The Washington herald., 1909-02-14
ST. PAUL ERECTS
Big AUDITORIUM
Sets Example for Washing
ton to Emulate.
VIEWS OF JOHN T. DEvINE
He Describes the Manner in Which
the Business Men Of MinnesOta
City Seized Favorable Opportunity
and Turned II 10 Advantage-They
Are Now Immensely Satisfied.

John T. Devine, ore OF the original
promoters Of the auditorium project. is
taking great interest in the enterprise.
and IS confident that in a short time
Washington will have a big. fine building,
which will do credit 20 the city and solve
the inaugural ball problem for many
years to come.
Mr.. Devine yesterday described at
some length what the business men Of
St. Paul have accomplished with a SINH
lar enterprise
To a Washington Herald reporter. he
said:
II do not believe that the citizens Of
Washington understand Just how great
an opportunity lies before them in the
project 10 build here a great national
auditorium, in which may be held po-
htical conventions. balls. and scientific
and artistic congresses
Mr. Devine IS q member OF the board OF
trustees or the New Auditorium Com
pany. and is taking a strong interest, for
reasons OF public spirit, in pushing the
project.
st. Paul Sets an Example.
we ought 10 have this auditorium
here. Mr.. Devine said. and ! think we
ought TO take TO heart the experience
OF ST. Paul, MINI. They found out what
could be done in that city, and did Il.
an few American municipalities have the
citizens themselves raised a more re-
markable monument 10 their public spirit
than have the people OF St Paul. in
building and presenting TO the city for the
perpetual benefit OF the public one Of the
finest auditorium buildings in the world.
seating s,0o9 more people than the New
York HippOGrome- Now that il is COM
pleted and has proven its exceptional
adequacy for the purposes to which il is
devoted, it has become an object OF spe-
cial satisfaction and pride 10 ali the
thousands who. moved by the generous
ambition for a greater ard better city,
gave so freely toward its erection
The structure was conceived in April,
1865 On December II or the same year
the first contract was awarded. There
was a spontaneous revival OF the old-time
demand for a town hall OF suitable pro-
portions end consequence TO fittingly en-
tertain the people ef one OF the most
beautiful cities Of the United States. as
is Washington. ard its guests
Phil W Herzog. a mild-msnnered
business man. was placed az the head OF
the committee Of eleven to erect the
building in Nav This building is 20 be
built at once Mr. Herz0g announced, and
he suffered no bending OF his viii He
collected around him the best men in the
city. organized the project as he would
have handled 2 big business scheme. and
in july a public mass meeting was held.
People Rally 20 Its support.
When the doors closed the night OF
the mass meeting $500 had been sub
seribed, and the people everywhere were
hunting for their checkbooks Within
q few days $4,000 had been subscribed
The structure was built and opened with
in one year. in fact. on the anniversary
'of the beginning Of the auditorium
movement Two thousand people danced
al this ball. while I0.o0o people looked on.
Many months later. when St Paul en-
tertained President-elect Taft. 2,o00 peo-
pie sat down to a dinner In his honor
on the stage alone. Through the great
arches opening from the street to the
stage fOHr-hOrse taIiyhO coaches. loaded
with people. are frequently driven. and
during the past year full-hedged circus
and wild West show, complete. gave per
formances on the stage. and was not
hampered in the least degree for either
light or space overhead On several oc-
casiOns 1000 people have been seated in
the building at the same time A bat
talon OF infantry can nnaneuver on the
stage with room TO spare.
The St Paul Auditorium is an oblong
structure Isl feet in width and 3g feet
IN length. having an average height Of
Il feet. The remarkable fiexibilitv OF
the structure makes il possible TO trans
form the huge hall with its enormous
stage seating I0.o0o people. into d coy
room. holding 500 people. ia fifteen min
utes- The theater occupies approximately
one-third the length Of the building.
Along the side walls are boxes. which.
with the balcony seats above them. are
constructed on huge steel frames skill
fully concealed. These great frames
pivoted on the ends. reaching to the rear
of the theatcT swing inward at will. and
the effect is as II great sections of the
side walls had suddenly been moved en-
tirely. carrying with them boxes and bal
Cony seats.
Makes Good Theater.
As the hinged box sections swing in
ward, the proscenium arch drops down
ward from concealed recesses in the cell
ing. a beautiful velvet curtain falls. and
the building is a beautifully appointed
theater. with all Of the great stage. ex-
.cept the footlights. hidden from view.
Thorough business method dominated
every step in the construction Of the
building Every contract and expenditure
was subjected 80 rigid investigation and
scrutiny The result was the construe-
ton Of a building in which the people
have dollar for dollar
The total cost was $4,000 The struc-
ture is paid for It IS interesting to note
that he Hippodrome in New York cost
100000 the Chicago Auditorium cost
sS.900.000 and the Madison Square Garden
cost $s.OO0,e0e
This is what St Paul has. after a
years agitation and effort, at a cost Of
about half a million. This is what Wash
ington ought to have. and at once. What
is half a million dollars in a city Ike
Washington II We VIII get together and
work hard FOR the end in view, we viii
have something even better than St. Paul.
as We ought to have. II is d great public
duty 70 urge the building Of such q struc-
ture here