Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-17

icpCSt0SASo. "A OoLloiiOh " y Neehi
maneuver on the stage, with room to
spare.
Modern Italian In style.
The Saint Paul auditorium is an, OBJ
long structure, 1S1 feet in width and
301 feet in length, having an average.
height of IL feet. 1t is designed In
1.-THE modern Italian renaissance style.
The facades are extremely simple and
idignified and very pleasing effect
has been secured by the use of dark
golden brown brick, with trimmings
of terra Gotta in the same color. All
glazing throughout the building is of
green and opal tinted glass and all
exposed woodwork was treated with
dark mahogany stain. On each side
of the building are beautiful arcades,
facilitating entry and exit, each 800
! feet long, Is feet wide and Is feet
high. with barrel arch broken by pi- |
lasters and arch ribs every Is feet. |
Each is Illuminated by so incandescent !;
flights from 16 especially graceful chan
ldeliers.
The remarkable fexibility of the
structure, which was secured by meth |
DDS which were used in Saint Paul for
the first time and have been patented,
makes it possible to transform the
huge hall with its enormous stage, a
public gathering place seating 10000
into coy theater seating 5000 peo-
pie in Is minutes. The theater occu-
pies approximately one-third of the
length of the building, Along the
side walls are boxes, which with the
balcony seats above them are con-
structed on huge steel frames skill
/ fully concealed. These great frames
lpivoted on the ends reaching to the
rear of the theater, swing inward at
will and the effect is as if great sec
lions of the side walls had suddenly
been moved entire, carrying with them
boxes and balcony seats. AS the him
ges box-sections swing inward the
proscenium arch drops downward from
concealed recesses in the ceiling, a
, beautiful curtain falls and the building
. is a beautifully appointed theater,
: with all of the great stage except the
| 'footlights hidden from view. Scenery
is shifted into place and in a few Sec
, onds the theater is ready for use, al
though back of the last stage prop
, critics there remains almost the whole
of the stage, vacant and unused and
n Large enough for a baseball diamond
, From the footlights to the far end
lof the stage, comfortable boxes occupy
the sidewalks. In a few moments these
. are fitted with movable screen walls
, and partitions and become private
dressing rooms, excellently lighted,
with hot and cold water and every
convenience.
Il Used as an auditorium for especially
. large gatherings the box-sections are
: again moved back into place, the pro
scenium arch disappears into the cell
. ing, the scenery is lifted into lofts far
: above and the building viewed from
: the inside is a huge rectangle with
: theater balconies, and parquet seats
: in front, with long side balconies at
the right and left extending the en-
tire length of the building, under
which are boxes. At the far end OF
the building, balcony from side to
Iside surmounts immense arches
through which trucks loaded with
the stage and unloaded before the foot
lights. From the footlights to the far
lthest row of theater seats is a dis
ltance of 100 feet.
Acoustic Properties the Best.
The acoustic properties of the build
ing are wonderful. An experiment fire
quently tried proves that though thu
hi &c oil in, 1nnO th i'm
side, a person standing at the farthes
row Of gallery seats in the extrem
lend of the building and high allow
the footlights, can distinctly hea
words spoken in an ordinary tone o
voice at the arches at the distant emf
of the great stage. A single speake
can make himself distinctly heard t.
10000 people, while great singers hav
enthusiastically praised the structur
for its exceptional properties.
The entire structure is absolutel
fireproof. 1t is built entire of stee
brick and concrete, and there is moth
ing which could burn except the littl
woodwork and whatever scenery tn
building happens to contain. The mai
HOOIss 10 VI COuCTele, quit W SuStdi
1000 pounds to the square foot. TIL
balconies are of solid concrete. Their
is nothing in the entire structure whic
does not bespeaK the most solid, car,
full and substantial construction. Cor
pared with other great structures, tn
main dimensions are as follows:
St Paul Auditorium-301x181 feet
seats 10000.
New York Hippodrome - 200 q
feet; seats 1900.
Madison Square Garden = $40 Is
feet; seats 1900.
The entrances to the building, do
en- in number, open upon wide, lobb
from which dozen doors lead to
beautiful foyer shut off from the the
ter by swinging doors. From the 10
by, exceptionally wide and gracefl
lstaircases lead upward to the first ba
cony floor, on which is located bea,
tiful banquet room. with convenier