Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-05
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COnUd SNNONASNGEJS
- NJ VICTOR RosHwATER. -
III HERE'S lots Of history back Of the Billy Sum
i day tabernacle What mean is that II the site
upon which the tabernacle Is located could onIy
speak, II could tell story that would be almost az
fascinating and often striking, as any Of the
discourses with which the Rev Billy will inspire
his audiences
My first recollection OF the block Capitol ave-
nue. between Fourteenth and Fifteenth is that of a
low fiat-lying vacant ground believe attended a
circus two there when boy. The Fifteenth ana
Davenport corner (Which is not in the tabernacle
ste) occupied by the First Baptist church, a
brick building quite pretentious for the early days
II not until about 1885 that the Capitol avenue
side of the square taken over for the erection
OF what called the Exposition building be-
ing a long low structure with square corner tur-
rets covering the whole half block. little cubby-hole
shops looking out the street fronts. reaching
back under the gallery the interior being OF the
usual Auditorium type The first use OF this
building was for the exposition, locally promoted
Industrial exhibit which enterprslng Omaha business
got up supply the void left by the loss OF the
state fair to lincoln. These expositions wee sue
cessfu in every respect financially and In the IN
terval the exchequer repenshed from time to
time by utilizing the building for other purposes
1t WINS az this period that bicycling and roller
skating were the height novelty and all the fad
RoIer-skating I'm the old Exposition building o
delight to young and old There was SO much straight.
of-way making II easy for tmid folks who dis
the bicycle racing furnished exciting sport and
the tournaments pulled off by those kings Of the
wheel Jack" Prince and Tom" Eek. and the other
cycling celebrities. we're memorable events There
were professional races and amateur races six
day-races ana go-as-you-pease races. and Just BIZ
cycle races. The old building echoed and re-echoed
plaudits OF parsans Of the different favor
ties as they made a spurt gained lap or nosed
out At the finish.
Another famous engagement in the old Exposition
buildng''-or rather two engagements. believe-was
tho season OF grand opera given by the American
Opera company with its unequalied galaxy Of stars
For this purpose improvised stage was fitted up
and for a week at a time. with evening performances
and several matnees the standard operas Wagnerlau
Italian French. deliberately staged and costumed
were rendered with full orchestration and choruses
by world-famed singers in manner that has never
been matched In Omaha since then
In due course OF time the Opposition building
encountered the trouble which similar ventures
too often have-an increasing difficulty 20 make
ceipts cover expenses-because of its limited
As a consequence when It reverted back to the Pop
pletons by whom the ground had been leased to the
building association II divided in two by wall
running north and south the middle. the Fiji
tenth street end being turned into theater called
the Grand Opera house." and the Fourteenth portion
being reserved almost It and from then
called the Exposition hall" The theater shared
with the old Boyd and later with the new Boyd the
patronage OF amusement goers At first It presented
the usual varegated bills including some OF the first
magnitude but afterwards had to take the lesser
road shows The Exposition hail." the other
hand. rented out for all sorts OF entertainments
dances wrestling matches prize fights lectures
political conventions church gatherings, etc.
1t Is significant that when the Methodist general
conference met in Omaha. that rainy month of May
in 1892 It here that the sessions were held the
hall being marvellously transformed to furnish
comfortable place OF assemblage for all the bishops
lay delegates and other notables Of that great church
organization who came here from all over the world
IL "a also significant that the spot where
BILLY" Sunday 10 about to hold forth the B, Fay
Mills revivas were held twenty years ago. under very
similar auspices OF a combination Of protestant
churches.
OF political conventions. recall two in particular
held In this exposition hall that proved epoch-naking
In the politics not only OF Nebraska, but OF the
nation These were the two state conventions held IN
1884, to which may DO traced the movement that
eliminated in the nomination OF Mr. Bryan for pres
dent at Chicago two years later At the republican
convention the forced nomination Of Tom" Majors
for governor by questionable methods led to the
sational refusal OF The Bee. and its editor. Edward
Rosewater, 20 accept and support the nominee and
was followed by the first fusion by the democrats
on Holcomb. the populst nominee. after a spectacle
lar bolt by the anti-Bryan democrats, who held
rump convention OF their own at the Paxton hotel
That all exciting, and will make an inter-
esting story In itself II ever get TO IT.
The old Exposition building turned into Grand
opera house" and Exposition har' finally burned
the ground II must have been in the early spring
of 1895 supplying fiery oonfasration as its last
cleared up. but except for the small store build
ing on the Fifteenth street SIDE nothing in the way
Of a permanent structure has taken it's place.
Strange 20 say. beautiful new fire-proof Au-
ditorum. which has just into possession OF the
city. In a transpanted from the Billy
Sunday tabernacle site, The fund with which the
Auditorium built took its start from the profits
of series OF open-ar band concerts which were held
in a tent on this Capitol avenue square. A musical
festival association had been formed to supply the
taste for popular music develored bv the Trans
Mississippi exposition ENGAGING Belstedts Cincinnati
band. and later EIlery's Royal italian band under
Ravelli leader with such success that neat
plus remained in the treasury The directors this
musical festival association thereupon beoame the
tive promoters OF the Auditorium. making way for
the Auditorium aasociation their sneeessors by