The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-03

Thoatre-Another Warning.
The calamity which befell the Fifth Avenue
Theatre on New Years Day was one of those
occurrences which surprises nobody Yet this
was theatre as safe as theatres can be made
by precautions against fire in buildings as
inhammable as are most of our New York
structures. Everything which foresight could
give was provided by the manager, and Mr..
DAILY felt as secure in his theatre as any gen.
tleman feels in his own house. Even now it
is not easy to determine why his confidence
in its security received this signal refutation,
unless, indeed, every house with a furnace
beneath it is built upon a smouldering and
threatening volcano. The only logical con-
clusion at which we can arrive is that the fire
originated from the heating apparatus Other
theories might be advanced, and it is not al-
together impossible that it was fred BY some
miscreant intent upon its destruction. The
suddenness and completeness of the confa-
gration-the whole front part of the theatre
being mass of flame almost as soon as the fire
was discovered some color to this view
of the calamity. But, after turning every other
theory over and over and examining it in every
aspect, we must come back to the first con-
clusion, that the fire originated from the
furnace. Still, we cannot pass over the
probabilities of fire by design without a
word of caution. So many public buildings
have been burned recently without apparent
or adequate causes as to suggest extreme
watchfulness on the part of the managers Of
theatres, the proprietors of hotels, and the
janitors of churches and other public buildings
If this fire originated from the furnace or
the hot-air Aues it is only another warning
added to the many UNDECIDED warnings which
went before it. Furnaces ought not to be
allowed in any building where, by any posi-
biity, the safety of the structure is endangered.
They must be placed under the streets or in
positions where insecurity does not result
from their presence. Again, the buildings in
great cities must be made absolutely fireproof
This is not o new remark, but its recognition
and application would be new indeed. We
go on building inAammable structures as if
nearly every day did not add to the list of con-
Aagrations While the frequency of the fires
suggests some malign agency the lesson is un-
needed The new Masonic Temple in Twenty
third street is building which is even now
being covered with a wooden Undertook The
Rev. Mr.. Hepworth's church is another Of
the new buildings in which the in
fammable material courts the flames.
Fortunately, the first of Commodore Wander
bil's locomotives which goes astray in the
neighborhood will shake it down, and that will
be the end of it. If every other loosely con-
structed building in the city was in as great
danger from misguided engines we might ex-
pect immediate reform. This not being the
case, we call upon the Superintendent of
Buildings, the city authorities and the State
Legislature, to make il impossible that any
other than fireproof buildings shall be erected.
The means of escape are quite as important
as the other considerations, especially in
hotels and theatres. Many of both are mere
man-traps A few are admirable in this re-
spect at least. The windows, as well as wide
stairways and entrances should afford way OF
exit in case Of sudden calamity. Every