La Junta tribune., 1910-08-06
PLAN FOR NEW rHEArER.

last Monday In which a most excel.
lent suggestion is made concerning
a new theater for La Junta, accom-.
panied by very generous offer. The
letter follows:
To the La Junta Industrial Associa.
ton:
Gentlemen: One OF the questions
now occupying public attention. as 4
result o. the recent conflagration. re-
lates to the Opera House. Shall It be
replaced' And. II so. how! And
where?
La Junta is known as a good show
town" and It will be generally con.
ceded that we should have new
building TO take the place OF the one
destroyed. II will be conceded, also.
that we should have. II possible. 4
better and a safer building than the
former one. With all due considera.
ton for the personal losers by the
recent fire. the community as a whole
may well congratulate itself upon It's
great good fortune that the fire
occurred at time when the house
was not occupied and not during .
performance before a large audi
ence. Experience In other places has
shown that theater. constructed as
ours was. Is danger-spot: and that
there is always risk. In case Of a
panic in the audience, OF a terrible
loss OF life. In constructing a new
building. this risk should be eliminate
ed, or minimized as far as practicable
understand that the owners OF the
old site are considering the question
OF rebuilding. on improved lines: and
with the use OF additional land. II
available at a moderate price. This
plan might permit of an alley or open
space, on the sides OF the building.
for reader and quicker exit. In case
Of an emergency.
II such open spaces could be ar.
ranged to connect with the street. A.
well as with the alley: and be Of
ample width-say not less than TWEEN.
~ feet on each side Of the building
Il b possIbie-vauNtoey wosid sesvs
- adequate avenues OF safety In time
Of need; but such provision would cali
for nearly double the ground occupied
by the former building. Of about 100
feet frontage. This might be diff.
cult to arrange for economically.
from the dollars and cents view. The
commercial Instinct would suggest
that the whole frontage could be used
for stores and offices. as In the old
building; turning the open spaces into
blind alleys. open only at the end
The commercial instinct would fur.
ther suggest that these open spaces
could be cut down from twenty feet
to ten feet each. In width; ~ as to
call for = frontage Of not over sew
enty.five feet.
To thus insure \ satisfactory In.
come from the property. the public
safety would be In danger OF not be.
Ing reasonably well provided for: for
4 narrow passase-way. open only at
one end. would be liable to be blocked
II \ critical moment. and prove to
b. merely . death trap. Moreover.
the use Of the frontage for stores
would necessarily narrow the exits
At that cnd-the place where exit
would be first sought for. both from
the galleries and from the floor: the
place where exits certainly should be-
ample and easy Of access.
Looking NJ the matter from the hu.
manitxrian stAndpoint-k II worth
while to plan for = new thcatcr pure.
ly upon the basis Of the possi.l le pc
cuniary return7 Would II not be
wise To plan In large way for sc-
curity to life. and pay. At the out.
set. the necessary price therefor7
Il would seem from the foregoing.
that Il might not be practicable. Al
. moderate cost. to rebuild safely
upon the old site; though II might
be possible TO- raise the necessary
price BY public sui scription. In case
sentiment b strongly inclined to re-
tain the thcatsr In the heart Of the
city.
There u an alternative. however.
which = worth coasiAsstns. Lst the
vacant lots b. disposed os. - re.
quirsd. Tor purely Business purposes.
The time y not faf distant when
every lot facias the park will be
thus needed: and II y bettsr that
commercial business Of the retail
sort. should b concentrated around
this square. than 70 have II scatter.
a. pssnatursly and unnecessarily. In
~A.As AAno>~~-A AA~~~sl-.-