The Billboard 1906-04-28: Vol 18 Iss 17 (1906-04-28)

St ere nn AP A me a soon wk Stal Beently forged 8 The Billboara APRIL 28, 1906. MODERN AMUSEMENT PALACE IN ALL THE TERM IMPLIES Is America’s Greatest Vaudeville Theatre Description of the Majestic Theatre, Chicago, and the Features That Entitle it to the Enconium Heaped upon it Without Stint or Restraint By the Best and Most Reliable Judges. (Illustrations from photographs made expressly for The Billboard, through the courtesy of Mr. C. E. Kohl.) HE projectors of the Majestic Theatre set for themselves a difficult task. They fully realized the difficulty of building a theatre which would surpass all others in the United States in the general average of solidity, safety, comfort and artistic elegance. But they were not content to provide for their increasing clientele a theatre merely equal to other handsome playhouses in Chicago and elsewhere. Something better than the existing best was their determination, and to what extent success crowned their ambition has already been made plan by a unanimous newspaper verdict of approval and by a volume of public praise and patronage which has seldom, if ever, been equaled. The Chicago newspapers devoted columns, several of them an entire page, to the description and illustration of this great theatre, apd consensus of this expert opinion undoubtedly justifies the owners in the belief that the Majestic is a playhouse which combines all that modern skill, science and art can suggest. GENESIS OF THE MAJESTIC The first theatre to be constructed under the new an exacting fire laws of Chicago, the initial consideration was one of safety. There could be no temporizing on this point, and it was the solicitous desire of the projectors not only to abide by the dictates of the law, but, if possible, to go beyond the strictest requirements of the ordinance and establish a standard of excellence which could not be surpassed during the present generation. The site selected for the building contributed materially to this purpose, and while the attendant cost would have seemed prohibitive to the ordinary promoter, the opportunity was instantly accepted by the Monroe Theatre Co. After a preliminary negotiation which would have staggered and defeated all but the most substantial operators, this remarkable plot of ground fronting on Monroe street—the new Wall street of Chicago—and isolated on all sides by alleys, thus providing an ideal location with available space for entrances and exits, was secured at an enormous cost, but with a future promise fully justifying the outlay. This transaction, one of the most important of recent years in Chicago’s downtown real estate, was negotiated by the great Lehmann estate, represented by its manager, Charles Greve, in conjunction with the Monroe Theatre Co., represented by Charles E. Kohl, president. It involved laying the ghost of revaluation school lease, and the purchase of sundry sub-leases carrying varied terms and conditions, and consequently an interesting chapter of events was written even before the first blow was struck in the demolition of the rather famous old structure which had covered this ground since shortly after the fire of 1871. But the crowding difficulties at the inception of such an enterprise are of slight importance to the public. Only results count, and the train of events leading to results that are now obvious was set in motion July 4, 1904, when the wreckers commenced work upon the old structure which, in its day, had housed minstrel and dramatic companies in a pigmy hall, a picture of which would contrast in astonishing measure with the views of the wonderful new structure which was destined to take its place. Nothing could better illustrate the march of time, or symbolize the world’s de velopment, than the contrasted views of the dingy upstairs theatre of 1872, and the palaoes structure which arose above its ruins in 1906. THE LOCATION fronting on Monroe street, which has re to the front as a commercial THE PROSCENIUM re rer ies) ees wees tr Ceres eres te avenue of the utmost financial importance, the Majestic exhibits a width of eighty feet, and a height of twenty stories, which enables it to claim distinction as the tallest skyscraper in the original home of skyscrapers. Running back to the rear alley where it almost Shakes hands with the historic McVicker Theatre, now dwarfed by its modern neighbor, the Majestic covers a depth of nearly 200 feet, and the walls are so pierced with exists to the neighboring thoroughfares that safety stares the visitor in the face at every turn. THE CONSTRUCTION The great building arising on this mest desired and desirable parcel of invaluable ground, is by no means founded on the sand, after the early Chicago fashion. Many caissons, a dozen feet wide and extending to bed rock 100 feet beolw the surface of busy Monroe street, form a foundation solid as the everlasting hills for the massive wrought iron pillars and beams, and the enormously thick walls of brick which constitute the strength of the building. In this great steel skeleton there are girders and trusses heavier than were ever before put into a Chicago building. and from the = subbasement with its astonishing array of ponderous machinery, ready at the touch of a button to spring into activity, to the uppermost pitch of the roof at the dizzy height of 350 feet, there is little else than steel, concrete, hollow tile, brick, granite and terra cotta, wherewith to feed any errant flame, which, having lost its way, would die out in this granite-like fabric’ for lack of food. The theatre proper, occupying half of the spacious front and two-thirds of the entire lot in the rear of the office building, is an empire of steel and brick on its own account, so hemmed in with massive walls that it Is essentially a fortress of safety, either from fires within or without. The auditorium, enclosed in walls four feet thick and roofed by a_ series of trusses which only the blow pipe of a volcano could fuse, is floored with con crete imposed upon steel beams, while the safety construction is still further developed by metal exit doors of such number that every section of the audience is afforded easy egress without crowding or congestion at any point. As befits an establishment so complete, the Stage is a marvel of mechanical perfection. Eighty feet wide and thirty-six feet deep, it has a clear space, or head room, of eighty feet to the steel gridiron from which the scenery is suspended in quantities of which the most important stock theatres of the country would never dream. Here, too, as everywhere in this modern stgucture, machinery with elec trical and hydrafilic power is made to do duty in simplifying the work. The scenery is lifted and loweréd by electrical power, and motors, also subject to the electrical current, control the great steel curtain, with its weight of five tons. The automatic pumps filling the tanks, the alarms connected with the city fire department, and all the other devices essen tial to safety and comfort, including the enor mous flue in the dome of the stage, which is opened by the merest finger pressure upon a switch to permit the outflow of smoke or flame, are controlled by the magic ministry of the electric fluid. Hydraulic lifts connect with the baggage and property rooms: and a huge switchboard, the crowning glory of this terra incognita, occupies a post of honor, radiating from its five tons of cupningsly devised mech anism, theatre. So wonderful is this device, most complicated ever theatre, that every upon the stage or in lights that shine in every part of the the largest and installed in a western variation of light needed the theatre, may be inStantly supplied. Be it sunlight or moonlight, calw or storm, the orange tints of sunset or the blue radiance of night, the demand is met, the operator standing like some twentieth cen tury necromancer to work his wonders at word of command. The dressing rooms within the cavernous are a revelation in stage convenience. Noth ing so safe, substantial and comfortable has ever been provided as a refuge for actors dur ing their working hours. Everything is indestructible as the catacombs of Egypt, yet the elements of comfort are so combined with the essentials of safety that nothing is lacking which is needed for the convenience of actors. Brilliant electric lights, metal ‘‘make up" tables and furniture, running water and the most approved system of ventilation, combine in an aggregate of features seldom brought together in this usually neglected department of theatrical ilfe. THE MACHINERY The throbbing heart of this great establishment Is located in the sub-basement, forty feet below the level of the street. Here a brilliant beneath the depths of the stage and basement mass of complicated machinery supplies heat, light, the means of ventilation and the motive power for the system of compressed air cleaning which extends to every floor and de partment of the theatre. Huge dynamos in duplicate, to cover every emergency, stand ready to flood the theatre with a radiance valling the sunlight. Built for the future as well as the present, they include the most advanced principles known to modern science, and are designed to meet the most exacting demands of the next quarter century. Here, too, is the seat of the monster exhaust fans and the apparatus by means of which pure air, warm or cool, may be supplied at will to all portions of the theatre. air on the roof of the dinary contamination, ern cave of the winds, The intake of building far above orleads down to this modwhere a scientific washing apparatus, too intricate for casual descrip tion, despoils the air of all injurious parti cles and sends it forward to the fans by which it is foreed into the auditorium. Se complete is the mastery of this system that the entire atmosphere of the theatre may be changed every hour, or more frequenly, if desired, only the negligence of the engineer who controls the machinery can ob visitors to the Majestic Theatre of purer air than they are accustomed to breath in the streets and storehouses of Chicago, or in their own homes, where and GENTLEMEN’S SMOKING ROOM such provision for washed and purified air is seldom made. The compressed air cleaning apparatus is not the least among the wonders of this subterranean wonder house. By means of piping extending to every department, and by use of rubber tubes commanding every inch of floor surface, the theatre is cleaned as it never could be under the old-time dominion of broom and dust brush. Every particle of dust and dirt is taken into the receptacle supplied at the end of the rubber hose," and sucked down to the receiver in the great sub-basement. The elusive germ is caught unerringly and deposited where it will do the least harm. There is no dust to be dispersed from one spot only to setUe elsewhere after the dubious old fashion in vogue in other places, but an absolute purifi cation of all floor surfaces, with no contamina tion left behind. And in order to make as surance doubly sure, the dustpan brigade of trim colored boys is busy during every performance clearing up the slightest litter that may befall and brushing tmaginary dust from the immaculate carpets. It is indeed a cherished desire of the Majestic Theatre to be not only the finest theatre In America, but the cleanest and vest ventilated, and nothing is left undone that would contribute to this result. AUDITORIUM AND ART FEATURES The auditorium is reached from Monroe street through a marble lobby forty feet wide. This in turn opens into a handsome foyer with lofty ceiling and artistic decoration, which has been transformed into an art gallery for European masterpieces. From the foyer, softly carpeted in old rose, access is gained through velvet draped doors to the auditorium, a broad, well proportioned room, so deftly designed in architectural features thdt, although spacious as befits an audience room seating 2,000 people, It ordinary rise one while the once zanine cony, hangs clous gallery. old rose. the steel Trianon, is thus ration, are timony to determined the nishings. dainty a her THE MAJESTIC THEATRE appears most inviting and cozy in characteristics. the walls and the ivory relief gance work, and restful relief from the theatres. proseenium boxes, as a three harmoniously and distinct balcony Here is to fering over usage. above painted in completing an which, though the good the in the draperies, and old gold in the beautiful plastic create an impression of quiet eleis a welcome garishness of pretentious The stately sounding beard with the offering its blends architectural cludes, of the be observed to boxes, only to Everywhere the principal tones handsome picture on entitled Serenade au Petit shades, effective scheme of decois most charming in its appeal to the eye and bears eloquent testaste of Mr. C. E. the controlling spirit, whose judgment and skill measure and manner of all the decorative and artistic achievements in the Majestic Theatre. Even the curtain, The soft lighted beauty which many handsome with decorative scheme, feature, the fronts. Three tiers in place with and comfortable. marvelous number be capped by harmonizing novel, THE REST PARLORS Among the most dies and particularly is reached by a marble stairway running from little journey downdisclosure of ex lan mantel described as a gem in form and color. boudoir as my most ambitious moments. and gold ‘are the prevailing tints, lamps of elegant with crested many unusual uncommon the smoking room worthy main lobby, Stairs is amply repaid by a tremely clever conceits in decoration and furat whose portal, in a convenient angle, stands a handsome Italmight properly be The and odd beyond anything chairs and quite the tre rest room. ladies’ designs; furnishment, paper, theatre, of attention. and the room, fireplace, White, and, what a golden desk full belongings, this THE MAIN ENTRANCE Mavears, pe Ayyaatns ae array the general which broad sweep its general tones of old rose on up by a deviation from of two the other in graceful lines, ofhospitable accommodation orchestra floor, hogany chairs upholstered in olive plush, is at commodtious balcony—the first floor—is a somewhat aimost entirely seating a it, to hundreds, its broad, ma A meztier above the main exclusive locality devoted while the main balof people, a spa Kohl, features of this the rest room for lafor gentlemen are Each room It is as lady could wish in lavender mellowed by with the equipped length mirrors set into the wall, a telephone free to all, luxurious other room heretofore supplied for pleasure and comfort of ladies In a thea of in