The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1909-12-24
New Auditorium Opening.

Owing to a lack of both time and
space, we were unhblr 80 give AS 1ull
an account of the Aud 'orium opening
as we should liked to lave done last
week, therefore we reprint the follow
ing account Of the event from the Jen-
nings Times Record:
A few months ago some OF the lead
ing citizens of Welsh got together
and decided to undertake the building
OF an auditorium. At the time it was
thought that Il building costing s.. 600
would be adequate and committee
went to work to raise the money. In
few hours after the soliciting COM
mittee got to work 81. 200 was suscrib-
ed and many Of the principal people
were vet to be seen. Evidence was in
| hand that a much better building than
at first anticipated would have to be
erected or else there would be a large
number Of the good citizens of Welsh
disappointed by not being allowed to
donate towards this great enterprise
The cOmmitte got together again and
decided to aim a little higher In
fact no limit was placed on the cost
until it could be estimated as to the
! probable amount to be raised bv
popular subscription. Finally after
the donations amounted to $4,000 the
committee considered it safe to 90
ahead with plans and contracts.
Accordingly the services of |. c..
Carter, who drew the plans for the
Ardennes theatre of Jennings was en-
gagged as architect and in a few DAYS
plans we're submitted for a building
estimated to cost $1,000. Bids were
advertised for and the contract was
awarded to Adolph See, of Lake
Charles. Work was begun at once,
by Mr.. See and several sub-contract-
Ors.
The sub-contractors were. for the
plumbing, hurry & Brooks Lake
| Charles: electrical work, Miles Bros.
of Crowley: painting, papering and
interior decorating, r. D. Thrash,
Lake Charles. The scenery was
painted by Voland & Toomey of St.
Louis and is very fine. The scenery
was not included in the original con-
tract. All the work and material in
the building is of high order and the
designs proper for a modern auditor
ium and opera house combined. The
building modelled partly after the
Ardennes and partly after the W. G..
II. y. auditorium of Jennings with
possible some improvements. The
outside dimensions are 40X80 feet,
seating capacity 512 with room for
200 more, the stage is roomy with
handy arrangements dressing rooms
on the sides. Electric lights are
furnished by plant constructed for
this special purpose. The committee
who had the work in charge and
carried the undertaking to ultimate
success and gave Welsh a building
for public entertainments that would
be pride to any town many times
larger, we're L. E. Robinson, chair
man, John Armstrong, F. D. Calkins,
A. T. Jones, Charles Dautel, DR.. L.G
Lewis, W. B. Gabbert. These gentle
men backed by the public spirited ct-
zens of their town have given Welsh
the fine auditorium described above.
The First National Bank of Welsh
gave the lot on which the building
stands and they were twenty-five citi
zens who donated $4,000 each. The
chairman of the committee, Mr., L. E.
Robinson in a few remarks said:
"We started to build an auditorium
to cost $1,000 and we have a building
that could not be duplicated today for
less than $4,000.