The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-10-22
SOME THAT WOULDN'T
COST A GREAT DEAL
OTHERS THAT WOULD REQUIRE
SOME OUTLAY OF MONEY.
Encouragement of "Dress Circle''
Seats, Which Could be Made at
Small Cost.

which Newberry needs, and it behooves
Newberry. to be up and doing and get
them, if the city is to keep up with the
pace set by other towns of similar size,
and smaller, in South Carolina.
One of these things is better opera
house-not new opera house right
now, but Improvements in the opera
house which Newberry now has
During the seasons of 1901 and
1911-'12 the opera house was managed
by the city. Things rock along. This
season the opera house is under the
management of Mr. Henry B. Wells,
who has a rental contract for three
years. Mr.. Wells has had considerable
{ periei &c in this H. Of business, and
has booked some good attractions for
this season, but it is Well-nigh impos-
sible, and certainly discouraging, beth
to the management and to the theatre
going public, to attempt great deal
in the present state of the opera house.
Some time ago Mr.. Wells presented
to city council a plan for taking out
the railing between the present dress
circle" and placing the dress circle
seats on the same elevation and tn
same slope as the present orchestra
seats. With the present arrangement
when there is large general admis-
sion, one has to make ones way with
a great deal of care through the
crowded chairs in the rear Of the
building, and then has tight
squeeze" between the wall and the
dress circle seats to get to one of the
dress circle seats. 1t is not only in
convenient, but at times it requires
marked degree of proficiency in
threading ones way through laby-
rinth of seats and persons, and is
tight squeeze" even when the bouse
is vacant. The dress circle seat once
reached, the arrangement is uncom-
Portable and awkward.
By removing the railing and lower
ing the seats to the sloping elevation
of the orchestra seats, an aisle would |
be at hand between the dress circle
seats and the orchestra, through which !
these seats could be reached without
and when reached the
would be a great deal
better and more comfortable in every
way.
Mr.. Wells proposed to council that
he would superintend day labor in do
iro the work, at the actual cost of the
labor; or that council could let the
contract and that he would superln- |
tend the work, and proposed several
schemes to council by which it could
be done at small expense, and MI
Wells offered to bear the expense HIM
self and then take it out of the rsnt,
thus paying for the improvement Out
of the rent without any outlay by coun-
ell Council had the matter under ad-
visement, but failed to act fayorably
One has only to view the opera house
as now arranged to see the great ad-
vantage of the arrangement prcposed
by Mr.. Wells.
This is the change Of most immed-
iate Importance that has ben suggest
81. There are otter Improvements that
ought to be made. if Newberr'' is rc
nave an opera house worthy the name
The leather doors Of the auditor
um are in ragged condition; the
,hairs inside under the galleries, which
are usually set apart for general ad-
mission, are dilapidated and uncon-
Portable, and several of them are With
,ut backs; the dressing rooms are IN
adoouate: the wiring on the stage |
would hardly pass muster before an
insurance examiner; the heat for the
auditorium is in one corner, and On
,old night those near the stove are
1ncomfortably warm and those farth-
,r avav are uncomfortably cold; the
,iegine loft of the stage is too low to
accommodate the scenery Of any at
raction with any fairly good amount
- Tho whole affair ic in