The Somerset reporter., 1909-02-04

connected with the delivery of the
keys, and music by Kendall's or
chestra.
The first event in the theatrical line
to occur in the new building will be
on Saturday evening following, Feb
ruary 18th, when "The Wolf" said to
be one of the strongest theatrical
productions of the present season,
will be given.
The location, on Water street, at
the foot of North avenue, on what
was formerly known as the Heselton
House area, is one that presents fine
view of the building from every di-
rection. The lot $50 feet in length,
permits it to be appreciated as to
size and proportions to an extent that
would not be possible were the lot
lines close to the walls of the struct
ure itself with other buildings crowd
ing close upon it. The building is 120
feet long on the Water street front,
has depth of 20 feet and is 81 feet
high throughout its entire area. The
trunk or elevation over the stage
projects upward above the general
level of the roof, SO that the extreme
height of the wall at the east end is
20 feet. The material presented in
the exterior is chosen with most
pleasing effect. The basement and
foundation work is of granite and up
ON this comes the slight contrast in
the shade of the white pressed brick
which form the exterior wall of the
first story. Above this the principal
expanse is of water struck red brick,
while cornices, and all ornamental
work are of terra Gotta.
The building is provided with two
entrances, for general use, one at the
westerly end, reached by short foot
walk or accessible by driveway from
Water street, and the other, which is
the more imposing and which will be
generally regarded as the main en-
trance, midway the Water street
front, both of which in the evening
will be marked by electric lights, i'm
posing lanterns having been erected
on either side of the same.
Entering directly from Water
street. through the entrance last
mentioned, the visitor finds himself
in the hall or corridor on the lower
floor from which open various offices
for the use of the town officials. OF
these the first suite to the right is
designed for the use of the selectmen,
town clerk and treasurer. There are
three rooms,in the suite, with inter
communicating doors and each open
ing also into the main corridor. A
fire proof vault is provided, of ample
size to contain all town records at
present in use, or that may accumu-
late for many years to come.
The school board rooms are on the
left of the main entrance. These are
arranged in one large room, about %
feet square, with two smaller rooms
for office and storage purposes.
The largest single room in the
building, aside from the main audito
rum itself, is situated on the south or
river side and will be made use of for
the proceedings of the Skowhegan
municipal court. This room is 25
feet wide and 90 feet long. At the
westerly end there is a stairway lead
ing to the police headquarters in the
brought up from the cell room below
to be arraigned and returned after
the hearing, without being taken
through the court room. The office
of the highway commissioner adjoins
the Municipal COURT room on the west
and between the two are double
doors so that the two rooms may be
thrown together when the attendance
at the Municipal court Is large enough
to require it or, in case the Court
Room is used for any other purpose
and the attendance is larger titan the
one room can comfortably acc )mo-
date.
THE AUDITORIUM.
The audience room is of course the
most interesting as we'll as the most
imposing part of the whole building,
and its size and appointments will
make the average Skowheganite feel
for the moment that he must be in
some other town. Not that the size
of the auditorium seems excessive but
the evident perfection of its every
portion for the accomm odat on of large
numbers of people SO that all may
have a perfect view of the stage and
see and hear with ease the lecture or
entertainment in progress there, is SO
far in advance of what we have here
tofore known that it is hard to real
ize that SO marked an advance in our
facilities for holding large public
gatherings can have taken place SO
quickly in our own community.
/ The are 740 seats on the main floor
and 26O in the gallery. These are ar
ranged on an incline and otherwise so
scientifically located that every one
presents practically an equally desir-
able view Of the stage. The main
floor or seating area is 65 by 6S feet,
the first dimension given being the
distance from the entrance to the
front of the stage. The height from
the center Of the seating area to the
ceiling is 80 feet.
| The decorations are in the style of
/ Louis XVI, the predominating tones
being in green, old ivory and gold.
! The ceiling is clouded in soft sky
colors, with Il beautiful figure piece,
emblematic of music over the pros
cenium arch. The design is so care
/ fully worked out that the whole in
terror seems but an enlarged margin
or setting for the asbestos drop cur
tain, which is done in rose tints. The
grand climax of the whole decorative
scheme will be reached later, when
the main drop curtain, representing
the Winner of the Chariot Race, is