The Volcano of Kilaueau cyclorama for the 1893 Columbian Exposition was designed and painted by Walter Wilcox Burridge, the previous business partner of Thomas G. Moses. Burridge was part of another scenic studio when he journeyed to Hawaii during October 1891. Earlier that year, “Albert, Grover & Burridge” established their studio at 3127 State Street in Chicago. Their establishment was a marked departure from previous scenic studios as they implemented advancements in the methods of mounting and presenting stage plays to their clients. Albert was the scenic artist for the Chicago Auditorium, Burridge was the scenic artist for the Grand Opera House and McVicker’s, and Oliver Grover was a well-known instructor at the Chicago Institute of Art.
On October 20, 1891, the “Hawaiian Gazette” reported, “Walter Burridge, the scenic artist who is engaged to paint the Volcano for the World’s Exposition, leaves for that point to-morrow to make his sketches. He will be accompanied by Mr. Webster, the Chicago journalist, who will send a number of letters to the Chicago Inter-Ocean” (page 7). Webster would submit his story as “Special Correspondences” by “Conflagration Jones.” His series began in November and included a comical character named “Burridge.”
One of the “Inter Ocean” articles about Conflagration Jones’ adventures in Hawaii with Burridge.
In addition to Webster, the photographer J. J. Williams also joined the group to document the landscape of Kiluaea. Williams would take a number of photographs to assist Walter Burridge in the final painting for this Midway Plaisance attraction.
On October 27, 1891, the “Hawaiian Gazette” published an article about the upcoming Columbian Exposition (page 2). The article reported, “It now looks as though our modest little country might furnish one of the chief attractions of the Columbian Exposition, viz., a panorama and the volcano.” Both Burridge and Webster were described in the article: “[Webster] is on staff of the Chicago Inter-Ocean, a daily with a circulation of about 80,000 and has been engaged by the Volcano House Co. to write for the Inter-Ocean a series of twelve articles on Hawaii” and Burridge was “a leading landscape artist of Chicago.” The formation of a panorama joint stock company, initially be called “The Kilauea Cyclorama Co.,” would carry the enterprise through to completion. The article continued, “The cost of the panorama will probably be $20,000 – though the amount cannot be ascertained at present with accuracy. The hope is that a suitable building can be obtained so that the company will not be put to the cost of erecting an edifice.”
In order to market this endeavor, however, the public needed to support the project and the large price tag. Hawaiians needed to see the value in participating in the 1893 World Fair. The “Hawaiian Gazette” promoted the endeavor, publishing, “The Columbian Exposition offers an opportunity to advertise this country and make its advantages known, which is simply unparalleled. It is safe to assume that no opportunity will offer itself on a similar scale within perhaps a generation to come. The Hawaiian Government and private individuals should strain every nerve to utilize the opportunity to the utmost. Hawaii must be properly represented. We have a full and fine exhibit – one which will illustrate with completeness the character, conditions and prospects of the country, which will give an adequate conception of its generous climate and unrivaled fertility of its soil. The Hawaiian Band should be sent there. In connection with the panorama, vast quantities of literature with reference to the Islands can be circulated in the shape of books, pamphlets and circulars.”
Excitement for the project continued to build throughout the remainder of fall as Burridge rapidly completed his sketches at the Volcano House. Both Hawaiian and Chicago newspapers began marketing the project and promoting this tropical location as an ideal destination for tourists.
My past few installments looked at Thomas G. Moses’ contribution to the Columbian Exposition Midway Plaisance in 1893. His good friend and colleague, Walter Wilcox Burridge (1857-1913), also created a spectacular exhibit for the Midway Plasiance – a cyclorama of Kilueau, complete with scenic effects. Moses initially left Sosman & Landis in the 1880s to start a business with Burridge called “Burridge Moses and Louderback.” Burridge and Moses were the artists and Louderback was the businessman who specialized in art. Although their company was short lived, the two artists remained friends for the rest of their lives until Burridge passed away in 1916.
Advertisement for the scenic studio of Ernest Albert, Oliver Grover, and Walter Burridge. Burridge’s previous partnership was with Thomas G. Moses.The new studio constructed by Ernest Albert, Oliver Grover, and Walter Burridge.
Burridge left his business with Moses after experiencing a series of struggles with Louderback. He went back to his old scenic art position at the Chicago Opera, but soon formed another partnership – “Albert, Grover and Burridge.” This company with Ernest Albert and Oliver Grover built a new type of scenic studio, complete with a full-scale display area (see installments #134-137). Burridge was still working at “Albert, Grover, and Burridge” when he designed and created the cyclorama for the Columbian Exposition.
The cyclorama of Kilauea painted by Walter Burridge for the 1893 Columbian Exposition Midway Plaisance.
To provide a little context for Moses’ theatrical productions and scenic art at the Columbian Exposition, it seems an appropriate time to include the work of Burridge.
Some of the my information and images for the next few posts have been provided by Eugene “Gene” B. Meier, Jr., M.S. Ed. Our paths crossed during the summer of 2017 as I researched Walter Burridge and the projects that he worked on with Moses (see installments # 131-135). Meier’s name first popped up in a Google search that linked me to his writing for Askart.com. Just as I wrote the biographical information for Thomas G. Moses at Askart, Meier did the same for Walter W. Burridge. The next time I saw a Meier’s post was in a Chicagoloy comment. On January 18, 2016, Meier posted that here were six rotunda panoramas represented at World Columbian Exposition.
A 1912 photograph from Chicagology depicting the cyclorama buildings. Here is the link: https://chicagology.com/goldenage/goldenage049/ It was this post where I encountered Gene Meier’s comments.
I repeatedly stumbled across a series of public postings, all with Meier’s name attached to the information. He was studying the scenic artists and companies who painted nineteenth century panoramas and cycloramas. Meier was doing the exact same thing that I was doing – except I was focusing on Masonic Theaters as the end product. Meier was creating a spreadsheet from the American point of view about 19th century panorama painting.
2004 advertisement about a lecture on the panorama painters by Gene Meier.
In one of his posts, he mentioned Walter Burridge and also commented about his examination of the scenic art diaries by F. W. Heine at the Milwaukee Historical Society. I had also looked at those same diaries during a United States Institute of Theatre Technology Conference when the convention was in Milwaukee! It was at this point that I decided to contact Meier. There were too many instances where our research was covering the same ground.
Now contacting another historian can be like crossing a tightrope over Niagara Falls; one misstep could end the whole stunt. It is understandable that they might not want to share too much, especially if they are preparing to publish their findings. However, scholars really needs to share some of their information because it typically leads to new discoveries and facts that may otherwise remain hidden. I decided to take a chance and put all of my cards on the table and waited for Meier to respond.
It is possible that I was the first person to really show a shared interest in his topic, or that he is a completely trusting soul and sees the importance of bringing this information to light. Like me, his actions suggested that it was more important to share his research instead of being recognized for his particular contribution. We immediately recognized each other as kindred spirits and fellow historians who were working toward a bigger picture. But there was something else propelling his search – family. Meier has a personal connection to the art form as his great aunt was a student of panorama artists Richard Lorenz and Otto v. Ernst. For me, THAT could be a story in itself – except that I am swimming in tales already.
I received a flood of emails with attachments during July 2017 as he sent a lot of his primary research. This is a perfect example of “be careful of what you wish for” as you might have every request fulfilled. I am still in the process of slowly filtering through Meier’s files. I have been waiting for an appropriate opportunity to introduce and promote both Meier and his project. With my recent trip to Hawaii to see Thomas G. Moses’ great-grandson and my current examination of Moses’ contribution to the 1893 Columbian Exposition, now seems the ideal time. Tomorrow we look at the Burridge’s design and painting for his spectacular attraction – the Cyclorama of Kilauea.
Thomas G. Moses painted scenery for the Java, Lapland and South Seas Islanders attractions at the 1893 Columbian Exposition. These cultural displays attempted to depict “natives” in their original habitat. In many ways it was a human zoo for curious westerners. We are still fascinated with examining other cultures in “safe spaces” or on our own turf. The countries in Walt Disney’s Epcot is one example and Minnesota’s “Festival of Nations” another. We get to experience the people, products and foods from far away in the comfort of our own backyard. Just as the displays are constructed for today’s entertainment, a variety of artisans helped to stage each Midway Plaisance attraction. In 1893, Moses provided painted backgrounds to suggested the country of origin for various dances and performances.
Javanese Village with bamboo fence encircling the Midway Plaisance attraction at the Columbian Exposition, 1893. Thomas G. Moses provided scenery for the Javanese Theatre.
The Javanese village at the Columbian Exposition was encircled by a very tall bamboo fence. Inside were huts that housed over one hundred men and thirty-six women. The structures were built on stilts and characteristic of those found near the Preanger Regencies in West Java. The attraction included thirty-six houses, a bazaar, kiosk, coffee-house, temple and theater. The decorative patterns of the community’s buildings were a source of constant interest by fairgoers.
Decorative huts in the Javanese Village, 1893.
Near each home, the inhabitants acted out scenes from daily life. This included carving, weaving, batik work, rolling cigarettes, handling coffee, and making silk. A variety of items were created from bamboo, palm leaves, rattan, chinchona, and teawood.
In the center of the settlement was an aloon-aloon, or public square. Buildings that bordered the square included a church, observation tower, manager’s house, and a theatre. Moses provided the painted setting at the Javanese theatre.
Thomas G. Moses produced this scene for the Javanese Village, 1893 Midway Plaisance.Ticket to the production that Thomas G. Moses painted scenery for in 1893.
The production was the “wajang wong,” a narrated pantomime accompanied with music played. The songs were by the “gamelan,” a native orchestra. One Columbian Exposition publication reported, “The girls danced, or postured, to music that was principally made on metal gongs, struck with soft hammers, and always in the minor, or sad key. Some of these notes were very deep and resonant, and might be heard a long distance. Three of the males would carry “onglongs,” or a bamboo strung on reeds, and the shaking of these extraordinary instruments with concerted effort produced soft, sad and peculiar music.”
Nearby visitors watched men show their skill with a blowpipe and longbow. Of all the attractions on the Midway Plaisance, this was reported to be the “most ethnological exhibit” and “anthropological display.” One World Fair publication reported, “At night the little Javans sat on their door-steps and played their low instruments, while the sonorous notes of their orchestra, within the theatre, deepened the sadness of the night. The great [Ferris] Wheel beyond might glitter with its five hundred lights, the Midway masses might go by in joy under the white lamps, but the scene where the onglongs played was always far off – continents and seas away, with but a step to go. To sit on the veranda of the Javan coffee-house, and let the hour grown late – it was the only truly poetic thing offered by the World’s Columbian Exposition.”
View of the distant Ferris Wheel from the Javanese Village at the Columbian Exposition, 1893.
Opposite of the Java attraction was another theatre with scenery painted by Moses. It was a village with Samoan and Wallis Islanders. The Official Guidebook of the World Fair reported, “The Samoans were the most industrious entertainers on the Plaisance.” The theater was a high platform. Before the stage were two hollow logs, musical instruments that provided rhythm and some variation of notes. A processional of villages marched out of their front gate and into their theatre. This was to entice followers who would pay the twenty-five cents for the performance. The article continued, “This march would be repeated while the audience waited, and when a sufficient “house” was obtained the four dances and songs which comprised a program would begin.”
The Laplander village was the northern equivalent to the Java and South Seas settlements. It had a population of twenty-four men, women and children with twelve reindeer and five dogs. This attraction was located near the Brazilian Music Hall and the Hungarian dance hall and theater. The Laplander Village was developed to suggest the living conditions in a northern climate. Unfortunately, the participants were contractually obligated to wear their traditional and heavy garments throughout the hot Chicago summer.
Chinese Attraction across from the Old Vienna attraction in 1893. Midway Plaisance, Columbian Exposition.Exterior painting on attraction No. 35 attraction in the Columbian Exposition Midway advertising the Chinese Theatre.
Thomas G. Moses painted the “Chinese Theatre” attraction for the Midway Plaisance at the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Although it was located a considerable distance from the western gate of the fairgrounds, two distinctive towers easily identified the building. Opposite Old Vienna, the Chinese attraction was exhibit number 35.
The exhibit across from the Chinese attraction at the Columbian Exposition in 1893 – Old Vienna.The exhibit across from the Chinese attraction at the Columbian Exposition in 1893 – Old Vienna.
Guidebooks advertised it as “Chinese Theatre, Joss House, Bazaar and Café.” The Joss House depicted representations of Chinese life, “dating back 400 years, showing both in scenery and figures their religious beliefs, modes of punishment and general way of living.” There was also a temple of worship included in the attraction.
Costumed characters for the Chinese attraction at the 1893 Midway Plaisance.
The Wah Ming Company organized the Chinese attraction, under the direction of a showman from Ogden, Utah, named Col. H. Sling. It was reported that the exhibit was transported to Chicago at an expense of $100,000. Entrance to the bazaar was free, with individual shows and attractions charging a fee – such as the fortune teller and the show. The Chinese theatre’s production was called “God in Heaven” and involved a large cast. Performances were advertised as using “Chinese actors in handsome all-silk costumes.” In fact, it was intended as a traditional Chinese Opera, “imported direct from China.” Males played the female leads. Chinese musicians were also reported as “playing on native instruments” to accompany the performance.
Like many of the foreign attractions, especially those from the East, the displays were meant to amuse the general public and not necessarily educate visitors about other peoples and cultures. China was not really presented as an “advanced” or “civilized” country when compared to its western counterparts.
A Chicago Inter Ocean article that examined all of the midway exhibits at the Columbian Exposition in 1893.
On November 1, 1893, The Daily Inter Ocean (Vol. 22, No. 220) published an article titled “The Story of the Midway Plaisance.” In it, the Chinese attraction was described in detail:
“A Chinese theater, restaurant, bazaar, and Joss-house combined, in a sky blue structure with red trimmings, attracted people fond of boiler-shop fugues and sonatas with pure Wagnerian motives. The music was too much like a dynamite explosion in a tin shop to be strictly popular. Some of the more hardy came and listened to a Chinese lecture on the beauties of Chinese drama at a slight additional fee, which was being delivered by subscribers in numbers on the installment plan. A small percentage tried it and came away after a session in a state of extreme fret and anxiety to learn whether or not the villain was foiled in the fifth act, which they might see returning in ten days. The religious exercises were so only in name.”
Souvenir program for “A Street in Cairo” attraction at the Midway Plaisance of the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Thomas G. Moses painted scenery for this World Fair attraction.
Thomas G. Moses painted scenery for “A Street of Cairo” at the 1893 Columbian Exposition. It was directly across from the Moorish Palace and Turkish Village. The attraction included 26 buildings that presented an idealized view of Egypt and was never intended as an exact replica of any particular street. World Fair guidebooks note that some of the structures were stylistic imitations of well-known monuments, but that is where historical accuracy ended. Dozens of stands sold “authentic” Egyptian items to passersby as they wandered through the fair. Everything on display was placed to turn a profit, unlike the official fair exhibits from foreign countries.
Bird’s eye view of the Midway Plaisance at the Columbian Exposition in 1893. Note the onion dome of the Moorish Palace on the right. ” A Street in Cairo” is partially depicted on the left.
Historical records suggest that Egypt was not in any financial position to participate as an official exhibit at the Columbian Exposition. However, many from the country recognized the potential for positive propaganda and tourism if the country was included in the fair. Privately funded, “A Street in Cairo” was managed by Georges Pangalo. Pangalo was born in Smyna, Turkey, to a Greek father and English mother. Over the years, he worked in various fields, from railroad service and journalism to banking and financial management.
George Pangalo, producer of “A Street in Cairo” for the 1893 Midway Plaisance.
For the Columbian Exposition, Pangalo worked with Max Herz, the chief architect to the Comité de Conservation des Monuments de l’Art Arabe. This was the official state agency responsible for the preservation of Arab-Islamic monuments in Egypt. The intention was for Herz’s official position to give credibility to Pangalo’s endeavor.
Traveling to Cairo, Herz employed the Austrian architect Eduard Matasek to assist him in the preparation of the necessary plans for the attraction. Most components for the buildings were produced in Cairo and shipped to America. The buildings were then assembled on site under the supervision of a Chicago architect. Herz later arrived to supervise the final stages of the construction.
Photograph of “A Street in Cairo” at the Columbian Exposition.Photograph of “A Street in Cairo” at the Columbian Exposition.
In addition to the architectural accuracy, costumed participants, camels, and donkeys provided an air of authenticity. The Chicago attraction was modeled after the 1889 Paris Exposition’s “Rue de Caire.” In Chicago, performance venues complimented the street vendors and foreign structures. The Turkish Theatre, the Algerian Theatre and the Persian Theatre all advertised stage shows, complete with scenery depicting the appropriate locales. Many of the stage scenery was painted by Chicago artists, such as Moses. In these theaters, popular dancers such a “Little Egypt” (Fahreda Mahzar) performed their routines. A variety of musical entertainments from the Ottoman Empire were on display for the inquisitive public.
Wedding procession staged at the Midway Plaisance in the “Street of Cairo” attraction during 1893.
Other performances that appeared outside of the theatre and on the street were staged processionals or small vignettes. One example was Achmet, the celebrated “donkey boy of Cairo.” This young man arrived in Chicago on April 13, 1893 and began work the next day. He wandered through the fairgrounds with his donkey named “Yankee Doodle.” All summer, little children rode up and down the “Street in Cairo,” from café to the “Temple of Luksor” (Luxor) and back for a fee.
Some of the donkey boys at “A Street in Cairo” Midway Plaisance attraction in 1893.
These shows and street scenes transported visitors to a foreign land in settings that specifically catered to the American public. The types of entertainment produced for the Midway Plaisance were a mixture from many cultural traditions. For the fair, Pangalo imported a diverse array of individuals and groups from different locations throughout the Ottoman Empire. Not all of the performers returned to their native lands after the fair, however, some remained in the area and established new homes. America became an even larger melting pot.
Illustration by Charles Graham depicting costumed participants at the Midway Plaisance during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Graham worked as an illustrator and scenic artist for the theatre.Illustration by Charles Graham depicting a scene from the Midway Plaisance during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Graham worked as an illustrator and scenic artist for the theatre.Illustration by Charles Graham depicting a scene from the Midway Plaisance during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Graham worked as an illustrator and scenic artist for the theatre.
The nineteenth-century fascination with the exotic permeated many other areas of society beyond the commercial theatre. Masonic halls, Scottish Rite stages, Shrine auditoriums and other fraternal spaces enthusiastically incorporated elements from the East into their buildings and ceremonials. The Columbian Exposition did not usher in this movement, but it certainly promoted what was possible and visually appealing. The theatrical manufacturers and suppliers that decorated the fairgrounds were well versed in this exotic aesthetic.
In addition to midway amusements, Moorish revival style buildings appeared across the country in other public spaces. Scenes from the Orient dominated periodical illustrations, stereoscopic cards, themed rooms and other popular amusements. Horseshoe arches, window tracery, onion domes, minarets, decorative brickwork and stucco exteriors rapidly appeared in many metropolitan cities. The architectural ornamentation and painted decorations for “A Street in Cairo” were replicated hundreds of times over for one particular performance venue – the Scottish Rite.
The manufacturers of Scottish Rite degree productions enthusiastically embraced the exotic. Palatial scenes, landscapes, and temple interiors all included visual elements from well-known illustrations of nineteenth-century artists. Traveling artists both captured and popularized the foreign monuments, people and traditions. David Roberts and John Frederick Lewis were just two examples of those who recorded archeological discoveries and the culture of the Egypt and the Middle East. Their scenes would reappear through hundreds of commercial and fraternal performance venues. In turn, Charles Graham who was once a scenic artist, created dozens of illustrations that memorialized “A Street in Cairo.”
Illustration by Charles Graham depicting a scene from the Midway Plaisance during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Graham worked as an illustrator and scenic artist for the theatre.
During 1893, Thomas G. Moses worked on a variety of productions, spectacles and other attractions, including an elaborate revival of the “Black Crook” for Imre Kiralfy (1845-1919). The June 12, 1892, issue of the “Chicago Tribune” included the article, “Kiralfy’s New Pantomime for Chicago.” The article reported that Henry Abbey made a contract with Imre Kiralfy to furnish a new pantomime and produce it at the Auditorium in Chicago during the Columbian Exposition.
Kiralfy’s 1893 revival of “The Black Crook” was intended to be one of his largest indoor productions to date. Imre and his brother Bolossy (1848-1932) had previously staged a revival of “The Black Crook” during August 1873. It was their first musical spectacle at Niblo’s Garden Theatre and played over one hundred performances. Then the production went on tour, breaking the record number of performances for a revival. It was this production that brought the brothers immediate fame in America.
The Kiralfy Brothers revival of “The Black Crook” at Niblo’s Garden in New York, 1873.
Imre and Bolossy were born to Jacob Königsbaum and Anna Weisberger in Budapest, two of seven children. The brothers were trained as dancers and soon performed for a variety of venues, such as the Hungarian Circus. They traveled throughout Europe under the stage name “Kiralfy” due to their father’s activities during the Hungarian revolution. Their other siblings also joined the dance industry and the family motto became, “All the World’s a Stage.” The Kiralfys soon became producers and organized pageants by their mid-twenties.
Their travels eventually brought them to America in 1869 where they produced extravagant stage shows with spectacular scenic effects, large casts and stunning costumes. The brothers later separated, but each continued to produce shows. Imre primarily focused on grand spectacles, such as “The Fall of Rome” that was staged on Staten Island with two thousand performers.
Imre’s 1892 revival of “The Black Crook” was intended to challenge Eugene Tompkins’ version at the New York Academy of Music. Tompkins production opened in August 1893 and the September 5 Chicago Tribune review of his production reported, “Expectation has been both filled and disappointed in the “Black Crook” at the [New York] Academy. For sightlines in its costumes and scenery the spectacle has never been surpassed in this country.”
During October 1892 there was another revival of “The Black Crook” that appeared for a week at the Criterion in Chicago with the Alexander and Allen Company. No further mention or advertisements were published of Imre’s intended production, but it did merit mention in Moses’ manuscript that he produced the scenery. It is possible that his scenery was eventually used for the Criterion Theatre production.
Imre Kiralfy’s production of “America” at the Chicago Auditorium in 1893.
Kiralfy also created two other spectacles to coincide with the Columbian Exposition – “Columbus” and “America.” Each would prove to be a grand success. Their patriotic theme and consecutive appearance at the Civic Auditorium might have been why the “Black Crook” revival fell to the wayside and was never performed at the Auditorium as intended.
Advertisement of “America” at the Chicago Auditorium, 1893.
Kiralfy’s son Charles assisted with the opening of “America, 400 Years of American History.” It premiered at the Auditorium in Chicago and coincided with the opening of the World’s Columbian Exposition. It grossed almost one million dollars in its seven-month run.
The Chicago Auditorium, program for Imre Kiralfy’s “America.”The Chicago Auditorium, program for Imre Kiralfy’s “America.”
Imre also produced “Columbus and the Discovery of America” that opened at the Madison Square Garden Theatre, later touring to the Auditorium in Chicago during the World Fair. For this production, he hired Thomas G. Moses to create the scenery. “Columbus” then toured for two years.
Imre Kiralfy’s production of “Columbus and the Discovery of America.”
The amount of scenery that Moses produced from 1892 to 1893 is astounding. There is also an added interest for me concerning Moses’ involvement in the 1893 revival. At this same time, he was working with David Austin Strong, one of the original scenic artists for the 1866 production of the show. Moses had been painting with Strong since starting at the Sosman & Landis studio. His typed manuscript records that he and Strong painted a panorama of Grant’s trip around the world, the first project completed after the main studio was built.
What a small world, then and now.
There is also one more connection that affects another history beyond the stage; Kiralfy, Strong and Moses would all become Scottish Rite Masons.
The Chicago Masonic Temple (1892-1939) with two electric scenic theaters manufactured by Sosman & Landis. They were place on the roof top venue during 1894.
“A City Under One Roof – The Masonic Temple” was an article in “Scientific American” (Feb. 10, 1894). It reported, “Of all the buildings of our Western sister Chicago, none is more remarkable than the Masonic Temple, a structure which, in its functions, dimensions and construction, is one of the unique buildings of the world. In spite of its name, it is proudly claimed to be the “highest commercial building in the world.” In it we find exemplified the union of Freemasonry and commerce, a four and one-half million dollar building supplying beautiful halls and parlors for Masonic rite, as well as an unequaled collection of business offices.”
One of the theaters for the Chicago’s Scottish Rite. The stage scene depicts the 15th degree setting for the palace of King Cyrus.
The Masonic Temple was situated on the corner of Randolph and State Streets and measured three hundred and two feet high. The architects were Burnham & Root, with Burnham also being selected as the Columbian Exposition’s Director General of Works. The general dimensions were 175’ (front) by 113’ (depth). The building was eighteen stories high with fourteen elevators. The seventeenth and eighteenth floors being occupied by Masonic rooms, York Rite Drill rooms and Scottish Rite stages.
View looking down at the main lobby in the first floor of the 1892 Chicago Masonic Temple.
The main entrance was a granite arch that measured 45’ high by 38’ wide, larger than most proscenium arches for Scottish Rite theaters at the time.
Main entrance to the 1892 Chicago Masonic Temple.
A “Western Electrician” article reported, “Upon entering the building a visitor’s attention is attracted by a large sign composed of incandescent lamps in the form of a hand pointing upward and the words ‘Electric Scenic Theaters.’ From the tip of the forefinger of the hand a row of lights extends upward the entire height of the building to the garden. This is called a “chaser,” and the lamp globes are of different colors. By means of a switch light passes along the line, changing in hue as it ascends, until it reaches the glass roof of the building.” This switch, as well as many of the devices in the Masonic Temple theaters, was designed and built by C. D. Baker, the electrical engineer for Sosman & Landis. There is much more information about the technical aspects of the lighting system posted at Chicagology. Here is the link: https://chicagology.com/goldenage/goldenage026/
When the Columbia Exposition closed during the fall of 1893, Sosman & Landis began plans to convert the Masonic Temple roof into two electric scenic theatres. Articles noted that the new theatre went beyond the mere imitation of “A Day in the Alps” with “extended improvements and with more attention paid to detail.” The roof garden space atop the Masonic Temple was 302 feet from the ground, an incentive to draw any audience to see a show. It was Sosman & Landis of Chicago who designed and managed the venue.
Advertisement depicting the roof top garden on top of the Chicago Masonic Temple in 1894.
Each electric scenic theater was designed with a seating capacity of 75. The first theatre replicated “A Day in the Alps” from the Columbian Exposition’s Midway Plaisance, presenting an alpine scene where a mountain stream formed a motion picture screen. Upon the river’s banks were houses and a nearby chapel. A mill in the foreground and bridge were included, allowing villagers to cross. High upon a snow-peaked mountain was a lovely castle. The production was also called “A Day in the Alps.” The show started with the midnight toll of the bell. The gloaming of dawn was followed by a brilliant. As on the midway, a thunderstorm approached, passing over the scene with vivid flashes of lightning and loud rolling thunder. Dusk soon appeared and the moon rose into the night sky until the clock struck midnight again. Twenty-four hours of in an alpine setting. Focusing lamps, rheostat boxes, switches, reflectors and other devices for the atmospheric effects were placed behind the scene.
The Electric Scenic Theatre in the Midway Plaisance at the 1893 Columbian Exposition. The scenery for “A Day in the Alps” was painted by Thomas G. Moses.
Thomas G. Moses records that he painted the scenery for “A Day in the Alps” at the 1893 Columbian Exposition. The concessionaire for the Electric Scenic Theatre at the Columbian Exposition was Mr. Arthur Schwarz. Located in the Midway Plaisance, a beautiful Swiss Alpine stage scene transitioned from day to night for each performance. Placards were placed outside of the theater’s entrance. They advertised, “Do not miss this chance of a lifetime” and “The Most Intellectual, Absolutely Interesting Spectacle of the Midway Plaisance.” They were competing with Freak shows and other spectacles. Other signs described the show: “Every phase of an Alpine Day is produced with startling realism.” These were supported by testimonials such as “The most beautiful sight I have seen at the fair!” The price for admission was $0.25 per adult or for two children. Single children were provided free admittance with an adult’s admission.
The outside ticket stand near the Electric Scenic Theatre at the Columbian Exposition Midway. Placards and outdoor signage advertised for the production, “A Day in the Alps.”
World Fair guidebooks reported, “The stage picture is a beautiful Swiss Alpine scenery, depicting in a realistic way every change of nature shown from dawn to night, as each gradually appears, and representing some of the most wonderfully realistic light effects ever produced by electric lamps. It is almost beyond belief that the visitor is not looking at a marvelous production of nature itself, instead of a picture created by an ingenious and artistic display of electric lights. The scene represents “A Day in the Alps.” Tyrolean warblers perform on their various instruments, and sing their tuneful lays. Their renowned “yodels,” as sung at each performance, are applicable to the scenery. The entire scenic effects are produced by about 250 electric incandescent lamps, operated from in front of the stage, in full view of the audience, by switches. The interior of the theatre is handsomely furnished with comfortable chairs. There are nine electric fans, producing a permanent current of fresh air, keeping the whole room at a low temperature and as refreshing as a sea breeze, it matters not how hot it may be outside.”
Flyer for the 1893 Midway Plaisance attraction.
Other guidebooks noted that the scenic production “begins with sunrise, and over the mountain top appears the ruddy glow of early sunlight. Then, as morning advances, and the volume of light increases, the beauties of the mountain become more apparent until their full glory flashes upon the beholder. The shepherd boys and girls are seen with their herds, and every feature of Alpine life is faithfully portrayed. Then a storm arises, and the effects here produced by electricity are surprisingly beautiful. After the storm dies away and the clouds vanish Nature smiles again. Then the day begins to fade, and at last it is night, with the stars brooding over all.”
Franz Reilhofer and the Tyrolean Warblers provided music during “A Day in the Alps” at the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
“Western Electric” (vol. 12, pg. 322) published that the mechanical apparatus used red, blue and white lamps that were arranged alternately. The article reported, “Each color and each locality in the setting was wired on a separate circuit, so that, by the introduction of resistance, it only becomes a question of skillful manipulation to give light of any shade or intensity desired. Of course, none of the lamps are visible, as they are arranged in the footlights and wings as well as overhead and behind the setting. The motion of the moon is produced by a tiny motor.” Just like for the 21st Scottish Rite degree production with the ruined abbey and moon that tracks across the sky.
Advertisement for the Electric Scenic Theatre’s “A Day in the Alps” at the Columbian Exposition in 1893.
This presentation was so popular that Sosman & Landis immediately created a replica for the new Masonic Temple’s roof top garden after the fair closed. Over the years the studio would create many more electric scenic studios, including the 1908 “A Day in Japan,” created for the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Exposition. It had value.
Sosman & Landis listing another Electric Scenic Theatre for sale after the Pittsburg Exposition. Their hands would have been full with filling Scottish Rite scenery requests by this point.
The Columbian Exposition in 1893 introduced many new concepts and products. From a culinary standpoint, new products included Cracker Jack, Juicy Fruit gum, Quaker Oats, Cream of Wheat, shredded Wheat, and Milton Hershey’s version of chocolate. But there was another product featured at the fair, and it was not contained to any one building – electricity. Not only was there an official building dedicated to electricity, but it dominated the White City. The mammoth white buildings gleamed and glistened with electric lights under evening skies.
A view of the Columbian Exposition in Chicago at night during 1893.The Columbian Exposition at night with the Midway Plaisance and iconic Ferris Wheel in the distance.
There was battle across the country for who would light this land and the interior of every business. One of the first major battles for light occurred during the Columbia Exposition. Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse both put in bids to light the fair. Westinghouse, armed with Tesla’s new induction motor submitted an extremely low bid and eventually won the contract. Originally, Tesla planned on using GE bulbs, but Edison who was still irked would not sell to Tesla and Westinghouse. In the end, Westinghouse came up with an even more efficient double-stopper light bulb. Tesla’s 12 thousand-horsepower AC polyphase generators created the City of Light. Some even referred to Tesla’s machines as “Teslas’ animals.” On May 1, 1893 approximately 100,000 lamps illuminated the White City. Electricity and AC current would soon spread across the country. In the next few years, AC power would become the standard for 80% of the country.
One of the most visited exhibits at the Columbian Exposition was the Electricity Building. It was one seven buildings that enclosed the Great Court of the Entrance. The Manufacturers building and the Electricity building were on the north end, the Machinery and Agricultural building on the south end, the railway station on the west end, and the Peristyle with its pavilions on the east end. The Administration Building was in the center of the group. Each had a common height of sixty feet to the top of its cornice with a foot print of 350’ x 700.’
Proposed drawing for the Electricity Building at the Columbia Exposition in 1893.Electricity Building for the Columbian Exposition with over 700 exhibits inside from all over the world.
The Electricity Building offered a variety of possibilities for the future of mankind with over 700 displays from all over the world, including exhibits from Germany, France, England, Canada, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Sweden, Mexico and Russia. General Electric, Fort Wayne Electric, Brush Electric, Germania Electric, La Roche Electric Co., Akron Electric Co., Eddy Electric Co., Crocker-Wheeler Electric, Hansen & Van Winkle Electric, National Electric Co., Heisler Electric Co., Detroit Electric Works, Excelsior Electric, Electric Forging Co., Jenney Electric Motor Co., C & C Motor Co., Munsen Belting Co., Hornell Iron Works, Riker Motor Co., Perkins Lamp Co., New York Insulated Wire Co., E. S. Greeley & Co., Belknap Motor Co., Arnold Motor Co., A.C. Mather, Swan Lamp Co., were just a few of the business represented in the building.
However, no one anticipated exactly how much noise would be emitted from displaying all this new technology. Bright lights came at a price in a confined space! A deafening noise from the machinery accompanied the electrical displays. It was recorded that many people left after just a few minutes when they encountered the noise from the machines.
A guidebook explained “The next most prominent exhibit in the [Electrical] building is that of the Western Electric Company, of Chicago, immediately to the east of the main south entrance. This company has three pavilions, one an Egyptian temple paneled on the outside most uniquely with Egyptian figures and groups associated with electricity. For instance, there is a group of Egyptian maidens, of the time of Ramses the Second, operating a telephone board, and another group of men of the same period laying telegraph lines. The conceit is very popular.”
The Egyptian Temple in the Electricity Building as part of the Western Electric Company exhibit. This display was created by Sosman & Landis scenic studio of Chicago.
This Egyptian Temple was created by Sosman & Landis and painted by Thomas G. Moses and his crew. Even though there was another Egyptian Temple on the fairgrounds, the Temple of Luksor that was located on the Midway Plaisance, Western Electric Company created “Hello Central.” Western Electric’s intention was to clash the past with the present – ancient hieroglyphs with the modern telephones.
The Egyptian Temple of the Midway Plaisance for the Columbian Exposition.
Another part of Western Electric’s pavilion in the Electricity Building was a painted stained glass window illuminated by incandescent lamps. As on the stage, the stained glass composition was panted with dye on a piece of fabric. When the translucent material was lit from behind, it took on a magic of its own – glowing for all to see.
Stained glass window created by Sosman & Landis for Western Electric Company’s display in the Electricity Building at the Columbian Exposition, 1893.
Western Electric contracted Sosman & Landis to design not only the Egyptian pavilion and this stained glass translucency, but also a small electric stage. They created a small stage diorama that would demonstrate the use of electric light for theatre productions. There was a switchboard with a combination of arc and incandescent lights to illuminate the small display. But this was not the only electric theatre at the Fair.
The switchboard for the electric theatre by Western Electric Co. in the Electricity Building at the Columbian Exposition. The small stage was created by Sosman & Landis. The Scenic studio’s office were across the street from Western Electric Co. on Clinton Street in Chicago.
Another gained immediate popularity on the Midway Plaisance – the Electric Scenic Theatre where “A Day in the Alps” was presented. This was also the product of Sosman & Landis Studio and painted Thomas G. Moses. That will be the topic for tomorrow.
Thomas G. Moses created painted scenery for a variety of productions during the Columbian Exposition in 1893. One project was for Col. William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody.
Buffalo Bill wanted his Wild West show to be part of the Columbian Exposition. The Committee of Ways and Means standard tariff for a concession was fifty percent of gross proceeds, not fifty-percent of the actual profits. Cody did not appreciate the high percentage and withdrew his request. He then forged ahead with his own plan and leased approximately fifteen acres of land adjacent to the fairgrounds and constructed an 18,000 seat coliseum.
Poster depicting the area adjacent to the Columbian Exposition fairgrounds leased by Cody for “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World.”Flyers that William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody sent ahead to Chicago, announcing the arrival of his show in 1893.
On March 20, 1893, “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World” arrived in Chicago. 100 former cavalry troops, 46 cowboys, 97 Cheyenne and Sioux Indians, 53 Cossacks and Hussars, and several herds of animals were unloaded from the cars at the railroad. In a bold move, Cody opened on April 3 – a full four weeks before the grand opening of the World Fair. This is especially ironic as the White City was behind schedule in the overall construction process.
Photograph depicting a portion of the cast for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West in Chicago during 1893.
His show included wild animals, bronco busters, a cowboy band, a choreographed Indian attack on the Deadwood stagecoach that was vanquished by mounted troopers, a realistic staging of Custer’s last stand, and Annie Oakley’s shooting at impossible targets.
Poster for “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World”Cossacks featured in a poster for “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World”Annie Oakley featured in poster for “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World,” performed in an arena adjacent to the Columbian Exposition fairgrounds in 1893.
Columbian Exposition officials were less than pleased with Cody’s presence. The relationship continued to head south throughout the duration of the fair. When fair officials refused Mayor Carter Harrison’s request for a day with free admittance to the poor children of Chicago, Cody immediately announced a “Waif’s Day” at the Wild West. He offered every child from Chicago free train tickets, free admission to his show, and all the ice cream and candy that they could eat.
1893 newspaper article noting “Waif’s day” in the weekly schedule for “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World.”
His show even closed one day AFTER the fair officially closed. During the fair, his show averaged 16,000 spectators for each of the 318 performances. His profits were estimated at one million dollars, today’s equivalent of approximately twenty-six million dollars.
During the Columbian Exposition, Cody also financed “A Lady of Venice,” starring Viola Katherine Clemmons (1870-1930).
Thomas G. Moses painted scenery for “A Lady of Venice,” starring Katherine Clemmons and produced by William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody in 1893.
“Katherine” Clemmons was born in Palo Alto, California, and first appeared on the stage of McGuire’s Opera House in the mid-1880s. She was cast in a series of Shakespearean plays and traveled to England to study theatre. It was there that she met Cody after she attended one of his shows. Acting as Clemmons agent, he purchased and produced “A Lady of Venice” for her. He established a theatrical business (The Lady of Venice Company) and hired Sherman Canfield to function as her co-manager.
The production opened on September 4, 1893. Newspapers published that it would be “mounted in an extravagant fashion.” The scenes were placed in fifteenth-century Venice and Genoa. The plot dealt with Italian intrigues, politics, and love. Written entirely in blank verse, it was advertised as “a romantic story that admits picturesque accessories.” Clemmons played the character of Nina, an Italian princess and devoted wife who made many sacrifices for an unworthy husband. In the fourth act, Nina dons a man’s armor and attempts to save the city and her husband’s honor, battling her husband’s enemy to the death. She then seeks her Genoese prince, only to find him in the arms of a fair Florentine girl.
Four railroad cars were needed to transport the settings and properties for “A Lady in Venice.” Many newspapers commented on the wonderful mechanical and illumination effects for the stage. Settings included a moonlit masked Fete and Dance, a military encampment, water scenes and canal gondolas. The October 6, 1893 issue of the Buffalo Evening News reported, “The scenery is picturesque and realistic.” This was scenery by Thomas G. Moses.
1894 photograph depicting a scene from “A Lady of Venice,” with scenery painted by Thomas G. Moses. Image from The Museum of New York City collection. Here is the linkL http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=24UAYWLS9VABQ1894 photograph depicting a scene from “A Lady of Venice,” with scenery painted by Thomas G. Moses. Image from The Museum of New York City collection. Here is the linkL http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=24UAYWLS9VABQ1894 photograph depicting a scene from “A Lady of Venice,” with scenery painted by Thomas G. Moses. Image from The Museum of New York City collection. Here is the linkL http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=24UAYWLS9VABQ1894 photograph depicting a scene from “A Lady of Venice,” with scenery painted by Thomas G. Moses. Image from The Museum of New York City collection. Here is the linkL http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=24UAYWLS9VABQ1894 photograph depicting a scene from “A Lady of Venice,” with scenery painted by Thomas G. Moses. Image from The Museum of New York City collection. Here is the linkL http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=24UAYWLS9VABQ
Supporting roles were played by Effie Germon, Francis Carlyle, Clarence Handyside, Richard Ganthony, Erskine Lewis, Helen Russel, and Marion Bender. The show left Chicago for Albaugh’s Opera House in Washington D.C. where it opened on September 19. By September 25, the show was at the Broad Street Theatre in Philadelphia and performing for Buffalo audiences by October 6 (Star Theatre), moving onto the Duquesne Theatre on October 30. By November Clemmons was acting at Globe Theatre in Boston. After a whirlwind tour, the production arrived at Harry C. Miner’s Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York during 1894.
One of many newspaper articles announcing Katherine Clemmons as a “new star” in “A Lady of Venice.” Scenery was painted by Thomas G. Moses for this production.
Unfortunately, Boston and New York critics condemned Clemmons’ performance as “amateurish” and the delivery of her lines as “monotonous.” Cody had met the actress in London during 1887 when Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show was touring throughout Europe. The November 5, 1893, issue of the Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa) published, “It was Buffalo Bill’s money that sent [Clemmons] to Europe for a stage education. It was his money which provided for her elaborate scenery, beautiful costumes, and enterprising manager and a good company.” The article continued to explain that he “spent something like $40,000 in putting this young star upon the road, and it is hoped that she is achieving a success that will in time enable her to return to her distinguished friend the large sum of money which his generosity led him to invest in her.” Cody later claimed to have lost $60,000 on Clemmons’ career during 1892, 1893 and 1894.
Photograph of Katherine Clemmons in “A Lady of Venice.”
Unlike Clemmons, the production was praised for its lavish expenditure on scenery and costumes. The cash outlay for scenery and stage effects was reported in excess of $25,000. The Boston Enquirer (7 Oct 1893, page 3) noted that, “the play was sumptuously staged” and “the scenery well painted.”
One of many newspaper advertisements for “A Lady of Venice,” starring Katherine Clemmons in 1893-1894. The “gorgeous scenery” was painted by Thomas G. Moses.
Cody hired Sosman & Landis to design and paint the scenery for the production. The Daily Inter Ocean (22 August 1893, page 6) published, “A great many managers are stocking with scenery just now in this city. Sosman & Landis have big contracts for stocking new opera houses at Ithaca, NY, and Scranton, Pa., then they are painting an original scenic outfit for “The Lady of Venice,” Effie Elishler’s “Doris,” Heywood’s “Edgwood Folks,” Spring & Welton’s “Black Crook,” and Cheeney’s new spectacular production of “Pharaoh.” Moses was in charge of “A Lady of Venice” and many other projects during 1893. This was just one small fraction of his work with a large profit going to the studio.
