Cañon City record., 1906-08-09

temples to be found in a days travel
and can not fail to command the sur
prise and admiration of the devotees
of the theatre.
complaint, and not without reason,
that the means of egress from the op-
era house were inadequate for an
emergency. but this has been rectified
at the instance of Mr.. Beghtol and nov
few playhouses of its size anywhere
afford their patrons better facilities
for escape in case of fire or stam-
pede of any kind requiring the empty
ing of the auditorium on short notice.
In addition to the Main street entrance
which was formerly the only means OF
exit, four new avenues of escape have
been opened up, and it is now better
provided in this respect than any the
atre in Denver, with the exception OF
the Broadway. There are now three
doorways in the front of the building
and two in the east side, and such =
thing as congestion could hardly occur
wide, double doorway has been cut
through the east wall and another ono
at the end of the orchestra pit, which
has long been closed, has been opened
up, allowing people in the front of the
house opportunity to get out quickly
in case of necessity.
Two doorways in front, one on each
side of the main entrance, which have
heretofore been fastened, have been
made available and will be kept un-
locked at all times. 1t is believed that
the house could be vacated in between
four and five minutes by an audience
which filled it to its utmost capacity,
and that there need be no further ap-
prehension or timidity in the event OF
fire or other trouble.
| The decorations are attractive, the
walls and ceiling being done in red and
gold and the wainscotting and other
woodwork in mahogany to conform to
the general color scheme
The chairs, of which there are be-
tween six and seven hundred, have
been revarnished and made to conform
to the surroundings; in fact, every
thing has been gone over and is ~
bright as a new dollar The old boxes,
which were a sort of monstrosity. have
been taken out and new ones installed,
two on each side of the stage. The new
boxes are very pretty in construction
and their draperies most attractive
They will hold, all together, something
like twenty people, and are an attract
i've feature of the interior.
! The stage and its settings are su-
perior to most opera houses of its class
and are adaptable to any play that 10
likely to come to town of this size
The dressing rooms underneath the
stage are neatly furnished and are
we'll lighted and ventilated. The cleo
trio wiring throughout the house is
excellent and its illumination perfect.
A change that will commend itself
to the public is the substitution of
heavy plate glass for the wooden pam
els in the doors leading into the lobby.
This will enable people passing along
the street to see what is going on with
iii and will render the entrance less
gloomy than has heretofore been the
case.
| The lobby will be brilliantly lighted
and its walls will be hung with pic
lures and scenes relating to the theat-
rical profession.
| Mr.. Beghtol will endeavor to merit
the commendation and patronage of
the theatre-going people by giving to
them first-class attractions at popular
prices, and to that end has booked a
number of excellent entertainments
which will be placed within the reach
of all. His success in the renovation
of the opera house presages a triumph
! for him in its management.
GRATIFYING IMPROVEMENTS