The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-02
PROTECTION FROM FIRE AT THE
TYEAT,RE9

IHHAJIChS.
The burning Of a theatre, or indeed of any
place of popular assembly, while full of peo-
pie, is calamity so terrible even in contem-
plation, that anything short of the most
ampe preparations for the extingushment
OF fire, and the most extreme caution in the
arrangement of the various gas Jets and the
heating apparatus, so as to provide as far as
possible for every emergency, is criminal on
the part of the authorities and the owners of
the buildings. From the manner in which
places of amusement are constructed, fire
must necessarily spread with great rapidity
If 1t once gets fairly started, and from the
great number of exposed lights that are in
use in such establishments, particularly be-
hind the scenes, they are peculiarly liable TO
accidents.
1t is gratifying to have reliable information
that in all of our leading theatres the most
ample arrangements have been made not only
to guard against danger in the first place, but
to secure the prompt extinguishment of the
flames in case they should become started
through one of those unforeseen accidents
against which no foresight can provide. Yes
terday the Building Inspectors made their
the Chestnut Walnut, Arch, and American
Theatres, to see that the law with
respect to safeguards against fire
and ample means of egress for
the audience were complied with At ali
of the theatres were found one or more fire.
plugs with hose attached of sufficient length
to reach to all parts of the house. The stage
lights were covered with wire gauze, aud in
all except the American heaters were in use,
SO that any danger from stoves was obviated.
The inspectors ordered the stoves in the
dressing-rooms of the American to be pro-
vided with zinc or sheet-iron cases, and they
might have gone step further with propri-
ETY., and ordered all the lights behind the
scenes in all the theatres to be covered
with gauze. In a matter of this kind it is
always best to err on the side of excessive
caution.
At the Academy of Music the provisions in
case of fire were found to be most ample. A
powerful steam engine is always in readiness
to throw water to any part of the building,
and the employees are organized into a fire
brigade, with all the necessary axes, buckets
and plenty of hose for the efficient perform
ance of their duty in case of an alarm. The
inspectors found that at all the establish
ments named the means of egress were as
ample as it was possible to provide, and that
under any ordinary circumstances an audience
ought to be able to escape in safety.
In this connection it may not be amiss to
disabuse the public mind of a wrong impress
sion as to the combustible nature of theatri-
cal scenery, which is not by any means as
great as is commonly supposed. The canvas
upon which the scenery is painted is heavily
sized, and the colors, most of them metallic,
are mixed with glue. The consequence is
that the scenery will not blaze but rather
crumble away if it is brought in contact with
the flames The frames upon which the can
vas is stretched being of wood, are, of course.
combustible, and there are always so many
things laying about behind the scenes, and so
many careless people about, that the greatest
danger is in this part of the house. But the
scenery ITSELF which is generally looked upon
as particularly exposed to ignition is scarcely
an appreciable cause for fear.
All the appliances that can be devised
however, will not prevent confagrations if
careless people are not we'll looked after, and
the managers of the theatres ought to have
all their employees, actors, carpenters ushers,
and everybody, we'll drilled in the manage
ment of the apparatus provided, and assigned
regular posts which they will be expected to
take in case of alarm. A little good disc
pline in matter of this kind will not only
ensure caution, but it will aid very materially
in extinguishing a fire if one should happen
to break out
h0rtOES