Americus times-recorder., 1919-07-13
Walter Rylander An
nounces Project For
Lamar Street
BIG AMUSEMENT
INTEREST COMING
$4,000 Additional To
Be Spent By Lessee
In Equipment

That the contract has been let and
the lease already signed for one of
the finest theaters of the South for
Americus-not surpassed by any of
the playhouses of Macon or Atlanta
was the announcement made by
Walter Rylander at a quickly called
meeting of the commissioners and
number of members of the chamber
of commerce Friday evening. The
structure which is to cost about $780,
600 without equipment is to stand on
the Rylander property fronting on
Lamar street between the Harris
Hardware store and the Americas
Auto company's plant. Besides the
theater it will contain store rooms
on Lamar street and ten modern of
fices upstairs. 1t is to be ready for
opening and occupancy by November
l, and sooner if possible.
Mr.. Ryiander announced to the
meeting that for legitimate reasons
the name of the lessee, one of the
biggest amusement men in America,
could not be divulged at present.
Announcement of this detail will be
made in due time. He explained to
the meeting that his contract with
the lessee called for yearly rental
based upon a certain percentage of
the total cost of the building. 1t
was contemplated by the lessee to
operate the theater for the first year
as an exclusive moving picture house,
with a stage constructed only large
enough for the showing of pictures.
His architect, however, has been in
structed to draw the plans for the
building so that later large stage
may be erected at minimum change
in the building, on which the large
travelling companies might appear.
People Want Big Shows
The word having gotten out, Mr..
Rylander said, that such house was
to be built, several leading men of
the city had expressed disappointment
that the large stages which will cost
$4,000 additional was not to be in
stalled in the beginning and arrange
ments made to bring the large COM
panies here during the first year.
Whereupon the meeting was called
| for discussion of some means whereby
the lessee might be shown that the
community wanted the larger at
fractions in addition to the pictures,
and assure him that the additional in
vestment would be paying propo-
sition. Mr.. Rylander declared HIM
self ready to make the additional
expenditure if the lessee wanted it.
The meeting developed into one of
the most enthusiastic ever held by
the chamber and after considerable
discussion, all of which was enthusl-
astically for the enterprise, motion
| by Frank Lanier was passed pledglng
the chamber to take $50 seats to
the opening performance in the thea
ter, provided it is a high class at
traction, at $40 per seat as a bonus
to the lessee to guarantee the addl-
tional rental for the year or two. 1t
was the understanding that the mem
bers of the chamber are to guarantee
the sale of these tickets at that price,
the opinion being unanimous that the
public would welcome the enterprise
so gratefully that there would be no
difficulty in disposing of that num-
ber without any loss or liability to
the chamber.
The proposal of the chamber of
commerce members was transmitted
to the lessee yesterday by Mr.. Ry-
lander with the expectation that it
would be readily accepted
Big Addition to City
The erection of this theater, either
with or without the large stage,
means one of the biggest additions
to the city in number Of years. The