Elberta Theatre to Open Monday
Box Elder News, 9 March 1917, page 1
At three o'clock Monday afternoon the new Elberta Theatre will open its doors to the public. The prices they will charge will be five and ten cents and they will run a continuous show from three until eleven p. m. The opening program will consist of a five part "Blue Bird" entitled "The Chalice of Sorrow" and a two part LKO comedy. The management has announced that there is nothing extra special about this program but that it is just one of the regular "Blue Bird" releases. The same picture will be shown Tuesday. Each picture at the new theatre will be shown two days.
This new picture house combines all the latest features in moving picture theatre conveniences and is one of the most commodious and convenient theatres in the state. The building will seat a few over 500 and the seats have been arranged so that there are three aisles, one in the center and two on the sides. The screen is in the west end, immediately over the entrance and the value of this arrangement will be appreciated when it is remembered that upon entering the darkened room from the outside it is difficult to locate the seats where the entrance is at the back. In this case the light from the screen will be diffused throughout the auditorium in such a manner that the patron, upon entering the building, can see the seats plainly and therefore can easily find one. The seating arrangement has been so designed that persons entering or leaving either by the center or side aisles will not obstruct the view of those remaining which will overcome that annoyance.
The big feature of the show house is the heating and ventilating system. An open space has been left around the entire ceiling and on each side of every beam supporting the roof to admit of the free passage of air from the theatre up into the cavity between the ceiling and roof from whence it is drawn off by large ventilating air ducts. The heating plant is located in the basement at the east end of the building and it comprises a large fresh air duct connecting the free outside with the boxed-in radiators which are heated and a large fan, driven by electricity, sucks the air from the outside, over the hot radiators and then forces the warm air under the floor from whence it finds escapement to the auditorium through round registers in the floor so placed that they will come under the seats. With the warm pure air coming into the building from under the floor and the impure air escaping through the ventilating spaces in the ceiling, the air in the entire building is changed every few minutes so that it will never become vitiated. In the summer time, the warm air will be drawn in from the outside and through dripping burlap, where it will be cooled, and then forced under the floor and instead of being hot air will be cool air so that the place will be made cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Toilets and rest rooms for ladies and gentlemen have been provided in the basement in the east end and there are three exits beside the main entrance which also will serve as an exit, in case of fire, so that the building can be quickly emptied.
The entrance has a double set of swinging doors to overcome cold draughts in the winter and the floor is laid in tiling. The ticket office stands out to the front so that the public can be served either in the lobby or on the sidewalk. On each side of the lobby is a fine room for renting purposes, while over the entrance and between the outside wall and the screen wall, Is a commodious office room for the theatre management.
In a room all by itself and practically apart from the entire building, is the projecting room which is absolutely fireproof. It Is equipped with two modern projecting machines and in it is located the switchboard which controls all the lights In the house.
The orchestra pit stands down in front in the west end, immediately inside the building and just under the screen. There is room for a piano and four or five other instruments so that a regular orchestra can be used when desirable. The floor of the auditorium has a good slope which makes it possible for a person in any part of the building to get a perfect vision of the screen.
All in all, the Elberta is a gem of a moving picture theatre, and now that it is completed and ready for the grand opening, Messrs Shurtliffe and Dredge its proprietors, will give their attention to supplying subjects to be projected onto the screen which will not only entertain, but will educate and elevate the profession.