Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-24

Tho doors of the new Gardiner Coli I
e,,n were opened to the public Mon |
d.v nieht and the big crowd which at
,an6ad was we'll pleased with the mod
ern attractive and thoroughly up-to- |
d,ta nIavhouse The initial offering was
the sparkling comedy, Mrs. Temple:
Telegram
The dimensions of the new theatre
are 4yxl23 The highest portion of the
bnlding is the rear, which contains
the stage and the roof of which is 3.
feet from the main floor. The distance
from the stage to the gridiron floor i:
40 feet. The scenery instead of setting
aside lifts straight up, making neces
sary the high roof above the stage
There are II arches in the frame OF the
building, which are 80 feet above the
main floor at the center. The front
which is built after the design OF the
modern city theatre front, square will
recessed entrance, is IS feet in height
The exterior of the house is stained
dark brown with cream color trim
1nings. AS has already been stated il
the Journal the front rooms are stained
bronze green and the doors are
white with the space between a robin.
egg blue The interior walls for sly
feet from the floor line are of a some.
what darker shade than between the
arches, all producing a very pretty col
or scheme.
The foundation is of concrete and 20
barrels Of cement were used in its con
structi0n. In the unfinished basement
are the. heating apparatus, the dress
ing rooms and toilet rooms. The en-
tire basement floor is cemented.
The main. floor is laid on Georgia
pine Orders, supported by iron posts
and heavy spruce timbers. The archie.
are built of 1Minch Georgia pine stock
firmly boltcd. The walls are planke(
with North Carolina pine.
The building is splenddly lighted
there being in all $50 lights, divided a:
follows: Sixty border lights, 60 foo
lights, 1876 main hall lights, q exterior
front lights, IA interior front. 26 base
ment, 10 orchestra lights. stage wal
lights and four passageway lights. The
border lights arch lights, lights il
basement, stage lights and lights II
the dressing rooms, cellar and hallwa!
lights and footlights are operated from
the stage switchboard. DINNERS ar
located on each set of borders and eacl
set of footlghts. The exit lights an'
lights in front of the building and IL
the ticket office are operated from
panel placed in the ticket office. TIVE
sets OF cut ms, one on the Gardner
circuit and one on the South Gardi-
ner circuit, have been installed, SO thai
in case there should be trouble on one
circuit the house could be partly light
ed by the other one and nothing short
of the whole kennebec Light & Hea'
cos. system being out of commission
would give a "black house"
The scenery was painted by o. l..
Story of Boston and is thoroughly III
to date. The drop curtain is fireproo
and represents d gem of an ltalla1
scene. The orchestra seats are some
what below the main fieer. The house
Will have it's own orchestra, the per
sonnet of which has already been Civ
en- in the Journal. The seats are frolt
the American Seating Co. and will ac-
ccmmodate about 1000 people. The door
seats in the rear of the hall are rails
ed The center balcony is ample, while
the side balconies are narrow SO as moi
10 obS,ruct the view of the stage. There
is not single poor seat in the house
The stage occupies quite onc-third o!
the building ard is sufficiently large
for a very elaborate production. The
house is well ventilated and there arc
SO many entrances and exits that one
person who inspected the house afte,
et,-,,a ChO1llf
have been called 1.-The house of man!
DOORS"
The architect and builder is Lang
don G. Paul. The plumbing was done
ny George L.. Reed, who also installed
the heating apparatus. The kenneoe'
Light * Heat Co installed the electr!'
lights and electrical fixtures ant
superintendent Williams of that com
pany will act temporarily as hous'
electrician The building committee
consists of L. C. Ballard. r. p. Haz
card, DIR. Gideon p. Moves, c. S. Whit
hey, "A. J. Burns.
The Gardiner Realty Co. has ISSUED
Stock for the construction of the nev
nall to the amount of $4,000, and 1t /
safe to say that the cost of this build
ing will not be far from that sum. Til
FUNDS for the construction of the ha
nave been raised by popular subscrlp
uon by the business. men of the cit!
Ihis Idea of the erection of a theatr
py popular subscription originated i
me minds of three Gardiner bushes
men. A. j. Burns. who will manage tn
new enterprise. Loring c. Ballard, tn
Maine manager of the American Ic
70, and Z. S. Whitney.
The Gardiner Realty Co. was organ
ised for the purpose of the erection {
NE building May q and in exactly on
week from its organization the first is
sue Of stock was disposed Of. The off
Gers Of the company are:
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