Arizona republican., 1908-09-20

over three hundred dollars worth of
 pulleys and similar small hardware
 have also been utilized in the refitting
 of the stage so that scenery may be i handled automatically and with the greatest ease. Ninety-siX pieces of new scenery have been ordered paint ed, the canvas for which will cost | S1. 900 and the mountings $500 more. It includes all the sets that there is ever demand for and one set in par 1 ticular, - combination drawing room and ball room set. contains sixteen pieces and is said by the makers to be the finest thing of the sort in the west In fact, after it was ordered the mak- CTS wrote back for a verification say ing they would be glad to fill the or der but did not think Phoenix needed anything so expensive and they feared a mistake had been made in writing the instructions The Elks told them to go ahead, that there was nothing too good for Phoenix Among the scenery will also be a handsome new advertis ing curtain.
 The old footlights have been torn out and a new set so adjusted that it throws the light on the stage where it belongs, has been put in. The finest possible new switchboard has been pro vided and and all the most cOnvehient devices for light effects are arranged for, that too, in compliance with insur- ance requirements. With all this equipment the Elks believe that they will have a stage possessing every advantage of any coast theater and as large as any Los Angeles theater eX- cept the Mason which is some four or five feet deeper. When necessary the scenery used can be set well back and the stage will hold a small army of people almost as many as there are sometimes in front of the curtain. It is believed the accommodations are ample for the necessities of any com pany now touring the country.
 The personal comfort of the actor folk has been given the same careful attention. Everything beneath the stage except the walls, was torn out and rebuilt, a cement floor laid and twelve large dressing rooms construct ed with brick partitions, electric lights, plumbing, etc The actors cannot burn the building unless they deliber- ately set fire to it, nor can they get hurt themselves unless -@refully plan to commit suicide by getting in front of their own guns which are supposed to be filled with blank cart ridges.
 The orchestra pit has been widened to permit of two rows of musicians if so many shall appear and there will be new brass railings around the or chestra and the boxes. The ceiling of the dressing rooms under the stage is of corrugated iron and a baggage chute will be built from the rear of the build ing down to the dressing rooms, so the trunks may be dropped almost at the door of the prima donna or the leading lady and hoisted out again with dispatch to catch an early train Concerning escape from fire or other possible disaster. it should be stated also that there will be ladder fire es- capes from the lodge hall and roof garden, down to the stairways on either side of the building. Columns could be devoted to mention of the numerous little cOnveniences of the club rooms, hall, and theater, such as the plumbing, lavatories, and minor equipment, but this is sufficient to in dicate in a general way the complete ness of the enterprise. The theater has always been considered a fairly good one for town of this size, stage and all considered, and the block is now better to the actual expense of Si0,000 And the last expenditure re- turns rlore per dollar than any other, for there was a good groundwork to build rpm.