ing fountain.
The foyer of the theatre is divided
from the auditorium by three massive
onyx columns with portiers hung
on brass poles extending from one
pillar to another. The entrance from
the foyer is twenty five feet wide, and
the entrance to the auditorium i;
from the side instead of the old fash
ioned plan from the rear of the build
ing.
The seating capacity of the theatre
is 900, there being 61O chairs in the
orchestra, dress circle and balcony
and eight boxes with six seats in each
and a seating capacity in the gallery
of $50.
The balcony boxes have two entran-
ces, one by a private stairway from
the auditorium and one from the bal
cony floor. The boxes are furnished
with six elegant box chairs each and
the boxes are nicely ornamented with
green velore trimmed with gold and