The New York herald., 1876-12-17
THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
Conference Between the Fire, Police
and Health Boards.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST THEATRE PANICS
Views OF Mayor Wickham, the Fire, Heath
and Police Commissioners.
REMEDIES THAT MAY BE ADOPTED.

remarkable meeting was held yesterday morning
IN the rooms oil the Board OF Health IN consequence
OF the Brooklyn Theatre fire. Present were Mayor
Wickham, Health Commissioners Chandler and Jane
way, Police Commissioners Smith and Erhardt Fire
Commissioners Perley. Hatch and King, and Supcrin-
tcndent Of Buildings Adams Tho subject under DIS
cussion the puolic safety in theatres and other
public buildings
At the opening of the session Mayor Wickham stated
The object Of the conference in few words
adding kthat something like immediate and definite
action should be taken TO secure the pub
lie against any recurrence OF such disaster
as that recorded last week. The upshot
Of the consultation the adoption OF n resolution
which directed that the heads o., departments repro
sened should the Corporation Counsel and obtain
from him written opinion the powers and duties
Of each department as to public buildings, to be
ported ut the adjourned meeting, Tuesday morning.
At half-past nino O'Clock.
Before this result attained a somewhat lively
discussion was had, in which Commissioners Erhardt
Jancway and Superintendent Adams took part. Tho
lattcr spoke at length tho modern appliances
Tor checking fires, dwelling particularly The wire
curtain The point which he desired to make most
particularly was, that mechanism was equal
effective "human prevention which
he defined in this way:-Uniformed men, controlled Ivy
the Fire Commissioners, but paid by the managers,
should be placed at the doors, IN the Railways, tho
stage in the galleries and the "lies, by all
the auditors. who would thereby be satisfied that
Gre could without their knowledge ability
arrest its progress Mr.. Adams views consid-
cred excellent but as this informal meeting,
whercat nothing could really be DONE II deemed
advisable to adopt the resolution which has been be-
fore rcctcd. and await the Corporation Counscl's
opinion as to powers and duties and where they may
be extended.
Commissioner Hatch's cxpcdicnt OF telegraph wires
between each pronptcrs desk and Fire Headquarters.
about 10 he adopted, deemed excellent and one
likely 10 prove prccaution against alarms OF fatal
character.
After the conference had Closed a HERALD reporter
had conversation with the Mayor, Mr Perley. DR..
Janeway and Mr Erharat concerning the subject mat
ter they had met TO discuss. The interviews Will bc
iound Of interest They follows.--
MAYOR wIcKuAM's VIEWS.
Mayor Wicsham was found a. the office OF the Sccu-
riiy Life Insurance Company of Which he has become
receiver He readily stated his views, but only IN
brc on accoun, Of preoccupaon with his pcw duties
He sand that manifest that responsibility for
The safety OF the theatrical cdiccs rested principally
wl,L the DEPARTMENT OF buildings and the Fire De
partment. II was the duty the Building Depart
mcnt 10 see that theatres were built accordance
with the requirements OF public safety that the
oil nrress aud cercs> sufficient in Of panic
that the passages and aiscs were Of sufficient WIDTH
kc. In one word, the Building Department, by its
Tests oil safety and strength, should leave theatre
such condition that II tho Fire Department,
In case OF coni!agraton like that at the
brooklyn Theatre. promptly stepped In TO do Its
duty, loss OF lie should be next impossible Whilc
the building Department should throw around the
should also deal with the inilammabe material
the stage and devise such rules and regulations
would materially lessen the dangers and possibilities
Of stage ires The Mayor he was not sufficiently
familiar with the technical details OF the stage say
how the lights should be projected and the inammable
material separated every instance but the com
binci ingenuity OF :hc nanagcrs should be able to
me Fire Department 10 adopt the practical
nnd effective regulations
When asked what specific improvements he wotSd
slacx @ ovc Tna nn rs, wv, pr o n
force OF trained and efficient remcn every theatre
Tue numbers OF the force should be adapted TO ITS
and It's cost deray by the manager. The head Of this
force should be held responsible for keeping
don OF instant readiness all the appliances necessary
for eXtipguishing sudden IRE. Another prccauton
which he deemed advisable was to conncct the thea
tres directly by telegraph with tho headquarters tho
Fire Department, which would accelerate the appear
Of engines and nfemcn the OF contlagra-
tion. BY OF careful investigation OF the subject
stil additional safeguards could undoubtedly be de-
viscd
"rhe greatest danger" said His Honor ais not
much from hre-ior that we supprcss--but from
panic doubt II even the greatest possible caution
and the presence of every cxtinguishing apparatus
could avcrcd the loss oi lie IN Brooklyn.
That loss not the result Of tho fire much
ss u the rceut Of the terrible
ANA ungovcrnablc pane which cnsued. II you could
only have dismissed these people as school teacher
dsmisses her pupils scarcely anybody would have been
vent panicy Ii Is IMPOSSIBLE The presence
OF trained officers who might be kept ut the theatres
Tor just such emergencies would secure IT,
When asked as to the likelihood OF recurrence Of
such disaster as the Brooklyn tire In this city the
Mayor thorsht would probably not again in
lifetime. He had examined the theatres in London
and Paris and of the deliberate opinion that
OF New York safer and better provided for in
oil tire
VIEWS or COMMISSIONER JAygwAy
Or. Edward q. Janeway, Health Commissioner,
willingly gave his views to the HERALD reporter to
'he best method oi preventing recurrence OF the ter
riblc Brooklyn catastrophe
The conference which was held yesterday he stated,
was OF preliminary rather than OF practical charac
ter As the law stood now each OF the departments
VIZ, the Health, Fire, Public Buildings and Po,icc,
had scveray some jurisdiction In the premises but
tho line OF separation was too indstinct ~ warraht
action without a clear understanding. Prompt and
immediate action necessary, and IL thought
advisable to first have the powers and duties oil each
department. defined by the Counsel TO the Corporation
Then there would be Interference collision, and
each department having its separate duty cea.
would be held to strict Accountability by the pubnc
In his opinion II was the duty OF the Department OF
Public Buildings to properly provide for ample modes
OF carcss irom churches theatres and other places
where people congrcgate. and also to see that such
buildings otherwise properly constructed
The jurisdiction Of the Fire Department. hc thought
appcrained 10 the gasliehs methods OF heating aud
all appliances in by the lcssces, propretors
trustees OF puolic buildings Tor cxtinsuishng nres
That the Police Department also had Jurisdiction tie
Commissioner believed but prccse nature he was
not prepared TO state unless II perhaps to pre-
vent ovcrcrowding in theatres
Tho jurisdiction OF the Health Department came in
by virtue OF u clause making IT the duty OF that de-
partmcnt TO study the causes OF peril to lie and the
methods oil averting such peril Its power gen.
era rather than specific, aud consisted principally in
officially calling the attention OF such departments as
were responsible TO the nature OF the peril and re-
qucstug that immediate steps DO taken to obyaic the
Bsme.
Sull IT had power 10 interpose and MI up such
gaps as were not covered by other departments.
The compelling OF theatre managers flro
proof scenery Tor instance seemed TO bc outside the
express jurisdiction OF any department Therefore
1t found necessary Tor the safety of life TO
force such order, the duty would dcyovc upcn the
Board OF Health Eminent chemists had that
theatre scenery could be rendered combusiibe by
the OF sncatc OF potash, but whether managers
would forced have fire proof scenery the COM
missioner not at present able to
Commissioner Jancway believed that the present
movement would result In making theatres, |
churches and y .blic halls as sale AS science could
make them Nothing, however. could be done. in his
opinion, 10 absolutely prevent pancs from causing
injury loss OF life In churches when panic oc-
Cured, rcsolutc coolness the part OF tho minister
and few OF the prominent members OF the congrcga
tion in calming the peoples fears lar
serviccabie than improved aud mutitudnous
means OF cgress All theatres, Dr. Jancway thought