Show World (August 1909)

10 THE SHOW WORLD August 7, 1909. DENVER’S LAKESIDE IS WESTERN CONEY ISLAND DENVER, Colo., Aug. 4.—Lakeside is Denver’s $750,000 “White City,” the “Coney Island of the West,” with all the variety of entertainment which the two names imply, and there surely was no reason to imagine anything else, from the writer’s point of view, after an afternoon and night’s visit to this beautiful playground and amuse¬ ment park of the West. As one ap¬ proaches the grounds on the Tramway cars one is struck with the immensity, size and grandeur of the beautiful ca¬ sino building with its colonnade style and high arched tower, reaching 200 feet in the air. Large colonnades on each side of the main entrance are ar- rranged as a garage for the keeping of all kinds of vehicles. Passing through the main entrance you find yourself in a large arcade leading to a cement walk and portico roof. From this advantageous point, the hour being that of sunset, a most nlagnificent view of the Rockies, with their snow-capped peaks visible for hundreds of miles, is obtained, and one can also see the. heavens in all the varied kaleidoscopic beauty of the dying sun in the West. This grand view of nature’s scenery, coupled to¬ gether with a broad expanse of lake covering perhaps thirty or thirty-five acres, adds only to the intensity and magnificence of this scene. The Casino Veranda. To the left of the main entrance is the long casino veranda with its 300 feet of space given over to those who wish to enjoy an al fresco dinner. A wide esplanade leads to the ballroom, which is thronged nightly with a merry bunch of dancers. Another beautiful viewpoint of the surround¬ ing scenery is obtained from the wide balconies surrounding the building. Seats are provided on either side for spectators and nothing seems want¬ ing for the comfort of dancers and those who wish to look on. Across the bridge is the Japanese tea garden, and around it is another wide veranda, and one can look back and review the scene of the casino just left behind. Close by the gardens is the boat¬ house and long docks for the launch rides on the lake. Bowling alleys, also billiard and pool tables, together with a large soda fountain, all occupy the first floor space beneath the ballroom. The visitor wanders along out the entrance and back on the wide espla¬ nade to the roller skating rink. The band is heard with its choppy music, nothing “classy” here, just a “get there band” with its rat, tat, tat, to keep time to the fast gliding skaters as they merrily roll around the in¬ closed floor space. Back to the open, down the line to the Wild West show. This style of sport is nothing new to the West, nevertheless it always has a magnetic influence to drag you inside the gates to see the boys stick to their saddles on the fierce outlaw horse named “Dynamite,” with rabbit ears and chalky eyes. The Camel Ride. The camel ride looks like “Dyspep¬ tic’s surest cure.” More shrieks of laughter are heard as one goes down the line, looking for more sights and amusement. Next is the Lake Shore depot and the miniature representation of Den¬ ver’s union depot with a miniature tower and clock. By the way, the clock is not very active as different times of day were depicted on its four sides. The shrill shrieks of the fussy, puffy little engine, and the sharp clanging of its high toned bell, all this in miniature, cause one to smile at the fussiness and importance of this little engine. Back again to the main grounds and up the steps to the Scenic Railway, another unique riding device, carry¬ ing two cars in each section, with the operator standing between. Then comes the Tickler, and here’s the Third Degree, with its weird Frank Burt Making Big Success of His Colorado Pleasure Park and Intends to Stick to It BY TOM I. PHILLIPS blowing horn and its rattling noises, its moving stairs, and moving floor. Numerous different devices to give you a laugh and friendly bumps and shrieks of “Is my hat on straight?” and the old familiar cry of the girl to her companion, as she .vows she will never go in the Third Degree again and ten minutes afterward is seen with her party laughing merrily over the Velvet Coaster. Farther down to the south end of the park are numerous concessions and exhibitions of every known device for the entertainment of all visitors to the park. The burro and pony riding track has its juvenile patronage. “Ride the burros and have your photo¬ graph taken,” announces the attend¬ ant, while the cashier gathers in the nickels. Another juvenile amusement is the Carousal or Merry-go-Round. Other Concessions. Now go down another line, to the Ocean Wave and the Double Whirl and the Ferris Wheel, all circling around with their full quotas of hu¬ man freight. The inside shows, the Mad House, the Glad House, Bum Fuzzle, the Butt-In, the Living Venus, Komombos, all have their “spielers” who tell you the merits of the attrac¬ tions within, and here’s where fun reigns supreme. Every one seem? to be having a jolly time, in and out, to see the shows. Laughing hysterically, the parties of sightseers in numbers of four, six and eight, all have their merry jokes as they are advised by the “spielers” to visit the shows. And turning into Avenue “A” brings you to “Fighting the Lions.” Cages containing two massive and active Af¬ rican lions named “Sultan” and “Juno.” A visit to the Natatorium is next indulged in and the boys here were graciousness and kindness itself. A plunge in its cooling waters and a swim around the large inclosed tank went a long way toward reviving a fellow’s spirits and incidentally work¬ ing up an appetite for a good dinner. Now here’s the Chutes, the central attraction on the large sized plaza. Down the slide, a mile a minute, get¬ ting the sensation of having dropped from the heavens, and quick dipping glide over the broad, watery pool. Farther down to the end the pleas¬ ing tones of Van Doren’s select con¬ cert band of thirty-five members is interesting and well worth hearing. The musical program is arranged and changed twice each day. The dining room also has for the amusement of its guests a ladies’ or¬ chestra, and vocal selections are ren¬ dered at intervals by the Lyric Male Quartet. Dinner over and the enjoyment of a cigar is restful, while the band music is pleasing and as the lights in the park begin to show and the numerous switches and currents are turned on, one is more than ever impressed with the grand and beautiful park with its thousands of electric lights. Manager Burt Solicitous. General Manager Frank Burt hap¬ pened along, and seating himself, in¬ quired: “Well, how are you getting along—enjoying yourself? Was the dinner good? Did you have a good swim?” and other interrogations made in rapir fire fashioin. Mr. Burt is a very pleasing conversationalist, a man of varied and wide experiences, partic¬ ularly in his adopted profession of catering to the amusement loving pub¬ lic. He is now making Denver his permanent home and has just finished building a beautiful residence in Den¬ ver’s most exclusive residential sec¬ tion. Mr. Burt expects to occupy this house shortly, as soon as the decora¬ tors and furnishers have finished their work. In consequence of his becoming a resident of Denver, Mr. Burt has dis¬ posed of many of his theatrical hold¬ ings in the middle West and East, and is devoting his entire personal atten¬ tion to the management of Lakeside, IOWA PARK MANAGERS GET INTO A QUARREL Result is Bankruptcy Proceedings Asked for Courtland Beach at Council Bluffs. COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa, August 5.—Sequel to a receivership action be¬ gun in the superior court of this city on July 1, an involuntary bankruptcy proceeding was instituted in the United States district court for the Southern district of Iowa against the Courtland Beach Amusement com¬ pany. Plaintiffs in the bankruptcy proceed¬ ing are William R. Gourley, who was ousted from the management of the Courtland Beach resort by the ap¬ pointment of William Arnd as receiv¬ er under the suit of July 1; the Walter G. Clark company and Corey & Mc¬ Kenzie. Some of the papers in the case were sent to Des Moines soon after they were filed, and others were withdrawn by the attorneys. The plaintiffs were represented here by F. A. Mulfinger of Omaha, who associated with him Frank J. Capell and H. O. Ouren of this city. Formal charges of insol¬ vency are made in the petition. Blanket of Big Debts. Mr. Mulfinger said that the debts of the Courtland Beck company would aggregate about $6,000 to $7,000. He said he was unable to estimate what the company’s assets would total. According to his state¬ ment the land on which the buildings of the Courtland Beach resort are lo¬ cated belongs to the Creighton estate, and the buildings belong to the land and not to the company. The com¬ pany, Mr. Mulfinger said, has a lease on the land. It also, he thought, owned some personal property, but he was unable to say what this would amount to, and he declared he re¬ garded its value as uncertain. Quarrel Starts the Case. It was admitted by Mr. Mulfinger and his associates that the bankruptcy proceeding was a result of the re¬ ceivership suit of July 1, and they said that the whole trouble had grown out of a quarrel between the men inter¬ ested in the resort. The creditors who appear as plaintiffs in the bankruptcy matter have claims aggregating about $500. The proceeding, however, will bring into the case all other claims which may be held against the com¬ pany. ‘The White City.’.’ He is best remem¬ bered in the amusement world as a member of the firm of Stair & Havlin, and also as a partner of the general representative of that firm, Mr. Geo. H. Nicolai. Their latest venture, the play “Lena Rivers,” which proved to be one of the greatest successes of any of the pastoral plays written or staged and the enormous receipts of over $100,000 was the result of a sea¬ son’s bookings of this play. Mr. Burt has disposed of the greater number of his theaters and plays with the exception of “Lena Rivers,” and he still retains his partnership in the Ma¬ jestic Theater Company, which con¬ trols and owns theaters in Peoria and Springfield, Illinois, also in Saginaw and Port Huron, Michigan, and Wil¬ mington, Delaware. Mr. Burt’s wide-awake activeness and practical knowledge of the man¬ agement of summer parks insures nothing but success for Denver’s mammoth amusement park, and that he will get satisfactory financial re¬ turns that will be satisfying to the di¬ rectors and stockholders is a foregone conclusion. The Park Roster. Officers and Directors—Adolplf, J. Zang, president; Peter J. Friederich, first vice-president; John A. Keefe, second vice-president; Godfrey Schir- mer, secretary and treasurer; Frank Burt, general manager; Geo. Allen Smith and J. McD. Livesayf attorneys. Office Staff—Chas. Keiss, auditor; I B. M. Morgan, head bookkeepers^. A. Zang, purchasing agent; J. H. Kearns, head cashier; J. G. Van Lieu, , secretary; Mrs. Carrie Dailey, mana- I ger of cashiers. Publicity Department — Hugh ; S. Miller, superintendent publicity de¬ partment; Tom I. Phillips, manager advertising department; Louis Hol- lard, chief photographer; France? F. Elder, stenographer. Police and Fire Department—James Lindsey, chief of police; Otto Heckler, chief of fire department; Mrs. Caroline Heindricks, emergency hospital; Dr. Leucia, physician. Restaurant, Rathskeller, etc.—M. A. Leavey, steward; Harry Costello, chef; John Cassel, head waiter, Ca¬ sino; E. P. Fritz, head waiter, Raths¬ keller; E. A. Allen, superintended! of bar; Arthur Steinke, manager refresh¬ ments. Mechanical Department—J. P. Yea¬ ger, superintendent of grounds; John Lindstedt, chief engineer and three assistants; Harry Weber, chief elec¬ trician and five assistants; R. J. Ryan, chief carpenter and six assistants; S. R. Davis, master machinist and four assistants. Musical Department—W. E. Van Doren, conductor Van Doren’s con¬ cert band of thirty-five members; Chas. E. Gardner, leader ball room orchestra; A. N. Bach, leader skating rink band; Helen Albin, leader Ca¬ sino ladies’ orchestra; Chas. Tebeau, leader Wild West band. Managers and Heads of Conces¬ sions—Wayne Abbott, aeronaut; Jp- W. Morgan, ball room; Julius Kurtz, boat house and electric launches; Heep & Cook, double whirl; La Fol- liette, manager fire works department; Thos. Clifton, electric theater; C. W. Cocrswell, Ferris wheel; E. A. Haw¬ kins, miniature railroad; T. E. Kejm, Natatorium; Harry Bryan, skating rink; I. Techeckamura, Japanese tea garden; W. H. McFarland, fig^B lions and riding camels; H. L. Morris, Wild West show; Geo. Easton, super¬ intendent riding devices, Carousal, Shoot the Chutes, Scenic Railway, Third Degree, Tickler, Velvet Coaster. Amusements — Box Ball Baby Rack, Candy Wheel, Novelty Shooting Gallery, Ocean Waves, Penny Arcade, Pony and Burro Track, Palmistry Booth, Photo Gal¬ lery, Ping Pong, Striking Machines, Weighing Machines, Mad House, Snake Show, Komombus, Glad House, Bum Fuzzle, Living Venus, Butt In, Pool and Billiards.