Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-08-15


Three weeks from today tile famous
ex-base ball player evangelist will address his first
congregation in Omaha, inaugurating a two
months campaign: During those two months he
will preach twice every day in the week except
Monday which is his resting day.
The Omaha tabernacle will be one of the largest
ever built Its ground measurements are 17S by
gao feet The tabernacle at Des Moines measured
ia by 227 feet; that at Philadelphia where meet
ings we're held for ten weeks last winter measured
216 by SOS feet This was the largest ever built.
The capacity of the Omaha tabernacle has been
somewhat exaggerated in reports
1t will seat about 500 people, including the
choir of 1900 the rostrum. In addition to this
there will be standing for from $500 to 900
in the vestibue, ten feet wide, which extends all
around the building. Between this vestibule and
the main auditorium doors can be lowered so as to
give those standing there an unobstructed view of
the rostrum. Thus the total maximum capacity OF
the building including those seated and those
standing, will be from TO- 900 to 10000. The
tabernacle at Philadelphia had a maximum capacity
of $4,000 people.
The Sunday tabernacles are all ake-all built
under direction of the same man, j. H. Speice, who
goes from place to place month six weeks in
advance of the evangelist erect the tabernacles
With him travels his foreman, Jess Henderson;
all other labor is hired in the locality of opera
tons
The tabernacles are built with two objects In
view-namey, capacity and acoustics. The latter
is, naturally, a great desideratum when a man is
preaching at least twelve times a week in
building
The broad, low, "turtle-back" roof is ideal for
hearing properties as well as being easily con-
structed and covered with weather-proof material
This roof comes down at the caves to within eight
Of the ground At its center it is only twenty
six feet from the ground
The ten-foot vestibule surrounding the build
ing all sides Is really in the nature OF addi-
ton to the building proper and its roof slopes
an eight-foot heighth to seven feet at its outer
edge.
The whole building is constructed of yellow
2ine. from the heavy timbers which uphold the
roof to the thin shplap siding on the Sides About
$4,000 feet of lumber will be required to build
the Omaha tabernacle. The roof will be covered
with combination fire-proof roofing material
Three cupolos top will help much in ventilating
the building. Numerous dormer windows set in
the roof will act both for lighting ventilating
These windows will be provided with ropes and pull
leys that they be opened or closed from the
ground.
There will be twenty-four doors in the build
ing, opening directly upon the streets. each door
six feet wide allowing the biggest audience to get
out in two and half minutes
The tabernacle will have no floor Thirty tons
of sawdust will be spread upon the ground within
he tabernacle. Aisles five feet wide will run
engthwise of the building every sixteen feet.
The seats will be made of smooth planks with
5oard backs Numbers will be painted on the nu-
merous posts unfolding the roof for the assistance
of the ushers in seating the people.
The rostrum will be built at the north end or