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Show A THEATRE. It seems that at length Logan is to have a respectable theatre. On Sunday last, President Preston announced in a meeting that, on next Monday evening May 30th at half past seven o'clock, a meeting would be held in Logan Hall [?] of all parties interested in the erection [?] of a theatre in this city. We want [?] to see a large attendance of citizens who have a little capital which they can spare for an investment that will certainly produce large dividends. In fact we believe that stock in the theatre will produce heavier dividends in cash [?] than any mercantile or manufacturing institution in our midst has usually produced, to say nothing of the pleasure to be derived from attendance at a good theatre. The site fixed upon for the edifice adjoins Logan Hall on the north and [unreadable] on Main street, and is a most excellent location. A lease of the ground for a long term can be secured on very reasonable terms. Of course the dimensions, cost, material, style, &c., for the building are matters to be decided after the stockholders become organized; but a gentleman who is interested in the project has drawn a plan of such a building as could be likely to supply the requirements of our city for many years to come. The cost of a building on this [unreadable] man's plan would be about $7,000, and it would accommodate about 1,000 persons. While nothing definite has as yet been said or done as [?] the cost or capacity of the building, it is probably that the one to be erected will not vary greatly in these respects from his plan. It seems to us that a building could be erected for $7,000 or $8,000, and probably for less, that would suffice [unreadable] the requirements of this city for many years. Whatever may be the cost or style of the building, it is indispensible to so construct it that it will serve the double purpose of ball room and theatre. The floor of a ball room must of course be level, but to have the seats of a theatre arranged on a level floor will always be unsatisfactory to all except the occupants of a few of the front seats; indeed such an arrangement will always be a nuisance to the great majority of the audience. The question has several times been asked by parties who intend to take an active interest in the enterprise, how can the building be constructed so as to be entirely satisfactory as both a theatre and a ball room? A very simple device obviates all apparent difficulty; let the floor of the building have the necessary slant to enable the whole audience to obtain a good view of the stage, and let the seats be permanently placed, and [unreadable] theatrical entertainments; then, on the occasion of balls, let a movable floor constructed in sections, be laid over the seats of the auditorium. Such a floor would not be expensive and very much less time and labor would be required to put it down and take it up than would be required to remove and replace the seats, and, if the trestle work supporting it was properly constructed, it would prove eminently satisfactory as a dancing floor. The same plan was adopted in the Salt Lake Theatre some years ago, and the writer well remembers the excellence of the movable floor for dancing. It is probably that there will be at least one gallery in the building, which will accommodate such as are not dancing, and in this respect be of great utility, on the occasion of balls. We would respectfully urge all our citizens who have any capital which they can spare for a good investment, and who wish to have our youth and general public provided with proper amusement and recreation, to attend the meeting above referred to and subscribe for stock. The stage is a potent auxiliary to the school room and pulpit, if it is rightly conducted, and a well managed theatre will exert an excellent influence in any community, and is a good popular educator. Let us have a new theatre in running order by the commencement of next winter. |