El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-19

prison which lies Just outside this
city. Costa Rica contains altogether
about as many people as our national
capital, and San Jose has perhaps 30
600 ali told. Neverthc- cSS, the theater
here cost over $4,000, 900. Its decOra-
lions are finer than those of any
amusement place Of New York, and il
ranks third among the theaters Of our
half of the world
The National theater is directly OPP
pOsite some low one story government
buildings which are rooted with red
tile. The great structure dwarfs its
surroundings and makes them look
mean. It is entered by a wide hail
upheld by pillars Of marble with capt.
tails and bases of bronze. The ceiling
of this hall is covered with frescOes
from Italy and the walls are Of Italian
marble. Statues made by great artists
face you as you enter, and your
right and left are restaurants where
ices and drinks are served between
acts.
Passing though this lobby. wide
marble stairs lead to the foyer or
great salon, where the spectators
walk about during the longer inter
walls of the plays. This is beyond de-
scriptiOn gorgeous. Indeed, doubt
whether you viii find anything finer
. in Europe. The work was all done in
Italy and shipped here to be put UP
by Italians. The most beautiful mar
bles were employed in the decoration
and the walls and ceiling are covered
with pictures which were painted by
Italian artists in Italy and then tackled
into place. The marble columns
which uphold the roof are carved with
masks of tragedy and comedy and
with other appropriate figures, and
the frescOes are either alegOrical or
expressive Of the beauties of Costa
Rica. The furniture is equally mag
nificent It is gold plated, uphol-
stored with silk tapestry, and upon
the walls are mirrors each as big as
the floor Of the ordinary parlOr sur
rounded by gold frames made in
This parIor is almost as long as the
east room Of the white house. 1t is 100
feet wide. and has a ceiling about 80
feet high. 1t is lighted by electric
chandeliers, designed for the occasion
and the execution of all is such that
it makes one think Of that famous
room Of the sultan at Agra, Of which
it was said:
Its artisans worked like Titans,
and finished like jewelers."
The orchestra of the theater is en-
tered from the ground floor. and
from this parlOr there is a lobby which
leads to the boxes. There are three
galleries of boxes all furnished in red
plush and there is a special box for
the president. The orchestra chairs
are of dark brown leather, and they
are wide and comfortable. They are
so made that they can be removed and
the floor can be raised and made level
with the stage, turning the whole into
a magnificent hall for dances and
fiestas. The stage is immense, and
Its scenery, made for this city Of 3d.
900 people, is of great variety and in
excellent taste 1t was in this theater
foyer that secretary Knox was given
a great dinner, and this was followed
by a dance in the orchestra.
Taxing Nation for the Few.
It was Nero who set Rome afire that
he might see big conflagration. and, as
the story goes, he fiddled during the
burning. It was for the few rich and
that Costa Rica was loaded with a
selves here while the people tOiled to
pay the bills. Not more than one
tenth Of the population live in the
capital, and Of these few, not more
than one tEeth can afford to go to
the thester. There are no railroad
facilities which make it possible to
run n anG cut to attend shows, and
the cost OF bringing trOupes here |
from Europe is such that compare
lively few can be had. Nevertheless, !
the theater was paid for and is kept
up by a government subsidy. All the
money has come from tax, which, !
until this spring, has been 1 1-2 cents
Costa Rican per kilOgram upon all goods I
imported. 1t has amounted, in round /
numbers, to G bout q cents of our |
money on every 100 pounds Of goods |
which nave been consumed by the peO-
pie. a1d the jaN has included such /
Kings as sugar, salt, grain, flour, and, |