The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-11-20

800 80, iS o"uay IS In thA =.
wood" s'ead 4
The first performance he,a !, .
theatre was "The Pride Of ~. y tM
ket," presented on March = e, ~
Since then it has been vi, =, ~
the best talent in the countrv y
Booth and Barrett down T. u y
present crop of Barrymore, ae
older actors are especially IA. 1ae
the old playhouse, ACCORDING !. y
property man. When Henry NM n ae
was informed not long aro ~. a'ef
was likely to be torn down n ~
room for a newer. larger pla,s..sss
he declared with tears in he
that rather than see this ham. W. ~
would contribute one months =. "
AIRY every year to its upkeen =.
this is the property mans .,a na'
and in all fairness to our re,s.:
it must be stated that he was M. N.Y.
imaginative property man.
Brigham Young was not tbs 81,
high official of the church tn my t!
q special interest in the th.s,.s
For, as all the bishops Of sa,'s
days had trained as actors IN ~.
first small playhouse. they had co NV
ceived great liking for the drss.
Just as the right top stage boY -.
nearly always occupied BY Youn,
for whom it was reserved en- ~
under box was usually filled vjn
the several church apostles m.
Of the bishops, Joseph Linars,
loved the theatre so well that 4,
requested to be buried from n
Judged by the standard Of our,
metropolitan theatres today M,
playhouse seems rather dinr
cramped and small. The Mormon
leaders recognize this and realin
that a new, larger house Is needs
to accommodate the younger gen.
eration. which is not so much IN.
terested in historical atmosphere 1,
in good seats. So already plans for
a new theatre have been drawn uu
to be built, according to the prcp.
erty man. in connection with a
great hotel that is to eclipse IN
size and magnificence even The
present Hotel Utah of the city.
A Church Amusement Park
Saltair, the other great amuse.
ment enterprise of the Mormans, d
not SO historical but in many van
is also unique. 1t is located On the
Great Salt lake and is reached b.
a decrepit electric line, which
makes the IL miles from the city
at a jaunty and dangerous clip
considering its enfeebled condition
On the way you pass through part
of the fertile Salt Lake valley and
then into an expanse Of salt, vhsss
great mounds of the mineral ~
stored for shipment.
All the whirlagigs and dizzy
drops and other sensational ~
paratus provided by most amuss-
ment parks are gathered together
on a large concrete pavilion at
Saltair, surrounding which is the
lake. Roller coasters. flying boats,
shooting galleries. skating finks,
old mills and a large dance hall
contribute to the din and dizzy
activity of the place. At one end Is
the bathing beach, where part Of
the lake has been fenced in like .
huge. square tank.
Bathing in the Great Salt lake d
a curious experience, like no other
kind Of bathing in the world.
Whereas in most bodies of water /
is constant struggle to keep
afloat, in the Salt Lake it often
requires a long and arduous strug-
gle to go down. Walking on The
bottom is accomplished only with
great skill and patience Your
feet must be lifted slowly and sur.
reptitiously lest they rise suddenly,
not to return. Your head must be
held far out of the water, even
while swimming, to prevent the salt
from getting in your eyes, but this
does not cause your body to sink.
Nothing causes your body to sink
except heroic effort; it is as ii you
were made Of cork.
Most of the bathers float about
the lake in a sitting position, sag-
ging downward in the middle, WIN
their heads and feet pointing up
ward. Occasionally, also, you :ss
a man lying placidly in the Ws.er
with q lighted cigar in his noun.
As the water contains about "A
per cent salt, it is extremely SUM
ulating and you are ravenousl!
hungry when you come out. Hence
you can see that the Mormofs "
not take advantage of all their pu'
mess opportunities, for no res1al'
ant is operated in connection WE
Saltair. But a large pavilion i@
picnics is provided, filled WIN "
bles and benches, and this is crow
ed every evening with family p''
ties, containing huge NUMBERS '.
children. Overhead is one OF I@
largest dance halls in the coanu.'
with a beautiful polished N.Y.,
From the west windows OF TINS n.h
you can look out across a woe =
panse of lake to the rugged c.i.'
of Antelope island, and oeyonc -. !
the distant horizon which a. W.
light bursts into a mad riot OF IT, -,
nificent colors like a gorgeous y"
unfurled by the setting sun. a
The atmosphere of the en n.;,
does not intrdue itself at olnI a
and many Of the visitors VINO CIV. .s
it's amusement facilities do not e, w,
know that it is operated oy . ~.
that recognized the importance :
recreation long before there W. W
Young Mems Christian assoc