The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-14
MONTGOMERY STAGE PLANS Jake Wells Talks of
 Theatres Here. VAUDEVILLE IN OLD HOUSE May Book Attractions For Sum
 fler. win opersts Moutsomery Theatre and Grand Next season--ro Aad
 Handsome Front Ts
 The Grasd.

That he will probably put on high class vaudeville in the Montgomery Theatre this summer and that he will Keep that house open next season for popular priced attractions: and that he VIII improve the front of The Grand theatre with the construction of stores and an arcade. were the important an- nouncements made yesterday by Jake Wells.
 Mir Wells was in the city to trans act business for the big circuit He was accompanied by W. O. Neal, one or his managers. During his stay in the city he conferred with his attorney. K. E. Steiner. with Edward Okel. an architect In his employment; with Messrs. Hirscher Brothers. managers of The Grand. and with other repre. sentatives of his interests in Mont gomery.
 The improvement of the front of the Grand was what Mir. Wells was able to speak most definitely about. And even of that he could give but little precise information for this reason; he ik not going to build a house and hnd somebody to put in 1t; he Is going to find somebody to put in and then build the house to suit the prospec- tive tenant.
 "Our idea is to improve the appear ance as we'll as make a house to rent" Mir. Wells said yesterday. eve shall ascertain in what way the build ing could be best used and then be guided more or less by the require ments of those who would become ten- ants. We shall build two stores with an arcade in front. How many stories we shall construct we have not de- ternined. We know this. however; we are going to make The Grand look better"
 Plans for Vaudeville.
 The rumor, current for some time, that Mir. Wells would open the Mont gomery Theatre for first class vaude- vile during this spring and summer, was not affirmed or denied by Mir. Wells. He had intended. he said to open the Montgomery Theatre but had been so occupied with other matters that he had not had time to attend to that business. It could not be def- initely told whether he would utilize the older house this summer or not.
 But Mir. Wells is surely going to open 1t for next seasons bookings. There he expects to place ali the pop uiar priced shows while at The Grand will be presented the standard" at- fractions. It was not expedient, he stated. to mingle bookings of different standards in the same house.
 Mir. wells's announcements mean much for the theatre in Montgomery. It places him In absolute control of the situation here: he practically had the control during the present sea- son. It means that Mir. Wells. whose policy of taking care of his patrons to their hest advantage has been proven by his dealings since The Grand was opened, will continue to afford the best that a Montgomery stage may worthily hold.
 "MonopoIy?" he echoed. when the idea of that word was suggested by 8 reporter yesterday. There can be no monopoly in my business. If bookings are good people patronize; otherwise they stay away. There can be no mon- opoly in my business. or in yours, either, People have to buy meat and bread and clothes; they don't have to buy newspapers or go to shows. If your paper is good they read tti 1T my shows are good they come to see, them.
 "It is my interest as well as my pleasure to give the best l can get. You can't fool the people with poor attractions. They know what Is good and what is not. I have always taken pride in my work to afford amuse- ments of high order. hope to do much for the theatrical public or Mont gomery." ...
 MT. Wells has been travelling for twenty days. He has now gone 10 Mobile where recently MT. Neal ms representative, leased a lot that may be used for a theatre.
 MT. wells now has a circuit of nearly