The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-02

ne De burned 10 uean IN the D0dy OF the edlnce or
IN the ioooies. There is, IN fact, more hope for
escape II the doors dividing the lobby from the
main body OF the church were closed. for In that
case, retreat being cut on, the audience would
naturally resort TO the windows as means OF
/ escape. Once damned into a lobby between two
lines OF doors opening in opposite directions, as
these inspections show most OF our churches are
constructed, all means OF egress are cut OF and
retreat to the main body is rendered impossible.
+ NECESSARY PROBATION
would suggest that during religious services all
outer doors should be fastened back so as to
permit free exit, yet there is no law on our stat
ute books providing Tor such guard against acci.
dent or sudden panic. How far sections and
ushers resort to this precaution 10 prevent accl-
nom which 1t appears that out OF l7o churcnes
visited, the 'front.' doors oil
BUT ONE ARE LEFT OPEN
during the services. Architects who were visited.
yesterday agree that the only common sense way
OF providing means OF egress from church in case
| OF panic Is by having the inner doors open out
wardy and by having the outer doors wide Cd en-
during the entire service. II IT Is found that
doors open. a double door should be provided
at the main entrances The outer ones should
swing both ways, so that they would be self.clos-
ing and smut out the Draft, while the second or
heavy one should be fastened back. AT the conclu-
sion OF the services they could be secured and the
| would be mere tribe compared with the security
mo- at to
dangers referred to. Too much Is left entirely 10
CAPRICE OF THE INSPECTOR
OF the Building Department, who Is not always
gifted with sufficient Intelligence to detect the
The section OF the law regulating all buildings or
q public character including hotels, churches;
depots public halls &C. Is to be- found in chapter
626. passed April 20, 1871, section 29:-
In all buildings Of Of R tS G sn c ALREADY
shaTsnss sass school houses rsii5Ssd
TON the halls SoSSs ss.r@ays ssas and asss shall
'
sofas and other fS @ during amy perform
uSc assemSas the
@ Ss s d 81 @
directing thing % be done in or about the
sues s
os Security S hs pS as 10 he
which they may be severaly applied.
1t VIII be observed that the wording OF the law
| Is very indefinite, while very generally II makes
no provision as 10 how tn csc doors and other
modes OF emptying church or theatre shall be
Constructed. That Is lett entirely to the Inspector
the law, however provides a fine OF $50 for any
violation, such as placing camp stools or
CHAIRS IN THEATRE AIsLES.
This act by no means meets the requirements
as regards churches, school houses and theatres.
Mr.. McGregor, the late superintendent OF Build
| the Legislature endeavorlng TO secure stringent
law, but he met with SO much opposition in every
step he took, from architects and builders, that
this imperfect act was al that could be obtained.
The present Legislature should not adjourn with
out graphing with this subject. Stringent laws
should be passed defining how each door and
stairway should be constructed In every public
officers or theatrical managers who lock In an au-
dience by closing the means OF quick exit in case
ayers Of places Of public amusement are now Very
| generally complying with such suggestions as the
inspectors make lor the better security Of ilie
non.compllance with the law, the writer yester-
day called at he Department OF Buildings and ap-
pied to the Secretary. Mr. Donaldson, for inlorma-
ton. This gentleman, who Is always prompt to
give any information the department. may sug-
gest, stated mat the department exercise,
through Its inspectors, careful scrutiny over all
buildings where people cOngregate aud, so far as
theatres have in the past given the department
much trouble; but the inspections are so frequent
ana the watcnuness Of the inspectors SO marked
Donaldson introduced the reporter to DR.. Silsbee
Inspector OF Theatres, who sat down and cheer
fully communicated the results OF his examina
CONDITION OF THE THEATRES.
Inspector Stlsbee states that under the above
law the department has laid down certain rules
regarding theatres. In the first place, as regard
from four to eight IRE extnguishers are to Be
placed on the stage. Then there snail be kept al
many wafer oucSets as the inspector may order
size OF the stage. In places where there are bale
performances number OF wet blankets are to be
LETT on each corner OF the stage to throw over Rirl
whose clothes may become igntted. In such thea
tres as Booths and the Grand opera House tney
also provide water sprays over the flies. by which
heavy shower of water to extinguisn it
water spray IN the ceug by Which the audience
can be instantly covered by shower OF water
and the progress Of the DIRE checked. In all ars'
class theatres the department requires as an addl
tional "ire guard" sufficient hose Of from one and
a half to two inches diameter on each side Of the
artto n md
other necessares. They nave gas jets protected
by wire screens to prevent fire.
EGRESS IN CASE OF FIRE.
The department. through Its inspectors regulate
the width OF stairways, aises, etc, according 10
the number OF seats IN n bench me aisle should
reports that the law preventing the employment
OF camp stools and chairs IN the aisles is gene rally
compiled with. There Is one exception, where
they are used, and although repeatedly re-
ported the managers still persist IN openly violat-
ing the law. The Inspector exhibited TO the writer
his book showing that IN February he reported
violations OF this character several times, and
stated that alter being reported they would for a
/ there IS q fine oil fifty dollars for each violation,
/ they resume their ase.
wALLACK's AND BOOTHS THEATRES
In this particular sometimes violate the law, and
yesterday the Inspector reports he notified the
arre to discontinue camp stools and chairs in
the aisles. He reports that with the exception al
Booths and Wallack's the violation is only tech
nical, as their aisles are SO WIDE that they have
room enough In asles and loDbles to put in chairs
and would be entitled to place benches there In
stead ir they so desired The doors OF theatres, he
| reports, is a matter lett to the inspectors.
IN THE PARK THEATRE
as originally opened the inspectors found that the
entire auditorium, seating about 1900 people,
opened through an eight foot stairway to the
Broadway lobby. They ordered an additional
stairway opening from the second balcony into
the hall OF the adjoining building on Broadway.
the door rom the parquet widened from five to
ten feet and the stairway connecting 1t with the
main exit extended totem feet. These orders were
| nNItn nd and M hnf Ava ain
utes to empty the theatre, where 1t formerly took
eleven minutes. At this point the writer put the
question, ''Is there q single theatre IN the city
now without sufficient means OF egress 2" mo-
think not, with one exception.
THE METROPOLITAN THEATRE.
They formerly had two fOur-iOOt stairwayg
emptying the first balcony into one lour-foot
stairway. You can imagine the danger here. We
had 1t changed that the two fOur-foot stairways
| ,fioA Inf ainht.t That ofatr