The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-09
WONDERSOF THE HIPPODROME
MOVING STAGE, TANK, LIGHTS
AND 1900 SEATS,


IIippodronle takes in the whole block 'front.'
On the east side Of Sixth avenue between
lorty-third and FoHy-fourth streets IL
l., not only the newest but the mos novel
musement place in this country. II Is q
treat deal larger than the London Hippo
trome-in fact, it's owners say that the
London Hippodroma could be placed on
the stage Of the new building.
Everything possible has been done TO
render the building fireproof, One OF its
Gains for patronage will he its low prices
OF admission. The higl cs; priced seat will
10 cheaper than the good seats at the
theatres.
The building is built Of brick, marble
and steel. The main facade is 200 feet in
len 9Th and the building Ia y feet high on
Sixth avenue and 40 feet in the rear
The seating capacity is $500, and every
scat. is numbered and separate. or equal
interest TO playRoers is the fact that each
SCAT is q inches wide, Compared with
other amusement places the Hippodrome
has a monster seating capacity. The
Metropolitan Opera House seats 800;
Academy Of Music, 5000; Broadway Theatre,
! 800, and the New Amsterdam Theatre
,732.
building is a large globe 100 feet above the
sidewalk and ten feet in diameter These
two globes will be illuminated at night
with 800 electric lights. It takes 26,OOO
& Rctric lights to illuminate the entire build
ing. The sunburst in the ceiling con-
tains 5 COO and nearly double that number
will be in Use on the stage. One million
feet Of connecting wire was used for this
lighting installation.
Six million bricks were used in erecting
the building and 500 tons Of steel TO sup
mort the roof and balcony.l The building
cost S,5oO.OOO. There are thirty-hve
regular and emergency exits, and the
main entrance, which is on Sixth avenue
is twenty-five feet wide with ticket win
dow on each side Of the entrance, The
kevstone is an elephants head in terra
Gotta weighing ZOO pounds.
Inside the auditorium proper, the build
inc does not look 40 large. There are two
balconies, 6, d the upper one will seat 1000
more than the capacity OF the average
theatre. Every fat has an excellent
view Of the stage.
and smoking rooms with a cafe and restaur-
ant. A wide promenade runs the whole
width Of the building. On both the bal
cony and gallery floor. also, there Is wide
promenade, with smoking and Longing
rooms on each floor. A special feature OF
the auditorium floor Is the arrangement
and construction Of cages for animals OF
the feline tribe. These cages are arranged
IN a curve in the promenade at the rear
Of the main auditorium, elevated above
the prone made floor. They have plate
glass fro nts with iron bars behind them.
For descriptive purposes the stage may
be divided into two sections, that which
10 behind and that which is in front Of the
ALL 1t hn inn
arch is the stage proper. The arch is the
largest ever built in a theatre. Is has a
width Of 20 feet and a clear height Of 40.
Its asbestos curtain is said TO be the biggest
piece Of fibre ever woven.
The depth Of the stage from the extreme
front to the back wall is ITO feet. The
stage proper is so feet, that is from the
proscenium arch to the back wall. The
front section OF the stage, which is called
an apron" has a depth OF 80 feet. The
entire stage is the width Of the building
200 feet The main stage back Of the pro-
scenium arch is carried on four ~ inch
hydraulic rams and is capable OF vertical
movement of feet. The weight Of this
stage. which is practically a moving eleva-
tor, is carried on four deep plate girders,
with the plungers placed at the four inter-
This movable stage ia provided with
massive counter weights and il guided
in it's vertical movement by steel columns,
at the top of which are carried the sheaves
for the counter weight cables. Attached
to the under side Of the stage are vertical
guides. which slide within the steel columns.
The guido are provided with slots, which
are enEs, d by massive dogs that slide
horizontally in the steel columns and serve
20 lock the stage at any desired location.
The dogs are operated in unison by means
Of lines Of countershafting, which are
driven by single electric motor, In the
stage are seven traps each capable Of in
deprndPnt operation.
The apron" or stage in front Of the
proscenium arch, which Is really part Of
the main stage when occasion requires,
like the main stage Is carried on IL inch
hydraulic plungers, but the apron" has a
vertical travel Of IA feet. Normally the
apron will he at the same level as the main
stage. Beneath the apron is built huge
steel and concrete tank, Il feet in depth and
large enough for the whole apron to sink
within il.
When aquatic performances or naval
pogeants are TO be given, the tank Is filed
with water and the movable apron Is sub
merged to the bottom Of the tank This tank
is served by three centrifugal pumps Of a
combined capacity Of 1000 gallons a minute.
Around the back of the stage at height
Of IA feet a y inch pipe extends for a dis
lance Of 100 feet. From this pipe, by means,
Of flexible connections leading to a cRta-
ract and fountains a fine cascade with a
fall Of "a feet Is obtained, with the full
capacity Of the three centrifugal pumps 70
maintain II in constant flow, There Is also
an S-nch pipe by which a considerable
flow Of water is produced across the sur
face OF the tank, giving it the appearance
Of a river,
The total height Of the stage is ninety feet
and Il is in the handling OF scenery that IL
presents many striking features. The
scenery in place Of being dropped and lifted
IL carried, by means OF travelling HOSTS,
on four sep rate li"es OF overhead tracks
attached to the gridiron, TO either side Of
the deep wings known as scene pockets
There are four double cleo nc hoists and
two single HOSTS. Each hoist has its own
electric motor and has a capacity Of from
two TO three tons, There il a man TO each
hoist which he controls by wires reaching
TO the floor. By this means complicated
and heavy scenery can be lifted from the
stage and carried TO the scene pockets
with great rapidity Set pieces will be
moved by winding drums, sixty in all. each
having lifting capacity Of 400 pounds.
The floors are built 10 carry a total live or
dead weight Of 50 pounds per square foot
and are covered with cement and oarpeted,
except in the auditorium where freproof
wood Is used. The entrances are Of rubber
tilin~. All the interior trim IL Of fireproofed
wood, and the steel is covered with metallic
lath and cement plaster. The side windows
are Of wire glass, and the stage has 400
VI -. l.. e. l.