Another Use for an old Wooden Baseball Park: Fireworks!!!

On August 20, 1892, the Milwaukee Sentinel ran an article that C.R. Conable, business manager for H.B. Thearle & Co, general American agents for James Pain & Sons, the great London fireworks kings, was in Milwaukee looking to make arrangements for the production of “the gorgeous pyrotechnical exhibition ‘The Last Days of Pompeii’.” The show had finished a successful three month run in Chicago, and Conable was planning to put on eleven performances in Milwaukee, beginning September 1. It was reported the stage performance would require 15,000 square yards of scenery, 300 people, plus a man-made lake 250 feet long and 75 feet wide. After “The Last Days of Pompeii” stage play, based on the novel of Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton, a display of $1,000 worth of fireworks was to be set off.

It was decided to remodel Milwaukee’s Athletic Baseball Park, on 7th and Chambers, to meet the requirements for the show. The wooden park had been built in 1888, with a total seating capacity of 6,500. For this 1892 Western League season the grandstand seating had been added to by 1,000 seats. However in July this league folded, leaving the park with no professional baseball team to host.

Athletic Park Milwaukee Sentinel February 15, 1888

A stage was built, stretching across the entire north side of the ball park (center field), where the live action would take place. The lake was placed in front of this stand, and 3,000 more seats would be erected to accommodate the expected crowds. In addition, workshops, dressing rooms, and other areas, including buildings for an electric light plant, had to be put up. Stage manager Frank Oakes Rose immediately advertised for 500 men, preferably with military experience, a number of younger boys, and “100 YOUNG LADIES, pretty and well formed for stage dancing”. All these extras would fill the roles of soldiers, slaves, priest and priestesses, flower and dancing girls, gladiators, musicians, senators, and many others. Local military band leader Johann Bach was engaged to supply accompanying music. Work began on transforming the baseball grounds into a mimic city of Pompeii within days.

Milwaukee Sentinel August 27, 1892

Both the Milwaukee Sentinel and Milwaukee Journal ran paid ads for the fireworks display, plus the Journal promoted the event in various ways. One promotion was a deal where if a person paid for a small ad in the upcoming newspaper that person would receive a free general admission ticket worth 50 cents for the event on September 3. Advertising prices at the time were 25 cents for the first three lines and a nickel for each additional line.

Tickets, of course, could be purchased elsewhere. Cox & Smith [listed in city directories as real estate and loan agents] advertised tickets for sale at 87 Wisconsin Street [later day address 217 East Wisconsin Avenue] in the local newspapers.

Big crowds were expected for the display at Athletic Park. The day before the first performance it was announced the Third Street, Windlake, Greenfield Avenue, Bay View and Russell Avenue streetcar lines would run direct to the gate of the park. As usual, the Sixth and Twelfth Street lines would take passengers to within one and two blocks of the park, while the Eight Street horse-car line went right to Athletic Park’s gate.

Opening night on Thursday, September 1—declared “Milwaukee Night” by C.R. Conable– indeed was grand, being witnessed by an enthusiastic crowd, estimated between 2,000 and 3,500.

According to reports the Pain exhibitions were historically correct in all details. The play opened with the streets filling with people at the ceremonies held in honor of the goddess Isis, with the temple facing the paying spectators. With Mount Vesuvius in the background, the crowd’s eyes saw in the foreground “a lake bedecked with gondolas and galleys and bordered with gardens and palaces, the streets of an ancient city alive with people in odd, picturesque dress…”. Massive buildings of quaint architecture were on the sides and a marble palace of a rich nobleman stood next to the lake. In addition the set contained a large triumphal arch, a marble bathhouse, the temples of Iris and Neptune, the coliseum and forum of ancient Rome. These sets were of plastic and pictorial, and described by the Milwaukee Journal as “a simple masterpiece of the scenic artist’s skill.” To continue the description of events from the Milwaukee Sentinel : “A trumpet sounds, flower strewn barges pass across the ornamental lakes. Soldiers and priests enter, followed by dancing girls, ladies, and then a guard of honor in front of Arbaces, clad in purple and gold.” Action included all the ancient games and sports, Roman marches, a magnificent ballet and an elaborate pageant of priests, priestesses, Roman guards, flower girls and chariot racing (which took place on a course encircling the lake). As the scenes progressed in this story of love, passion and wealth the earth began to quake and the volcano of Mount Vesuvius “vomits forth flames and clouds of smoke” as the people of Pompeii scatter in wild confusion in every direction. The characters Glaucus, Nydia and Ione board a boat and escape across the man-made lake, amid flashes of lightning and the glows from the torrents of flaming lava. The rich Egyptian, Arbaces, is killed by a falling column. After this volcanic eruption and destruction of the city the elaborate fireworks display continued.

The fireworks were fired off using electricity, except the large set pieces that had been prepared for the occasion, which were set off by hand. The Sentinel described how the fireworks display was prepared for its readers. Fifteen men worked daily preparing the fireworks from three sheds just north of the mock Pompeii city. In these sheds all the powder was made, and items stored to make the set pieces. The men worked all day filling cases with powder—made of charcoal, saltpeter and sulfur–of various colors. Twelve hundred pounds of powder was used each night in the destruction of Pompeii. The set pieces in the display were first outlined in chalk on a level surface of wood. After some white tracing, long strips of bamboo and tack were laid on top and made into a frame using bits of sharp metal. After this the lances of powder were attached. To light this, 1,000 feet of quick fuse was connected to the display. Other items made in the sheds were the swans and ducks in the lake, plus the fiery pigeons that shot over wire above the lake. The city of Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius were set off by electricity, operated by a man at the battery out of site.

Milwaukee Journal September 1, 1892

The eruption of the volcano was, of course, the centerpiece of the pyrotechnical display. The Milwaukee Sentinel would describe it this way:

Words hardly describe the grandeur of the spectacle. The sleeping
volcano begins to smoke, and in a few moments it is belching forth
fire and smoke in such torrents that the people sit absolutely awe-
stricken. Exploding bombs, streamers and noisy rockets with the
pandemonium reigning among the populace on the stage, added to
the eruption of the volcano make the scene one of magnificence
never before equaled by any amusement in this city.
A number of well-known Milwaukee athletes took park in the sporting exhibitions, as well as a local ballet dancer who “seems perfectly at home in Pompeii.” Especially noted was the costuming, reported to be “most brilliant and beautiful throughout.” Included in the fireworks display this first night was a large portrait of Mayor Peter Somers. Providing further entertainment was an acrobat on a trapeze and fire wheels 12 and 15 feet in diameter.

Entering its second week in Milwaukee The Last Days of Pompeii was meeting favor and every night had showed increased attendance. It was said the most attractive feature of the show were the five beautiful dancers from Mme. Laura Rose’s Chicago Conservatory. Fourteen year old Hattie Wells was said to attract the most admiration of the company. Unfortunately, bad weather this second week would interfere with attendance, but business was still good.

To keep the show fresh, new displays were put forth. One Tuesday night was designated as Children’s Night, at which devices such as the elephant Jumbo in fire walking across the stage, the acrobatic monkey, flying pigeons were scheduled in addition to the regular fireworks display. Unfortunately, this night was rained out, and the special Children’s Night was transferred to the regular Thursday night show. Over 5,000 people attended this Thursday night—which also featured special prices for ladies. In honor of the ladies, a portrait of fire of the handsomest lady in Milwaukee was given. “However, as a matter of precaution the management failed to give her name, leaving that for a delighted public to guess.” Later in the run an evening was designated as Governor’s Night, at which fire portraits of Governor George Peck and Ex-Senator John C. Spooner were given. It was reported “the spectators gave a cheer the like of which has but once before been heard at the park,” that being when baseball superstar Mike Kelly had played at the park two years before. On a Friday night a special locomotive was the special set piece, said to be the largest ever produced in this part of the country.

The Pompeii event would also become a social event, and the “Social and Personal” column of the Sunday, September 4, Milwaukee Sentinel included this tidbit:

Mrs. Anthony Dahlman gave a box party Thursday evening for a
number of young people to witness the “Last Days of Pompeii.”
After the performances an elaborate supper was enjoyed.

Later the Sentinel wrote: “Box parties are quite the fad now, and last evening several east and west side society people were to be seen occupying these seats.” Under Whitefish Bay News, the paper reported a party of twenty from that city attended the Thursday show in a body.

In addition to the mentioned children’s and ladies’ show, other promotions were run. The Journal took 300 newsboys and carriers to Athletic Park for the first Saturday show. The next Saturday was designated Military Night, but this also, unfortunately, was rained out and delayed until the following Tuesday.

The last week of the Pompeii show coincided with State Fair week in Milwaukee. Business manager, C.R. Conable had been in contact with the fair president, General A.C. Parkinson, as the fireworks display was considered one of the chief attractions for the crowds coming into the city for the fair. It was thought both events would draw large crowds. Conable said a new Vesuvius would “belch forth in a blaze of glory…that will put in insignificance the terrific thunder and lightening storms of last week.”

It was decided to add one more performance than originally planned, thus the last display at Athletic Park was Sunday night, September 18.

As the production was winding down preparations were being made to dismantle the displays. In the want ads of the Milwaukee Journal ran a short ad reading “10,000 feet excellent lumber in good condition used in erection of ‘Last Days of Pompeii.’ A rare bargain. For particulars call at the Athletic Baseball Park; can be seen at any time up to Tuesday.”

How well Pain’s Pompeii exhibition did is not known, but good crowds were reported for most nights. As stated earlier, the closing week of Pompeii coincided with the State Fair in Milwaukee. It also overlapped the Milwaukee Exposition. Reports showed the fireworks display adversely affected both these events. The state fair brought in $912.75 less than the previous year. However, for its entire run the Exposition reported a record attendance and profit.