South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-26
THAT COLISEUM

however,
that people interested. and there is
public spirit behind the movement Goodness
knows when the matter o a coliseum first men
tioned-perhaps earliest settlers planning one
when they picked out the present cy-but
the coliseum has been air castle afair-nine-
tenths talk the other tenth pencil lines on paper
During administration Of Mayor Goetz steps were
which might have led to coliseum had it not
the that certain real estate could not be
obtained and so learned this the only
definite effort which made until the present
time. High school boys have debated the matter
letters have been written 10 the public columns OF
newspapers the business mems clubs and the or
carnations trade have not considered the question
seriously until
Now we are interested-every one of US. There
doubt about that. Every time two men or two
women, people OF either sex for that matter
get together they talk coliseum. That's a good sign
II public is interested the public will the thing
through
South Bends population at the present time is about
10000 people studebakers will bring in some 5000
within the next year. 1t is planned. and this
addition of least 10000 OF 10000
people to the citys population for the men will bring
families. It is improbable that the year
South Bend city of 100000 population
and the coliseum will be built for the future not for
QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED
In considering the matter of coliseum, four ques-
tlons must be answered. Do want it? Can we
finance it? Where will be put it? and What kind of
satisfactorily answered the coliseum problem solved
Details. will remain TO be settled but those
are for experts 10 attend 10. questions just
the matters with which the public must
be concerned.
Then in the first place do we want a coliseum?
order this question fairly must for
get for a moment the sudden fad Of today. and must
thnk in terms Of future times Today we are excited
about the proposition. OF course want tor think
do. we?
a coliseum will cost in the neghborhood of $780,
OOO it is estimated This figure does account for
the ground. will 1t give US such wonderful build
ing might suppose. San Francisco has
auditorium but 1t cost s1.275,OOO, without
the ground Before making an expenditure of such
magnitude will do well to think long and earnestly
South Bend needs track elevation South Bend needs
hospital OF larger proportions than those
present South Bend wants-and probably needs--a
station. Already plans being made for a
larger city hail. or an ADDITION 10 the present ouldng
These money. and perhaps it might be well to
spend the money these rather than coliseum.
on the other hand. large auditorium, which can be
used as d concert hall. a theater armory for
automobile shows, is something which South Bend can
undoubtedly use to good advantage. There has
talk Of utilizing basement o this buildng-tobe
"A public market but it that most business men
Of this idea.
I'VE a coliseum a memorial to soldiers
and sailors" said man. don't
project the roney-grabbing spirit into the thing at all
I'll admit that a market will help pay the cost of
keep but ] don't think e a very memorial"
SCULPTOR ATTACKS PLAN.
According POmpO Coppini Chicago sculptor
South Bend should erect coliseum, other
utiltaran building, as memorial to the soldiers OF
the county. THE propaganda which is sweeping the
trying to persuade communities to build such
buildings s being put by enemies of nation"
he says. The men VINO want 10 6uLd colseum are
trying 20 get a job-they think that they can make
some money of it, A monument has nothing of
that kind connected with IT, II does not even require
janitor.
us it the nature Of the American people to give
something "a string attached it? Are they
nry trying to get something out OF everything they
whether il is TO be a coliseum a monument, the
public it 10 be something which will really be
i'm memory the soldiers. The market house idea
with decayed vegetables and the OF
animal refuse rising TO high heaven results
quite in keeping with the idea of memorial, it
That's the point 4 memorial should not be built
reroff Man hlSin me zee
coliseum in terms of the business it will bring 10
the city and il admitted that coliseum will
do just thing-but it rather greedy way
10 look al coliseum proposition. doesn't it?
However. that's not the question. The question is
whether want 10 build coliseum or spend our
money for track elevation union station or some
other project.
plans have long been laid for track elevation. \
fund been started by the city, and each year
ton OF paid by residents is placed in this
fund True raids on this fund have been staged
from time time. but these raids in the
nature loans. and the money is there be used
or should be. when II is needed. Track elevation, it
seems. anyway, and with it will the
union station we've been wanting.
As 10 the hospital that's another matter. No
vision such building has yet been made, and the
building OF coliseum will certainly delay the building
builds the hospital After all, hospital may well he a
memorial TO soldiers and sailors. perhaps
better memorial than coliseum, and IL is question
not TO be lightly passed over.
FACTS HAVE BEEN GATHERED
In considering any proposition kind,
urav turns the experiences Of other cities in similar
,i-curnstances The chamber OF Commerce sent out
osestiounaire February, 1917. asking information
concerning an points with reference 20 coliseum
about follows;
Evansville Ind city Of slightly less than 100000
,,onuIation built coliseum few years the
- 1925 GOO. coliseum is a memorial 10 soldiers
from Nanderburg county who fought In the Civil
CThe coliseum nearly completed before the United
States entered the war with Germany The building
seats bout 5000 people. and contains aruory