The C.F. Millett’s building team commenced the construction of Millett’s Opera House early 1878. We proceeded on schedule without any unfortunate events for many months. In July of 1878 all construction briefly was halted to host the State Democratic Convention inside Millett’s Opera House. Millett’s Opera house was designed to seat approximately 1,500 but an estimated 2,000 exuberant party members squeezed in to the interiors of the opera house. It was reported in Austin Weekly Statesman, but hotly disputed by many who observed the delegates to be in short sleeved shirts, that of the 1,400 delegates to the convention, more than 1, 000 carried concealed firearms. No injuries were reported.
On July 4th, I left Austin in the company of my friend, the renown architect Frederick Ernst Ruffini to inspect theatres in Northern cities. We returned several weeks later, accompanied by eight hundred cushioned arm chairs which we installed in Millett’s Opera House just as soon as the last of the delegates to the convention departed.
After much negotiating with various performing artists, the first of the proposed performances to be offered Grand Opening Week October 23rd,1878 was announced. Coquette, “……an American play of classical merit native in diction and incidents…” was to be performed in a benefit for the Austin Library Association using an all amateur actors who were well known Austin residents. You will have to read the September -October 2018 issue of Austin Clubber to learn what really happened to the proposed performance of Coquette,
My friend and fellow Millett’s Opera House General Manager, Ken Richardson, noted that while nothing rivaling a 2,000-delegate convention will occur inside Millett’s Opera House during July or August, the arson fire which occurred in the early morning hours of Monday June 18th, 2018 certainly caused a great deal of excitement and briefly postponed the restoration work scheduled for the interiors.
Mr. Richardson commented that the skill and tremendous commitment of the entire Austin Club staff allowed full operations to resume only one (1) day after the fire. My friend Mr. Richardson also noted several times that the state of the art fire sprinkler system which was installed to comply with City of Austin Fire and Safety Codes- some of the strictest in the United States- began pumping water almost immediately after the fire was started and probably saved the building from complete loss. Mr. Richardson also was kind to note that my influence as City Fire Chief, City Councilman and private citizen to adopt strict fire and safety codes in Austin lay a foundation beginning in 1866 upon which strict fire and safety codes began and continued.
JULY – AUGUST 1878
