Part 536: W. H. Clifton, Yore’s Opera House, and Bell’s Opera House in Benton Harbor, Michigan
This is the second post installment about Sosman & Landis employee W. H. Clifton. In 1889, the “News-Palladium” reported on the completion of Yore’s Opera House in Benton Harbor, Michigan (Benton Harbor, Michigan, 14 June 1889, page 3). Clifton was mentioned as the Sosman & Landis stage machinist sent to superintend the installation.
The News-Palladium article noted, “Messrs. Sosman & Landis of Chicago, furnished the scenery and stage fixtures – Will H. Clifton, stage machinist, having been sent here by the firm to superintend the work some four weeks ago. He has just finished up this task of fitting the stage carpets – one green and the other red.
“The stage is admirably appointed. There are seven compete sets of scenery, namely, Parlor, Kitchen, Open Wood, Garden, Prison, Water View and Street, and all accompanying wings, borders, box scenes, etc., necessary to a first class theatre. All the doors and windows in scenery are “practicable: instead of being blind, as is usual in small theatres. There are also a number of “set” pieces – set rocks, set water, balustrades, a set house, a pair of garden vases, etc. The drop curtain is a handsome work of art and is unsurpassed in Michigan outside of Detroit and Grand Rapids, the scene being “The Hudson River from West Point.” Size of curtain 42×30 feet.
“Three traps, stage braces, stage screws and other stage paraphernalia complete Sosman & Landis’ branch of the work, which has been done in first-class shape. The proscenium opening is 36x24feet; depth of stage, 30 feet; 75 feet wide and 33 feet in length, with full set of grooves; flats 18×26; depth beneath stage, a little over 7 feet; sets of grooves, four; two roomy fly galleries. There is a special scenery entrance in the rear and also a private stage entrance. The stage will be brilliantly lighted by two rows of border lights, the footlights and numerous other side lights – electric” (Benton Harbor, Michigan, 14 June 1889, page 3). The seating capacity for the opera house was 1,027.
In 1896, the first Yore Opera House caught fire, sometime after manager J. J. Simon closed the theater around 11 p.m. This immense blaze threatened the entire town of Benton Harbor and calls of distress were sent to fire department of St. Joseph (The Herald-Palladium, 19 June 1992, page 44). Eleven firefighters lost their lives battling the flames when a theatre wall collapsed; a twelfth firefighter died from complications a few days later. The Yore opera house became an example in the dangers of firefighting in the area. However, like many theaters destroyed by fire during the late-nineteenth century, another was constructed in its place and the community soon anticipated the completion of their “new, modern, first-class playhouse” (News-Palladium, 15 August 1899, page 4).
In regard to the necessity of an opera house in Benton Harbor, the “News-Palladium” reported, “An opera house? Of course we need one. No city of any enterprise or importance but can boast of a large auditorium where meetings, conventions, and entertainments of whatever nature, political, religious or educational, can be held with comfort and convenience. One of the most forcible illustrations of our need of a large auditorium was the funeral of the brave boys who dies to save the Yore’s opera house. There was no room in the city that could hold the Congregations” (5 Sept. 1899, page 1). Several plans for a new building were proposed, but all failed, until Dr. John Bell and George A, Mills entered the picture.
On the August 14, 1899, a franchise was granted “for the construction of an electric road to connect various resorts about the city, and as soon as it was given the promoters of the road surprised the alderman by showing plans of a $25,000 opera house that they have arranged to build” (Owosso Times, 18 August 1899, page 3).
On November 11, 1899, the “News-Palladium” reported “The new auditorium, which is being constructed by Dr. John Bell and Geo. A Mills, was obtained in a novel way. The promoters of the opera house desired to know whether of not the citizens really wanted the play house and in order to see what encouragement they would receive, Dr. Bell and Mr. Mills offered to erect a modern building if the business men would buy 1000 tickets for the opening performances at $5 each. The citizens responded generously and in a few days the tickets were sold” (News Palladium, 11 Nov. 1899, page 3). The article also reported, “Representatives of Sosman & Landis a scenery firm of Chicago, are here today making estimates for the scenery and scenic supplies.” But the contract was not awarded to Sosman & Landis, instead the work went to Armbruster of Columbus, Ohio; accidentally published as “Ambrewster & Company on opening night.” By that fall, the cornerstone of the new Bell Opera House was laid and fraternal orders planned a grand celebration for the occasion. On Wednesday, May 9, 1900, the Bell Opera House was dedicated.
Architect C. A. Brehmer of South Bend, Indiana, planned Bell’s Opera House after the famous Harrigan’s of New York City. In speaking of the opera house, Mr. Brehmer said, “There are two points which no play in the entire country can excel – its points for egress in case of fire or other necessity and the superior arrangement of the seats” (News-Palladium, 10 May 1900, page 1). On opening day, the “News-Palladium” provided detailed descriptions of the new building (0 May 1900, page 1):
“The auditorium is lighted by 450 incandescent lights and the beautiful blue tinted dome is brilliantly illuminated with 99 electric lights. The system of lighting was planned by James W. Pearl and the wiring done by the English brothers under the supervision of Henry Mason. The switch board for the main part of the building is located on the stage and is so arranged that any number of lights may be turned on or off as the occasion demands. The switch board for the lights in the halls and ticket office is in the box office, Both boards are of the latest pattern. The stage is 9 feet longer and 2 feet wider that the stage of the burned Yore auditorium and the height of this part of the building is 60 feet from the stage to gridiron, giving accommodation for any spectacular performances played in the larger cities. The theatre is fully equipped with its own scenery of the latest patterns, including slide drop curtains, side scenes, flies, and other stage setting. The scenery was painted and manufactured by Armbruster & Company, or Columbus, Ohio. The stage has fourteen dressing rooms with all improvements and conveniences.”
To be continued…
There’s a problem. The “News Palladium,” as cited, and the Herald Palladium did not exist at this time.
At the time, the Benton Harbor newspapers were the Benton Harbor Evening News and the Benton Harbor Palladium (published in the morning). The St. Joseph newspapers were the St. Joseph Press and the St. Joseph Herald.
They merged sometime later into the News Palladium and the Herald Press.
The two newspapers were both owned by the same entity (Palladium Publishing Company, Inc.) but had, essentially, the same content, including the masthead, with the exception of the logos, and were printed at the same plant in Benton Harbor.
The Herald-Palladium, as such, did not become an entity until 1904 and in 1975 it became the Herald-Palladium. See: https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83026617/
Good eye, and thank you for your comment, Brian. I pulled the article from the database newspapers.com while browsing the collection entitled “News-Palladium” in 1889. Newspapers.com show issues for the News-Palladium starting in 1886. I use that particular database and corresponding title for my own citation; it is easily trackable in the database. The actual title on the digital newspaper, however, is “Daily Palladium.”