Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-27

of the Fifth Georgia regiment, lnclud-
ing a shooting gallery, drill nan ana
gymnasium and stables. .o-o ooo
The Atlanta auditorium cost $250,uO0
and eighteen months was required 10
build it. The money was raised through
stock company, which later sold the
property to the city. The several nun
dred state and national conventions or
which Atlanta has boosted in the past
are expected to be multiplied several
times when the new auditorium is
available. The new auditorium, IL pres
ent plans are carried out, VIII De
equipped with fine pipe organ sucn
as has made Salt Lake City famous.
THE box office receipts of the music fes-
tival will be devoted to that purpose.
number of prominent grand opera
singers and other artists and chorus
of 500 voices will participate in five con-
certs which conclude May o. IL is
proposed to make the Atlanta musical
festival a permanent annual event.
which will rival those held at Clncin-
natl and Worcester Mass, and thus II
possible bring the south to the front
rank in the music world of America.
The auditorium idea is taking hold
of the people of the entire country:
Each year sees one or more cities addeo
to the number of those which have
large auditoriums. Many miillons II
and the fact that more are constantly
being built indicates that they are re-
garded as paying investments. Many
municipalities own auditoriums, ana IL
thew do not actually get dividends in
money from them the good results TO
local industries and trade from con-
ventions and other great gatherings is
very tangible.
The movement for auditorium con-
struction is probably an outgrowth of
the old town hall idea. Almost ever
since the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth
Rock every New England town and vii
lage has had town hall, where the
inhabitants gather from time to time
to discuss the state of the nation, or
local political and government ques-
lions. to see some show or to be
otherwise entertained. The erect or
such gatherings Is wholesome. With
the expansion of the country and the
enormous increase in the population or
it's cities the town hall idea has grown.
Washington, the national capital, Is
one of the most backward cities in this
respect For many years there has
been a demand for a great auditorium
in Washington, but up to date the need
has not been supplied. Present fndf-
cations. however are that movement
recently set on foot by public spirited
business men will be successful. Their
project is most ambitious. total or
about $4,000 has already been sub
scribed to carry it out, and consider
ably more funds are said to be in
sight 1t is estimated that at least
half a million dollars are required to
carry out the present plans. Much of
this can be borrowed, 1t is said, after
the site has been purchased. The site
tentatively selected, adjoining the Cor
coran art gallery in seventeenth
street. is an entire city block with an
area of four acres.
Tt is proposed to have a building big
enough to accommodate national po-
litieal convention and seating $4,000 or
90 900 people. 1t would have adjusta-
BILE walls, so that a smaller space could
be provided for grand opera, concerts.
etc. To provide accommodations for
the quadrennial inaugural ball is one
of the principal objects of the WASH
ington auditorium promoters Wash
ington is a natural convention city and
already scores of such gatherings,
great and small, are held in the capt.
tai city every year. 1t is estimated
that If a suitable auditorium were pro-
Vided twenty conventions would be held
in Washington where only one now
meets.
planned that the Washington audito-
rum shall have a stage large enough
for a three-ring circus. If such a
show were permitted in the building,
however, Oscar Hammerstein, the
celebraed New York impresario,
threatens that his grand opera troupe
will never be permitted to appear after
such proclamation" Hammerstein
wanted to have exclusive control over
the auditorium, but it's promoters de-
clined with thanks The organization
of a washington symphony orchestra