The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-29
MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR AUDITORIUM IF KANSAS CITY. TYPE.
Former Mayor VanHoose Quotes Expert Opinion of Architect H. s. Breeding
 to That Effect

"The people of Birmingham be- litve that they ought to get an audi torium seating minimum of 10000 persons and suited to great exposI- tions, with the money they have aI- ready voted to that end" said J. A VanHoose, former mayor.
 This matter is still about the livest thing going. and it is going to be live until the right plans are agreed on and the right start maoe.
 T have no less an authority than Architect II. S. Breeding for my as- sertion that an auditorium like that of Kansas City, which seats 1S,Ooo persons, can be built in Birmingham for, less than the s4Oo,00O still rs- maining from the bond issue.
 MT. Breeding knows all about the Kansas City auditorium. and favors that kind of structure, which is espe- cially well adapted to expositions and really big events. He says one of that type seating 10000 persons can be built in Birmingham now un- der $4OO,OOo. considerably under.
 q have ascertained that the Ma sonic temple auditorium will seat 4.5O0 to 5000, and the High school auditorium, stage included, 5000. It Is obvious that Birmingham needs no more theatre type of buildings IL does not need any more of a limiteo fft..r Aff As.1e lo can stage an exposition and the mammoth gatherings that would come from time to time if we had provision for their, meeting.
 Leave off FurbeIows
 '"rhe auditorium does not hNve to have marble front. It does not have to have a lot of ornaments. MT. Breeding wisely suggests that some of the furbelows that might be con templated can be dispensed with so as to accomplish the main object. which is the staging of really big event.
 Slow on Market House
 The property already acquired for the auditorium, being unfit for that purpose, might be devoted to other purposes and credit given the audi torium fund for the use of that prop 
 might be used for a temporary city market, one built at small cost, and which will decide. by the patronage extended it, whether citizens of Bir- mingham really want one or do not. Gr cen grocers are in every neighbor- hood and have usurped the functions of the old-fashioned city market. The city should go slow in erecting a handsome market house without knowing whether it is what the people want.
 Painful Demonstration Need of great assemblage place was painfully and graphically de- monstrated at Christmas time when we staged the community Christmas tree The Lord saw fit to allow 1t to rain. and there were thousands of disappointed children. Had we had ar auditorium like that in Kansas City the tree could have been placed in it's center and 10000 happy chill dren have attended and enjoyed the occasion, no matter what the weather.
 Pass Birmingham By
 "The Southern Foundrymen's asso- citation has wished to come to Bir- mingham and stage the customary exhibit of machinery that goes with their conventions. There is no place to stage such an event. and that as- sociation and numerous others os like import pass us by.
 With high-class architects telling us that we can build an auditorium oi the exposition type, seating 10000 persons, at less than $400.000, the money in hand, one of the first thoughts of the new year should be to get actual building of the audi torium under way"