Theatre Fires – Page 2 – Drypigment.net

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 820 – Fire, 1912

From 1905 until Al Ringling’s passing in in 1916, Thomas G. Moses completed several designs for the Ringling Bros. grand circus spectacles. In 1912, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Went to Sterling to catch Ringling to collect $1,200.00. As I went to the tent to find Al Ringling, I discovered everyone watching a fire – a stable at least four blocks away. A spark was blown towards the tent, the top of which is prepared with paraffin to make it waterproof. It soon ignited from the sparks and in less than thirty minutes the big tent was destroyed. The rest of the tents were saved. It was mighty fortunate there were no people in the tent. Some of the animals in another tent started some noise when the smelled the smoke, but they were soon quieted. I sneaked away without making myself known. There was no money for me, that I guessed.” This would not be the first or last fire for the Ringling Bros. On July 6, 1944, a huge fire engulfed the Ringling Bros. Circus tent in Hartford, Connecticut. The tragedy killed 167 people and injured hundreds more.

Ringling Bros. Tent fire on July 6, 1944.

Fire was a constant threat for not only circuses but also theaters. Theatre practitioners still site the horror of Chicago’s Iroquois Theatre tragedy as an impetus for many of today’s fire codes. It is not that we were unaware of how to prevent theatre fires. As an industry, there were fire curtains and other preventative measures in place at many nineteenth and twentieth century theaters. The architectural firm of McElfatrick & Sons placed most of their theaters on the ground floor and increased fire exits. By 1876, Dion Boucicault was testing various methods to fireproof scenery.

The problem was a lack of regulation and safety enforcement. I always think back to the Triangle Shirt Factory and all of the women leaping to their deaths to escape the flames; profits remained a priority over people for many companies, even after court-appointed safety measures were demanded of business owners. This is when the reinforcement of state and government regulations to ensure public safety is a necessity, as some companies refuse to spend money on safety. For the theatre industry, it took the seeing piles of dead women and children on the streets of Chicago after fire broke out during a matinee performance.

I have several books about the Iroquois Theatre Fire, one being “The Great Chicago Theatre Disaster” by Marshall Everette published in 1904. The publication included “the complete story told by the survivors” and was “profusely illustrated with views of the scene of death before, during and after the fire.” The Publisher’s Preface noted, “While the embers are still all but glowing of one of the most heartrending fires of modern times, its history has been caught from the lips of the survivors and embalmed in book form. The deep and far-reaching effects of the Iroquois casualty will not be eradicated, if much softened, for another generation. That this is true must be realized, when it is remembered how large a majority of the victims were in the early dawn or flush of life, and their friends and closer kindred can the less readily be reconciled to the sad reality than the loss had fallen among the mature, whose end, in order of nature, would not be far away.” Everett added, “While this book is intended to be a fitting memorial in commemoration of that tragic and historic event, I am in firm in the conviction that its wide circulation will be instrumental in accomplishing much good. It calls special attention to the defective and dangerous construction of theaters, public halls, opera houses and other public buildings all over the land; bold evasions and reckless disregard of life-saving ordinances by managers and owners whereby thousands of precious lives are constantly in imperiled. It will thus arouse public sentiment and emphasize the supreme importance of safeguarding people who congregate in such buildings and prevent the possible loss of thousands of lives in the future. What has happened in Chicago is liable to occur in other cities and towns unless precautionary measures are adopted.”

Image from the “The Great Chicago Theatre Disaster,” 1904.

Mrs. Emma Schweitzler described the first appearance of the fire, stating, “As soon as the drop curtain came down it caught fire. A hole appeared at the left-hand side. Then the blaze spread rapidly, and instantly a great blast of hot air came from the stage through the hole of the curtain and into the audience. Big pieces of the curtain were loosened by the terrific rush of air and were blown into people’s faces. Scores of women and children must have been burned to death by these fragments of burning grease and paint. I was in the theater until the curtain entirely burned. It went up in the flames as if it had been paper and did more damage than good.”

When Moses visited Ringling in 1912, he had already witnessed his share of burned stages. Sosman & Landis frequently provided replacement scenery for venues that replaced previously burned theaters. It was not until I began researching the life and times of Moses that I began to understand how frequently fires cured in the United States. We all know of their existence, yet many of us cannot comprehend the frequency of the events. And yet, people kept walking through the doors of early twentieth century theaters, hoping that all precautions to prevent fire had been implemented for their safety.

By 1908, the “Manual of Inspections, A Reference Book for the Use of Fire Underwriters” by William Dennis Matthews included a section on theaters:

“THEATERS. Heating? Footlights, border-lights and overhead stage lights – open? How guarded? Scenery – painted with watercolors or oils? Arrangement of switchboard, dimmers, etc.? Spot Lights? Sciopticons? Stereopticons? Smoking on stage? Dressing rooms – candles? Swinging gas jets? Heaters? (Fires are caused frequently by electrical apparatus carried by traveling companies, which is generally poorly constructed and installed). Carpenter and paint shops – care of oils, paints, refuse, etc.? Space under auditorium used as a catch-all of old papers, etc.? Posters- where stored (subject to spontaneous combustion when stored in piles, owing to the oxidation of printer’s ink)? General care and cleanliness?

Note: The spread of fires in theatres is usually very rapid, owing to the height of ceilings and the arrangement and nature of scenery and flies in stage end. Fires occurring during performances nearly always cause panics in which more or less people are injured or killed. It should, therefore, be plain to all concerned that devices which might cause fires should be eliminated as far as possible and that those which are necessary should be safeguarded in every practical way. The question of protection is a most important one – some cities require the stage end to be of fireproof construction, all scenery to be fire-proofed, the opening in proscenium wall to have a fireproof curtain, and the dressing rooms, property rooms and paint and carpenter shops equipped with automatic sprinklers. There should be a good supply of chemical extinguishers on the stage and working galleries, in dressing rooms, paint and carpenter shops and property rooms, and throughout the basement; large stationary chemicals with piping to these various rooms and hose attached would, of course, be preferable.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 792 – The Opera House in Bangor, Maine, 1912

At the beginning of 1912, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Started right by hustling out some work for Bangor, Maine.” Moses was referring to the recently fire-damaged Bangor Opera House. An extensive fire damaged the building in 1911, necessitating a new stage, scenery and necessary machinery the following year. The 1912 Sosman & Landis installation was short lived, as two years later another fire destroyed the building. The “big conflagration of 1911” was recalled in a newspaper article after the second fire. On January 15, 1914, “The Boston Globe” reported, “The Bangor Opera House, the oldest and largest theatre here was destroyed by fire this morning.” The fire department managed to contain the flames to the theater and prevented its spread to nearby buildings, with losses estimated at $80,000. Sadly, five men lost their lives as they fought the flames in frigid temperatures that night. The hose men were all in line, playing the hose through the door, when an explosion occurred and toppled the brick wall nearest them. All of the firemen were instantly crushed to death.

1914 newspaper photograph of the Bangor Opera House, destroyed by fire.

The first Bangor Opera House, designed by architect Arthur H. Vinal, was built in 1882 for a population numbering 20,000. Prior to this new theatre space, “Jno. B. Jeffrey’s Theatrical Guide and Directory” listed only three performance halls in the city: Bangor Music Hall (seating capacity 650), Norombega Hall (seating capacity of 1500), and Bangor City Hall (seating capacity of 800). Neither Bangor’s Music Hall nor City Hall contained any painted scenery. Only the Buskin Club had purchased nine scenes that were used at Norombega Hall; a modest enticement for touring theatrical troupes.

For many years, the opera house was the only stage in Bangor available for legitimate theater and touring productions. The Bangor Opera House had a seating capacity of 1,109, a fair size for many types of events. The size of the proscenium opening measured 31’ high by 31’ wide, with the height from the stage floor to the rigging loft was 45. Some records indicate that the height of the rigging loft was only 40 feet. The depth under the stage was 10 feet and boasted 2 traps. The full stage area measured 40’ deep x 65’wide. There was a height of 18’ from the stage floor to the underside of the grooves to accommodate the painted wings. In addition to painted wings, theatrical directories indicate that there were fifteen sets of scenery. The original installation was painted by scenic artist M. H. Andrews and added to over the years. Unfortunately, all painted scenery was destroyed during the 1911 fire, providing an opportunity for Sosman & Landis to provide a new installation

By 1912, the Bangor Opera House building was owned by a corporation, with local businessman Dr. Thomas U. Coe as a significant stockholder. The population of Bangor at this time numbered 40,000 people. “Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide” for the 1913-1914 season reported an increased seating capacity after the fire of 1159. The stage was also illuminated with electricity by this time (110 AC and 8 stage pockets). After the 1914 fire, however, everything was lost, leaving Bangor without a full-stage theater once again. Although immediate action was taken to replace the city’s lost theater, it took time to gather the necessary funds, and then the United States entered World War I

The lot theatre lot was purchased by Joseph P. Bass in February 1919. Bass was a businessman and publisher of the “Bangor Daily Commercial.” He announced his plan to rebuild the opera house, selecting the new lessee to be the Alfred S. Black chain of theatres. For the next few decades, a variety of entertainment was featured at the Bangor Opera House. Like many theaters during the mid-twentieth century, however, the stage would eventually feature film. By 1966, the theater was known as the Bangor Cinema. Over the years, it fell into a state of disrepair.

By 1997, the building was acquired by the Penobscot Theatre Company. The opera house underwent a series of restorations, with the exterior façade being restored during 2007-2008. By 2016, the company launched a capital campaign to complete a number of other necessary improvements. The recent auditorium makeover included new carpet, seating, lighting fixtures and fresh paint. It is now a very blue auditorium. As with many historic theater venues, much of the early history is forgotten, with the main focus remaining on the architectural style and/or a specific architect. Little is remembered interior, especially details of the original stage, scenery, lighting, and other mechanical systems that remained behind the curtain line.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Part 775 – Thomas G. Moses and the Cheyenne Scottish Rite, 1911

I return to the life and times of Thomas G. Moses. In 1911, Moses recorded that Sosman & Landis received “a small contract at Cheyenne of Masonic work.”

Sosman & Landis were well known in Cheyenne, having delivered stock scenery to the Grand Opera House in 1882. Sosman & Landis artists paired up to complete many projects on site, traveling from one theater to another and crisscrossing the country. From 1881-1882, Moses and studio founder, Joseph S. Sosman were a team, completing one project after another as salesman Abraham “Perry” Landis secured each contract.

The Scottish Rite Theatre is located in the Masonic Temple, home to multiple Masonic orders. Located at 1820 Capitol Avenue in Cheyenne, construction commenced on a three-story structure in 1901, costing local Masons $45,000. Unfortunately, in 1903 the building was gutted by fire. The “Natrona County Tribune” reported, “The fire originated by defective electric light wiring over the stage at the south end of the building. The loss was estimated at $50,000; insurance $33,500, $30,00 of which was on the building and $3,500 on paraphernalia. The elegant paraphernalia of the Scottish Rite Masons, costing at least $6,000 was entirely destroyed, and besides this many suits belonging to the members of the order were lost. Only a few rugs and several pieces of furniture were saved. The structure will be rebuilt at once. The structure will be rebuilt at once. The Scottish Rite Masons had just finished holding a reunion in the building, at which forty-one new members were admitted on the night before the building was destroyed, this being the first reunion held in the building since its completion” (5 March 1903, page 8). After receiving their insurance settlement, the Cheyenne Scottish Rite Bodies reconstructed the damaged stage and interior.

Sosman & Landis delivered an initial collection of scenery to this Masonic Hall in 1911, and membership numbers began to skyrocket.

On January 25, 1911, the “Natrona County Tribune” reported, “Cheyenne. – The semi-annual reunion of Wyoming Consistory No. 1 here met Jan. 4, and is attended by Masons from all sections of the state. A class of twenty-six candidates for the Scottish Rite degree has been selected” (Caspar, Wyoming, page 6). By that fall, there were fifty candidates at the Scottish Rite reunion in Cheyenne (Natrona County Tribune, 20 Dec. 1911, page 6). Over a year later, there were forty-six candidates (Natrona County Tribune, 26 Dec. 1912, page 2).

A new Scottish Rite Cathedral was planned in 1920 as membership rapidly outgrew its current quarters. The “Casper Star-Tribune” reported, “Tentative plans for the cathedral which Wyoming Consistory No. 1, A.A.S.R., is to erect at Capitol Avenue and Twentieth Street, have been approved. They call for a structure of Grecian architecture, with a frontage of 132 feet on Capitol Avenue, which will cost approximately $500,000. Aside from the fact that it will be the largest and finest fraternal society building in Wyoming architecture. Work on the building, it is planned and will begin next fall” (29 May 1920, page 9).

The Scottish Rite stage in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

In 1921, “The Billings Gazette” reported that Wyoming had 1906 thirty-second degree Masons, an increase of 245 members in twelve months. Furthermore, the secretary of Wyoming Consistory No. 1 in Cheyenne reported, “the total resources of all four bodies of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite amount to $189,958.88” (17 Sept 1921, page 8). There were 2,090 members in the Rocky Mountain Lodge of Perfection; 1,961 members in the Albert Pike Chapter of the Knights of Rose Croix; and 1,961 members in the Cheyenne Council of Kadosh No. 1.

I visited the Cheyenne Scottish Rite last year on June 18, 2018. It was father’s day when I documented the Cheyenne Scottish Rite scenery collection, with my husband and son working as stagehands that day. Our guide, Ron, explained that the building was expanded during the 1920s, an addition that included a new theater. Toomey & Volland studio records list a delivery of scenery to the Cheyenne Scottish Rite at that time. I identified three distinct scenery collections when examining the stencil placement. Two are consistent with Sosman & Landis and the third is likely from the studio of Toomey & Volland in St. Louis.

Some of the scenery includes the shipping label “Scottish Rite Bodies. Masonic Hall. Cheyenne, Wyoming.” This information is stenciled on the back and front of some bottom sandwich battens. Additional stenciling on the back of some drops also confirms the destination of Cheyenne, characteristic of standard Sosman & Landis Studio labeling during the first decade of the twentieth century. Keep in mind that it was common for Scottish Rite Valley’s to retain their original scenery when the initially expanded and increased and existing stage. Enlarging the original scenery delivered to the Masonic Hall in 1903 and 1911 for the 1920s stage was not unusual, even if a competing studio painted it.

The three collections at the Cheyenne Scottish Rite are not of any particular, or standard, size. It is obvious that many of the drops were hung at another venue prior to being installed above the current Scottish Rite stage. Charcoal markings denoting previous line sets are just one indicator of a previous life elsewhere.

In regard to painted aesthetics, the design and scenic art for some of the collection is consistent with other Sosman & Landis scenery delivered to Santa Fe (1912), St. Paul (1910), Winona (1909), Tucson (1914), Asheville (1914), and Grand Forks (1914). The painted flats accompanying many of the painted scenes, however, are not identified with stencils, nor characteristic of Sosman & Landis flats manufactured before 1908. The profile pieces in Cheyenne only include a few pencil markings. The design and construction of these pieces are not characteristic with Sosman & Landis set pieces, as they are also much brighter in color than the remainder of the collection, suggesting their delivery by Toomey & Volland aesthetic.

The stage machinery also predates the 1920s. It is an example of Brown’s Special System, also delivered to Santa Fe (1912), St. Paul (1910), Winona (1909), Tucson (1914), Ashville (1914), and Grand Forks (1914).

Counterweight system on the stage right side. The Scottish Rite stage in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Brown’s Special System installed at the Cheyenne Scottish Rite

The fly rail at the Cheyenne Scottish Rite. This is where Masonic stage hands stood when they raised and lowered backdrops.

Counterweights in a wooden arbor cage were part of Brown’s Special System. The Scottish Rite stage in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Finally, our host explained that additional drops that went unused for decades. They were rolled up and placed in an offstage area. Sadly, they were disposed of a few years ago without anyone documenting was thrown away, so we have no idea if this were an earlier collection, and adopted collection, or simply unused scenes. There is one dead hung drop curtain against the upstage wall. It appears to be a drop curtain, as I was able to see some painted fringe and draperies, suggesting that this piece may have been the drop curtain from the previous stage at the Masonic Hall; the front curtain would have been not wide enough for the current proscenium opening. I would love to see what the composition is, as I was unable to see more than the bottom two feet of the drop.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 742 – Drop Curtains in Philadelphia, 1894 – Gilmore’s Auditorium and H. J. Overpeck

Gilmore’s Auditorium constructed at 807 Walnut Street in Philadelphia, just one in a series of popular nineteenth-century theaters located at the same address. Welch’s National Amphitheatre and Circus, the Continental Theatre, the American Variety Theatre, Fox’s New American Theatre, the Grand Central Theatre, and Gilmore’s Auditorium. The tale of four fires is presented in an interesting post by Harry Kyyriakodis about about the various entertainment venues at this address. Here is the link: https://hiddencityphila.org/2013/05/blazing-ballerinas-and-a-rampaging-elephant-at-807-walnut-street/

Photograph of Gilmore’s Auditorium, Philadelphia, from the “Official Building Directory and Architectural Handbook of Philadelphia,” 1899, p 257.

The theater’s proprietor, William J. Gilmore, had made a career in theater management by the time Gilmore’s Auditorium was constructed. He had successfully managed several Philadelphia theaters as well as others across the country.

“The Times” included an article on Gilmore’s Auditorium rising from the site of the burned Central theatre on June 4, 1893 (page 15). The article reported, “From the ruins of the New Central Theatre is rapidly rising a new building that will be, when completed, one of the finest playhouses in America. The new theatre will be known as ‘Gilmore’s Auditorium,’ and built in the Moorish style of architecture, from brownstone, terra cotta and light buff brick, beautifully embellished with colored glass and new electric lights. Architect John D. Allen, under whose direct supervision the house is being erected, has provided every device known to modern science that contributes to the safety and comfort and convenience of the prospective patrons, resulting in a building that is practically fireproof. One of the chief factors contributing to this end of the building is the proscenium wall, having no opening between the stage and auditorium except the arch, which is protected by a heavy asbestos curtain, while the stage roof is fitted with an automatic ventilator, so adjusted that a rise of a few degrees in temperature will at once open it and form an excellent flue by means of which any flames that might possibly break out in the stage or among the scenery, would be diverted from the building proper. The system of heating and ventilating adopted has been proved absolutely effective, thus insuring a cool house in summer and a warm one in winter. The colors selected for all interior decorations are such that everything harmonizes in the manner, forming a perfect rest for the eyes, which is not destroyed even when the full glare of the innumerable electric lights is turned on. So rapidly has the work of construction progressed that although the ground was broken only on February 8 last, it is expected to throw open the building for inspection early in August. Taking into consideration that only thirty-two clear working days were available since the beginning of the work the progress has been wonderfully rapid, although everything has been done in the most careful and workmanlike manner.”

Image of Gilmore’s Auditorium during construction from “The Times,” (Philadelphia) 4 June 1893, page 15

Gilmore’s Auditorium was illuminated by electricity and boasted a seating capacity of 3,076. John R. Wilkins was listed as the scenic artist in Julius Chan’s Official Theatrical Guide, 1896. With the theatre on the ground floor, the proscenium measured 33 feet wide by 34 feet high, with the distance from the footlights to the back wall being 30 ½ feet. The distance between the side walls was 75 ½ feet and the distance between the girders measured 42 feet. It was 60 feet from the stage to the rigging loft, with the depth under the stage measuring 9 feet. There were three traps and one bridge along the back wall. By 1905, Gilmore’s Auditorium became the Casino Theatre, soon gaining a reputation as a popular burlesque venue.

The Gilmore’s Auditorium asbestos curtain was mentioned in “Well-known Drop Curtains in Philadelphia Theatres,” published in “The Philadelphia Inquirer on Dec. 18, 1894. Instead of listing the scenic artist, the article highlighted the stage carpenter for his innovative stage machinery- hydraulic engine was used to lift the asbestos curtain.

“The asbestos curtain in Gilmore’s Auditorium is a model of its kind. The curtain is thirty-four feet wide by thirty-six feet high, and is lifted and lowered by means of a one-half inch steel wire cable over a drain in the flies. The curtain, which is nearly one-half an inch thick, is not rolled up, but lifted bodily, away up in the flies by a small hydraulic engine. It is painted a creamy buff in harmony with the other decorations, but is devoid of any ornament save the single word “Asbestos” painted in the center. All of the act and scene “drops” in this popular amusement temple, like the asbestos drop, are made to lift bodily, the system, which is new, being devised and put in by Mr. Gilmore’s stage carpenter, H. J. Overpeck.”

. The only information that I have uncovered pertaining to anyone named Overpeck in the theatrical profession is an A. J. Overpeck who was listed as a stage machinist with Baitley Campbell’s Siberia in Harry Miner’s Professional Directory (1884). By 1896, Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide would list Harry Spillman as the stage carpenter and electrician.

Of asbestos curtains, however, an interesting article was published the same year in the “Boston Globe” (23 Feb. 1894, page 8).

“Asbestos Curtain at the Boston.

It is the duty of every theatrical manager to provide his patrons with the best protection possible against fire. No means has yet been discovered equal to a fireproof curtain, and such a one as the Boston Theater has just been put in place is the best of its kind. The curtain is 52 by 50 feet and is made entirely of asbestos. It is hung by wire rope which runs through iron chives [sheaves] fastened into the brick wall over the proscenium, and as all the battens are of iron piping, there is not a bit of woodwork or anything combustible about the entire construction.

The curtain was put in place by Mr. W. P. Prescott, the theater’s machinist, who also made all of the machinery. Last week a test was made before the insurance commissioner, and he pronounced it a splendid piece of mechanism and an ample protection.

By pulling a small wire rope at the prompt stand the curtain can be lowered in three seconds, so that in case of fire not an instant will be lost in shutting off the auditorium from the stage by an asbestos wall through which no flames could penetrate.”

Furthermore, an article in the “Democrat and Chronicle” (Rochester, New York) on Dec. 6, 1894, was entitled “Theater Fires” (page 6). It reported, “Statistic of theater fires from 1751 to the present year have been compiled by the Scientific American, and the figures show a total of 460 theaters destroyed in all countries during the period covered. There were 31 of these disasters in London, 29 in Paris and 29 in New York. The number of victims was great, but as separate lists of the killed and wounded are not given, no accurate statement of the loss of life can be made. It was, however, appalling.” The article later commented, “We believe that most of the modern theaters in this country afford fair protection of their patrons, by means of asbestos curtains, which can be lowered quickly, separating the stage from the auditorium, and by reasonably ample facilities for exit.”

Finally, as asbestos curtains gained prominence by the end of the 19^th century, a funny article came out that reminded me of the plain asbestos curtain hanging at Gilmore’s Auditorium. It was published in the “Philadelphia Inquirer” on Feb. 7, 1897, page 20: “I has an afternoon off this week,” said a well-known comedian to me last evening, “and as I had nothing else to do I wandered into a theatre where a matinee was being given. Directly in front of me sat two stylishly-gowned girls, and they wore hats that were veritable flower gardens. Of course, I could se very little of the stage, but I was repaid by the charming conversation I was forced to overhear. It was just previous to the opening overture and the fair maids were discussing the asbestos curtain.

“That curtain is not half as pretty as the one they used to have here,” said one.

“No indeed it is not, chimed in the other.

“By the way, Marie, who was Asbestos?”

“Asbestos?” queried her friend.

“Why Asbestos was a Roman general, wasn’t he?”

“Was he?”

“No. Laura; let me think – Oh, I remember now; he was a mythological character.”

“Why to be sure he was,” acquiesced Laura.

“How foolish of me not to have thought of it.”

“And they resumed munching caramels.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 723 – Kansas City Scottish Rite, 1904, 1906 and 1909

Part 723: Kansas City Scottish Rite, 1904, 1906 and 1909

In 1909, Sosman & Landis provided a second set of scenery for the Scottish Rite in Kansas City, Kansas. The history of the Kansas City Scottish Rite is a little confusing. There were two Kansas City Scottish Rites, one in Kansas and one in Missouri. This makes it difficult when tracking down information about either one, as the same newspapers often published information without specifying the state.

In 1904, Sosman & Landis delivered a first set of scenery to the Kansa City, Kansas, Scottish Rite (see past post 692). This was the same year that the company also produced Scottish Rite scenery for Fort Scott, Kansas. The first Kansas City, Kansas, Scottish Rite was designed by architect W. W. Rose, and located at the corner of 7^th and Ann Street. On April 1, 1904, The Lincoln Journal included an article on the new building, however a description of the stage area and scenery was absent. It was intentionally concealed from the public for the event, closed off with a curtain. The article only noted that the stage was “thirty-two feet deep and thirty seven feet to the gridiron and has a full equipment of scenery and appointments including a switchboard, which controls every light in the room from the stage.” Unfortunately, the stage, auditorium and building all went up in flames only two years later.

During October 1906, the three-story building caught fire during a street fair. The Iola Daily Record reported that the Masonic Temple, its entire contents, two residences adjoining the block, and half of the booths at the street fair were destroyed by fire (October 20, 1906, page 1). The cause of the fire was the explosion of a gasoline stove in the booth occupied by the ladies of the Central Christian Church. The flames spread rapidly throughout the booths, and the Masonic Temple was the first building to suffer damage on the corner of Seventh Street and Ann Avenue. All efforts to save the structure proved futile. Among the losses were Scottish Rite paraphernalia and stage settings, valued at $50,000; their insurance only covered $16,000 of the loss (Kansas City Gazette. 27 Oct. 1906, page 1). Other newspapers reported the loss paraphernalia, furniture, fixtures and stage scenery, was valued $20,000 and only insured for $6,500 (Kansas City Gazette. 27 Oct 1909, page 1). Many other Masonic bodies in the building also lost uniforms, regalia, ritual and records, including Wyandotte Lodge No. 3, the oldest Masonic lodge in Kansas.

On October 27, 1906, the Kansas City Gazette reported “The Masons Will Rebuild.” The article quoted R. J. McFarland, general secretary of the Scottish Rite, who said, “We have definitely decided on a magnificent building to be erected on our property at Seventh and Ann at a cost of $10,000. As we depend entirely on our members it must be through them that we raise the amount necessary. We will hold a meeting Wednesday evening of all Scottish Rite bodies to discuss various plans regarding funding.” Grand Commander James D. Richardson and grand secretary Frederick W. Webber, or Washington, D.C. were in attendance at the meeting.

The Scottish Rite bodies approved plans for the new Masonic Temple on June 5, 1907. Again W. W. Rose designed the new four-story structure that included a sixty-foot frontage on Seventh street and a depth of 136 feet on Ann Avenue. The exterior of the building was noted as a mixture of “Hebrew and Arabic,” with the roof being supported by “Moorish pillars” (The Weekly News, 7 June 1907, page 1). The auditorium and stage were located on the second, third and fourth floors, with the fly loft rising to the roof. The large space included a forty-foot stage and balcony with a seating capacity of 800.

Description of the new Scottish Rite Building i Kansas City, Kansas, 1909.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Scottish Rite building, 1909.

Aerial view of the Kansas City, Kansas, Scottish Rite building.

Detail of fly loft in an aerial view of the Kansas City, Kansas, Scottish Rite building.

In 1909, the new Scottish Rite building was dedicated in Kansas City, Kansas. The Kansas City Times reported, “The Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Kas., which cost $100,000, will be dedicated at 8 o’clock tonight. The ceremony will be performed by James D. Richardson, sovereign grand commander of the Scottish Rite Masonic bodies in the United States. This ceremony will close the twenty-third semi-annual reunion of the Rite in Kansas City, Kas. A class of 150 persons have taken degrees from the fourth to the thirty-second at this reunion” (19 Nov 1909, page 12). The Fall Reunion was the twenty-third for the Valley of Kansas, Orient of Kansas. On the first day of the reunion, Thomas Wentworth Harrison of Topeka, SGIG in Kansas was in attendance (Kansas City Times 18 Nov. 1909, page 1). On the second day of the reunion, the degrees of Victory Chapter Rose Croix were conferred on a class of seventy-five candidates. In the third day, the degrees from nineteen to thirty inclusive in John H. Brown Council Knight Kadosh were conferred to the candidates.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 706 – Scottish Rite Fire in Louisville, 1924

Part 706: Scottish Rite Fire in Louisville, 1923

Yesterday I explored the Masonic Temple Theatre fire that occurred right after the Louisville Masons moved into a new building; they were fortunate as the majority of their possessions were out of the space at the time. The year was 1903 and the fire started in the theater; a commercial theater intended for touring productions. The losses of the visiting shows and tenants were substantial.

Skip ahead two decades and a similar event happens after the Scottish Rite Masons leave their home at the corner of Sixth and Walnut Street. Fortunately the damage to did not destroy the building.

Postcard of the first Scottish Rite Cathedral in Louisville, Kentucky.

On June 27, 1923, the old Louisville Scottish Rite was sold, becoming the R. E. Jones Temple, Methodist Episcopal Church. This is a fascinating side note about this church and its namesake. During April 1924, the new owners of the building celebrated a significant event: Rev. Dr. Robert Elijah Jones received a memorial tablet commemorating his election as the first African-American general superintendent in the Methodist Episcopal Church at the General Conference, held in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 19, 1920. Prior to his election, African-American bishops often only held missionary posts. As general superintendent, Jones became the resident bishop of the New Orleans area, with an office and residence in New Orleans. His area comprised seven conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas. In total, Jones was responsible for 1,905 churches.

The April celebration included an address by the Rev. Dr. John L. Fort, pastor of the Trinity Methodist Church who said, “It is a church wide enough in affection to include both rich and poor, and universal enough to believe that salvation is intended for blacks as well as whites (Courier-Journal 14 April 1924, page 16). Jones (1872-1960) dedicated his career to religion, the racial unification of the Methodist Episcopal Church, racial equality, community development, and education. He is a fascinating figure in the history of the Methodist church, but was also a 33^rd degree Scottish Rite Mason. Jones’ story and papers are now part of the Maistad Research Center. Here is a link that is well worth reading about R. E. Jones: http://amistadresearchcenter.tulane.edu/archon/?p=collections/findingaid&id=51&rootcontentid=31039

Sadly, tragedy struck the mext month. On May 27, 1924, the Courier-Journal reported “Five Firemen and a negro preacher were overcome by smoke last night when flames of undetermined origin ignited debris in the basement of the R. E. Jones Temple, formerly the Scottish Rite Cathedral at Sixth and Walnut Streets. At least a dozen other firemen narrowly escaped being overcome by the dense smoke…slight damage was done, though, on account of the smoke, firemen were an hour putting out the fire” (page 5). No name was given for the preacher who died of smoke inhalation.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 705 – Masonic Temple Fire in Louisville, 1903

Part 705: Masonic Temple Fire in Louisville, 1903

In 1903, there was a fire that destroyed the Masonic Temple in Louisville, Kentucky; this was not the Scottish Rite Cathedral, but it had a theater. The Weber Bros. managed Louisville’s Masonic Theatre and the house had a seating capacity of 1,743 (Orchestra, 674, Balcony, 478 and gallery, 571). The width of the proscenium was 36 feet wide by 36 feet high. The depth from the footlights to the back wall as 43 feet and the height to the rigging loft was 72 feet. The depth under the stage was 10 feet and the height to the fly gallery was 25 feet. It was certainly a sizable space for productions, and not some little hole-in-the-wall space.

At the time, a theatre in a Masonic building was not unusual. Many nineteenth-century Masonic buildings relied on the rent collected from retail tenants who leased the first few floors of the building, with lodge rooms in the upper levels. For Masonic opera houses they used the performance space for the income, with lodge rooms tucked away in upper levels. Examples were found all over the country, including in Duluth, Minnesota. The building used by the Duluth Scottish Rite before its current home was also a Masonic Temple with public theatre. The Masons only started to encounter major after the constructed huge edifices that were only used and rented by the Fraternity. If the Masonic orders stopped renting or ceased to exist, it was almost impossible to find a new tenant and recoup the lost income. Furthermore, if the building was only occupied by only one Masonic group, it would only take a decline in membership to start the ball rolling in regard to financial problems pertaining to standard building maintenance costs or repairs.

Now, let’s look at the landscape of Masonic opera houses, theaters and halls that were listed in Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide for the 1903-1904 Season. Seventeen Masonic stages were listed as an option for touring companies. These were not the only ones, just those listed as an option by Julius Cahn.

Advertisement in Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide for the 1903-1904 Season.

They included:

Masonic Temple Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Masonic Temple Theatre in Wallace, Idaho

Masonic Hall in Sumner, Illinois

Masonic Opera House in Oskaloosa, Iowa

New Masonic Opera House in What Cheer, Iowa

Masonic Temple in Louisville, Kentucky

Masonic Opera House in Bel Air, Maryland

Masonic Theatre in Ellenville, New York

Masonic Opera House in Forestport, New York

Masonic Hall in Sag Harbor, New York

Masonic Opera House in New Bern, North Carolina

Masonic Opera House in Chillicothe, Ohio

Masonic Opera House in Ironton, Ohio

Masonic Hall in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania

New Masonic Theatre in Nashville, Tennessee

Masonic Opera House in Orange, Virginia

Masonic Temple Opera House in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

The earliest mentions of Masonic stages that I have encountered to date were constructed during the 1820s. When you think about it, the idea was brilliant. Lodge rooms were similar as in other Masonic lodges, but it allowed a larger space for events. It is also not hard to make a leap from lodge room floor to elevated stage, especially if there is already a theater in the building complete with stock scenery. How hard would it be to recognize that an existing cave setting, palatial setting, or seascape would enhance a dramatic presentation during degree work?

Back to the Louisville Masonic Theatre fire. One account was published in the “Statesman Journal” 21 Nov. 1903, page 1. Here is the article:

“Masons Lose By Fire.

Old Temple at Louisville Totally Destroyed – Tenants Lose Heavily.

Louisville, Ky., Nov. 20. – Fire early today destroyed the old Masonic Temple, occupying half a block in the heart of the retail business district. The loss is about a quarter of a million dollars, among the largest losers being the Masonic Temple building, $125,000; Insurance, $65,000; Hopkins Theatre, $20,000; J. W. Fowler Drug, $36,000; Rodgers & Krull, jewelers, $40,000.

The fire is supposed to have started in the scenery o the stage of the theatre. The losses to the tenants will be heavier than ordinarily owning to the high insurance rate due to the construction of the building, and because it contained a theatre. There were seven acts on at the theatre this week, and the people presenting them lost their effects. The theatre is owned by Colonel John D. Hopkins, of St. Louis. The building, which was erected in 1864, is a total loss. At one time it was the principal theatre of Louisville.”

Upon a little more digging, I discovered that the building occupied half the block bounded by Fourth, Fifth, Green and Jefferson Streets. The theatre was located on the third floor. Among the losses listed above were Byck Brothers shoes, $15,000; Boston Shoe Co., $15,000; and Charles H. Smith’s Son, hatter, $15,000. From the touring production standpoint, several trained dogs and monkeys lost their lives in the fire. The estimation of totals losses ranged from $200,000 to $300,000.

The loss of the Masons remained relatively low, as they had recently dedicated a new temple at Fourth and Chestnut Streets and removed all their effects to their new home. Hmm. This article completely intrigues me on several fronts, and I am curious to look for a few answers in the Scottish Rite library next week. But there is one more thing…

The big scandal that surrounded the 1903 Masonic Temple Theatre fire was that at least five members of the Louisville fire department were engaged in looting the stores that were being burned. Among the items stolen were meerschaum pipes, shoes, theatre trunks, opera glasses, and jewelry. The box office was ransacked and the dressing rooms behind the stage were rifled through. In other areas, locked desks were broken into with axes, as firemen searched for cash and other valuable artifacts. The corrupt men belonged to two fire companies. The stolen objects were later discovered in their lockers and under their mattresses in the engine house. The search was made after witnesses who came forward made accusations and five were later charged with the actual crime. Nineteen others were charged with being complicit for refusing to give information and/or assisting the men hide the stolen items. An additional six men were dismissed, totaling eleven firemen that were let go. Unreal.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 698 – The Oakland Scottish Rite, 1906

Part 698: The Oakland Scottish Rite

The first plans for the Oakland Scottish Rite published in the “San Francisco Chronicle,” 13 April 1906, page 13

Architectural drawings for the Oakland Scottish Rite published in the “Oakland Tribune,” on 28 Dec. 1906, page 2

On April 13, 1906, The San Francisco Chronicle published the plan for the anticipated Oakland Scottish Rite, reporting:

“Oakland, April 12. – At a cost f $150,000 the new Scottih Rite Cathedral will be erected immediately the southwest corner of Harrison and Fourteenth streets, to a spacious lot 100 feet square, only three block from the business center of Oakland. Because the entire building will be devoted to the uses of the Scottish Rite bodies of this city, the structure has been designed especially to meet their needs, and, when completed, it will be the most perfect building of its king on the Coast. Three principals floors and mezzanine floors between will afford ample accommodations for the lodges. In the basement will be located the banquet room with stage and ante-rooms. A thoroughly appointed kitchen and pantry will supplement this. The banquet room will be reached by two broad staircases, connecting with the two streets o which the building will face. The hall will be finished in rich tints and will be effectively lighted with incandescent lights. A gymnasium and bowling alley, with the usual boiler and store rooms, will complete the basement floor. On the mezzanine floor will be the ornamental entrance of the building, including the offices of the managers of the building. Marble, mahogany, mosaic tile and bronze will be used lavishly in the furnishing of this section of the edifice. On the first floor will be the club rooms, library, smoking and card rooms, billiard rooms, ladies’ parlors, hat and coat rooms, and dressing rooms. The second floor will contain the lodge room and will be the principal floor, in the building. The apartment will be 63×65 feet in size, with a coffered ceiling forty-four feet high and a large art glass dome, lighted from behind. The seating capacity will be 450 and, with a gallery which can be added, 200 more can be accommodated. A stage, with a proscenium opening and equipped with complete scenery and settings for most of the degrees from the fourth to the thirty-second, will be part of the furnishings. Bestor G. Brown, who has fitted up most of the Scottish Rite stages in America, will have charge of this work. The cost of the scenery will be approximately $8,000. An organ oft with a pipe organ and choir is part of the equipment, as are dressing, property and candidates’ rooms” (13 April 1906, page 13).

This was to be the second Oakland Scottish Rite cathedral to include a theater for degree work. Only a decade earlier, the Scottish Rite bodies of Oakland purchased and remodeled an old synagogue in 1896. This was similar to the Little Rock Masons in 1896, who also renovated an existing synagogue to include a Scottish Rite stage with new scenery.

The first Oakland Scottish Rite cathedral was located off Fourteenth Street, between Webster and Harrison Streets; it was dedicated on September 21, 1896. Ten years later the Oakland Scottish Rite was planning to build another Scottish Rite on the southwest corner of Harrison and Fourteenth streets.

As elsewhere across the country, the Oakland Scottish Rite bodies quickly outgrew their first home at 305 Fourteenth Street, necessitating a larger venue to accommodate an ever increasing candidate class sizes. On April 9, 1906, the Oakland Scottish Rite approved the finalized plans for a new Scottishi Rite Cathedral at Fourteenth snd Harrison Streets. Unfortunately, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fire that same month altered their existing plans. Real estate values skyrockets and the anticipated building expenses doubled, causing the Oakland Scottish Rite bodies to rethink their plans. The began the search for an alternative location, finally deciding upon a spot at the southwest corner of Fifteenth and Madison. It took a while, but by 1908, a second set of plans was approved by the Oakland Scottish Rite and construction commenced on their second cathedral. On March 15, 1909, the dedication ceremonies finally took place at 1443 Madison Street.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 696 – The San Francisco Scottish Rite, Feb. 6, 1905 – April 18, 1906

Part 696: The San Francisco Scottish Rite, Feb. 6, 1905 – April 18, 1906

The cornerstone for the Albert Pike Memorial Temple in San Francisco was laid on July 9, 1904 by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, F. and A.M. of California. The name causes a slight problem, as nearly two decades later an Albert Pike Memorial Temple would be built in Little Rock, Arkansas. In Little Rock, the Scottish Rite Masons left their previous home in the 1902 the Albert Pike Consistory Building to join other Little Rock Masonic orders at the Albert Pike Memorial Temple.

Cornerstone laying ceremony for the San Francisco Scottish Rite, 1904.

The San Francisco Scottish Rite’s Albert Pike Memorial Temple was located at 1859 Geary Street in San Francisco, between Steiner and Filmore Streets, the building occupied a 86 feet by 137 feet lot. On February 6^th, 1905, the new home of California Scottish Rite bodies was dedicated and a Scottish Rite Reunion commenced..

Fred J. H. Rickon was the president of the Albert Pike Memorial Temple Association, a group that consisted of some of the most prominent Masons in San Francisco. Other memebers were Frank B. Ladd, William Crocker, W. I. Brobeck and W. C. Ordway. Bestor G. Brown, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas and western sales manager for M. C. Lilley & Co., not only outfitted the new theater with scenery, stage machinery, lighting and costumes, but also “made the presentation speech, paying a graceful tribute to the energy of local fraters” (San Francisco Call, 7 Feb 1905, page 2). Other than the costumes, the theater’s scenery, stage machinery, and lighting were subcontracted to Sosman & Landis of Chicago, Illinois.

In “The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Free-Masonry Transactions of the Supreme Council of the 33^rd Degree for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America” from 1905, there was a report from W. Frank Pierce, Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Valley of San Francisco. He stated:

“Only one reunion has been held in this jurisdiction, This one was at the dedication of the Albert Pike Memorial Temple, San Francisco, and held for the purpose of allowing the brethren from various parts of the State to witness the conferring of all degrees in a temple equipped with the most modern paraphernalia and stage fittings to present their dramatic part of the work.”

On February 6, 1905, the San Francisco Call included the article “Albert Pike Memorial to be Dedicated.” The article reported, “On this occasion the degrees will be conferred with full scenic effects and historically correct paraphernalia for the first time in California. Over $100,000 has been invested in this magnificent structure, of which fully $25,000 is in scenery and costume alone. It is anticipated that many of the craft from all over the State will take advantage of this occasion to receive these degrees, and it is thought that many prominent and distinguished visitors from other jurisdictions will grace the meeting with their presence” (“Albert Pike Memorial to be Dedicated.” 11 Dec. 1904, page 50).

Like many buildings in San Francisco, the Albert Pike Memorial Temple was destroyed during the fire that followed the 1906 earthquake on April 18. By April 22, 1906, the San Francisco Chronicle described the Masonic ruins after the fire: “On Geary street between Filmore and Steiner, two large, new, partly constructed brick and stone buildings, one the Albert Pike Memorial Temple and the other the Congregation Beth Israel Church, both practically collapsed, the roofs falling in. Not far away, on Sutter and Steiner streets, a large new building being constructed for the Golden Gate Commandery of the Scottish Rite fell with a crash” (page 6).

Image of the San Francisco Scottish Rite after the earthquake in 1906, from the San Francisco Public Library.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 683 – Scottish Rite Stages in Salina – 1896 and 1901

Part 683: Scottish Rite Stages in Salina – 1896 and 1901

The first Masonic lodge in Salina, Kansas was organized during 1866. A small group met in what was known as the Goddard house located on the corner of Iron and Santa Fe. A second meeting location was on the second floor of J. F. Hanna’s store in the Probert building. By 1886, Salina Masons constructed their first Temple. Keep in mind that during this same year, Scottish Rite cathedrals with stages were already used in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction cities of Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Fort Wayne.

The 1886 Masonic Temple in Salina cost $25,000, and by 1888 an addition was added to the south. In 1895, this Temple in caught fire and was severely damaged along with much of Salina’s business district. The Salina Masonic bodies immediately began to rebuild their home at South and Santa Fe Avenues (Salina Evening Journal, 30 Jan 1922, page 1). The Masonic losses at he time were recorded to be nearly $150,000. The Salina Daily Republic reported, “the Masonic Temple was ablaze, the flames leaping over the high south wall and making sad havoc with the substantial building and the elegant and costly paraphernalia of the different orders of Masons. The greedy flames devoured the draperies and curtains speedily and torn down the high cupola” (Salina Daily Republic, 4 March 1895, page 1). Note the mention of costly paraphernalia, draperies and curtains. This suggest the possibility of a stage, especially with differentiation between draperies and curtains. Theatre terminology of the time of differentiated between fabric draperies and painted curtains.

The next 1896 Masonic Temple in Salina definitely included a stage. After the fire, a larger temple was built on the old site. Five years after completion, plans were published in a local newspaper, describing the intended improvements that included a three-story addition to the alley. The 1901 extension included a larger stage across tat now covered the entire east end of the main lodge room. A horseshoe gallery also replaced the existing stage a gallery (Salina Daily Union, 28 May 1901, page 3). The “Salina Daily Republican” proclaimed, “The new edifice now being enlarged to the most handsome home of Masonic Bodies in the West —$11,000 Improvements, Making a total cost of $43,000” (17 July 1901, page 4). Of the new improvements, the article reported, “By the work now going on, the Masonic Temple will be remodeled throughout.” The article cited the attached illustrations, “By Fig. 1 it will be seen that a handsomely decorated horseshoe balcony will replace the present affair and that the stage space will be enlarged by the removal of the organ from the corned at the left to the position at the rear, as observed in Fig 2. The new stage is to be equipped with a complete set of new scenery, shifted by regular traps and flys to be put in…With the additions made to the stage and scenery the Scottish Rite ceremonies can now be given the same advantages as in the larger cities.”

Floor plan of proposed 1901 Masonic Temple in Salina, Kansas. From the article “Temple of Masonry,” in the “Salina Daily Republican,” 17 July 1901, page 4.

That same year, the “Salina Herald” noted, “The Scottish Rite bodies in Salina are holding a reunion this week and ‘breaking in’ their new scenery. It is the silver anniversary of the institution of the Mackay lodge of Perfection in Salina and therefore of more than ordinary interest. A class is also being initiated into the mysteries of the different Scottish Rite degrees. This is the first reunion since the Masonic Temple was remodeled and several thousand dollars spent in fixing it specially for the Scottish Rite” (3 Oct 1901, page 3). “The Independent” reported, “The sets of scenery for the stage cost $2,400” (26 Sept. 1901, page 2). The “Salina Daily Union” described “The Temple is now supplied with finer scenery than in any opera house in Kansas and is equaled by no Masonic Temple in the state with the possible exception of Wichita, the scenery is simply superb while the electrical effects heighten the beauty of the stage settings is a hundred fold” (24 Sept. 1901. Page 3). By 1904, the “Salina Evening Journal” published that the Masonic Temple in Salina was one of the finest in the state, “owning a complete set of magnificent scenery painted from the latest designs.” (14 Nov. 1904, page 4). The article continues “The stage is fully equipped with a most complete arrangement of electric lights and the effect produced exceeds most of the large spectacular representations on the stages of the larger theaters in the country.”

As with the rest of the state, the scenery was provided by Sosman & Landis.

To be continued…