The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-08

people beyond the influence Of any thing
like discipline. If audiences were trained
like soldiers by long drill, and each taught
at the cry of fire to move IN defined
| order out of his place and thence to the
doors, the peril would of course he much
| less: but audiences are not so instructed
Instead Of this, the majority of them are
quick to lose their presence Of mind in the
face of danger, aud thus they Imperil their
own safety and that of their less agitatcd
companions.
The place for discipline is among the ON
cills aud woikmen OF the theatre. with
out that and without an adequate arrange
lncnt for Immediately flooding with water
II k,ndlod fire, there is no safety for
crowded theatre audiences. The mere
widening Of the means of cgrcss or
multiplication Of them could not have pro-
vidcd altogether against the danger to life
of such a fire rs that which speedily envcl-
opCd the Brooklyn Theatre. The thing TO
do is TO prevent the start and spread of
fire in q theatre, aud to construct the
building so that 1t may be rapidly emptiod
of thrOng Of people. The fire starts on
the -tage within reach of the theatre en-
ployecs, and they must be prepared to ut
once extinguish the first spark. This can
be done, and 10 is crime that il has not
been done before this. As long ago Us in
1868, The Sun pointed out the dangers
from FIRE bcsetting all theatres, aud raised
its voice in protest against the apathy of
the authorities and the public.
Every theatre should have above the
| stage, tanks filled with thousands of gal
Ions of water, with sufficient head to reach
the remotest parts Of the theatre. Hy
drants, with hose attached, should always
be ready for immediate use; watchers for
nre, specially detailed for the purpose.
should. during performance. be on un-
ceasiDg duty; aud men disciplined rs fire.
men should be on hand to extingnish an
incipient flame. The experience of thea
tres is that they are SURG 20 get anre. The
danger Is always present, and the managers
should be forced to be continually pre-
pared to meet II. Half the care they give
to the drilling of their ballet girls would
suffice TO discipline corps of hremen who
would promptly check the beginning of n
fire and secure the safety of the people
who now pay for the privilege OF possible
wise an adequate system of waterworks.
| methods of ut once securely shutting off
the stage from the auditorium can be
adopted, the means of exit from the thea
tire can be enlarged aud kept free, but
with the managers must rest the responsi-
bility Of using precautionary measures
against the start pnd spread Of IRE, and.
| falling TO do this, they should be made
| amenable to something more effective
| than mere trnusltory public Indignation.
We trust that the authorities of New
York and Brooklyn will improve the pres
ent lesson by referring the subject Of
theatre protection To n competent board
Of engineers. and that the Legislature will
embody their practical recommendations
in II law which shall be rigldly enforced.
| Until that is done, we shall continue to
take our lives in our hands when we 90 TO
n play. Dramatic representations are
very delightful, but they are hardly worth
seeing al the peril OF life.