, 1877-01-28
PUBLIC HALLS.
Report Of MIR. CleaveIand, Building
Inspector.
Examination Of Farweu and Nc
Cornick Hall, the Coliseum,
Toledo, Etc.
Recommendations Made in Regard to
Additional StairWays, Etc.

the superintendent OF Buildings to the Afayo
about the public halls Of this city, those half
having been recently inspected by Mr. C1eave
land and his assistant, Mr. Willett:
public hall differs from theatre principal
ly in the absence Of stage scenery and appoint
H1cnts. The general remarks made in nv re-
port on theatres will, for the most part, appl,
to public halls. The general defect Of the large
public halls is their location on the upper floors
OF buildings. This is decidedly unadyisable
but where they are so located they should at
least be provided with numerous stairways. and
all be kept distinct and separate from each
other. The drawings of the halls will more
fully describe them than my words can do,
MCCORMICK HALL
This hall is situated on the northeast corner
Of North Clark and kinzie streets. 1t has q
main floor and Que gallery. The maia floor OF
the hall is on the third story OF the building, the
first story being occupied BY stores, and thcsec-
oud by offices. The hall is detached on three Of
Its sides, having North Clark street on its front,
kinzie street on the south, and an alley on the
north side The rear adioins another building
There is stairway on each side OF
the main floor Of the hall near the
front,-that is, near the northwest and
southwest corner Of the hal, each stairway be-
ing five feet nine Inches vide, and also one stair
way in the rear ut the southeast corner of the
hall, all Of which lead into large central hall
in thcEccond story Of the building. From this
hall in the scconfstory there are TWO stairways
to streets, one in front seven feet eight inches
wide to Clark street, aud one in the rear nine
feet six inches wide to kinzie street. There is
also stairway four feet wide In the northeast
corner Of the building. This stairway runs
down and opens out On the alley on
the north side Of the building It
does not communicate directly with
the central hall on the second story. There
arc three stairways from the gallery, two
in the trout near the northwest and southwest
corners Of the hall, each Of these being four
feet four inches wide, and another near the
southeast corner four feet nine inches wide, all
running into the main floor Of the hull, that is,
people coming down them must pass into the
main floor OF the auditorium in order to Get out
Of the building. There is also stairway on the
northeast corner three feet six inches wide;
this does not open into the main floor Of the
auditorium, but communicates with the stairs
same corner Of the building. There is stand
pipe on the side alley on the northeast corner
OF the building. Thert arc three fire~extinguish-
ers in the building. This hall will seat over
2,0o0 people, and is heated by steam.
THE \DEFECT3
Of this hall are as follows; First The main
floor is high above tue ground, being on the
third story OF the building; second, three Of the
stairwnys do not run directly, separately. and
Independently to the ground. ANY fire occur
ring in the central hail or in the Offices adjoln-
Ing in the second story might fiji that central
ba1I with smoke. # moi with fame and h1ncl-
all the three stairways; besides the different
streams of people Instead of being kept apart
and led in the shortest and most direct waY out
Of the building arc all thrown. torether the
stairs in the Southeast carnnr atfhourh wide
ones. being made as tort1ons ami conf,,sinp ns
possible. The stairs in the northeast corneE of
tue building are incloscd in brick walls. and are
BY far thu best designed and arranged Of ali the
5tair,rays, but they are the smallest Of all,
being oniy four feet wide, which is too narr,,s'
besides they are Uttered uo and appcar not to
-1-71---,~, .--~e1i rruuin Tor odds
anu M euue. 1nt stalTwav In +1.- --usiI-
caet c:.s':,o co1ncl snoluu oe arranged IN
,1..,n ,uau* s.lint 4!.t ~ enat III the northeast
ho,t - a; aat Ptople eonta get 70 inc street
"ltIous gol11S lnlo tne central nail IN the sec
~ ~ san}, a,.housll IT. nlSnt communicate with
ne ~: na., @ ~ auoor"ay Win a9or IN It opening
~" ~. %ayn tnlt polt'on " tne stairway from
- ~ hs1, r' nus laa lnto Lue nam noor
o'iJ < .d ~. .i h ] ds 5sal WY y VICE one, anu
iGes .,s WV, Ic' u tne iTont s.aifWays, that
he.15 - n.s.' J''e eu ~ tue oullons
no1d a..t ~ naus .. aast 1eet Wlae' and carried
hs e+rao+ + t,,;e ann .'llspcnoelly 70
~ nrnSnr +ha,e ~ T,an .eu4 seca
~ ,uad - 1"as4 20 Foot o -. saas sAoulu
be- 1aoontI taos ~ ~ tn.at ~ ene Iieaf tFolu
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, 49, Iaaet 80 q foat 'e'''' Il 1ne5 "eFe "loenca
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~ ,;,i;,,a. =, mh,sa ~ @ W. eaea &4u LUG rear o.
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= roa ~ ai1 u r. an5 ,a.n noo5 O. lne
'se VA 10 W Iae seGonu stoly ot ttle 9nlid-
ontalnl!s stalfs us LUZ "luthh which IS eight
eI TWO iucncs Wiue III It's n2froWest part. Ihls
ai"A5 leu's INTO tue iualn nall near ihc north
~ ~ coInet. tAc8e - stairway " Ing SOUTH
.st corner tcn 1eet woe from ING main
or 10 ING ground, and opening on
~ |eaue tourt: lncle - sta!r"a} ~ Tue soutn-
81 corner, sl1 1eet nve 1nches VIDE, from the !
aln moor a. 70 the GROUND, anu opening on Arcade :
ort',, M lnerG r. Is one gaucfy ABOVE Inc man
nE- 1ue ipllon!us ale lug gulets 1roM tue :
uety opeus!l5 luto tne Hull AooF: q stairway =
9 1eet IN anenes W!ue ~ tue noflnwest COT
seale"as sA leet hl"c lncAes Mlae N tne
aIh"est eoIue1 o'eE the stnls u Tue gronno : :
tne sa,lle cotner, t"o s.alr"4ys, QUE on e2en
= " lug ealelyt sun t"o 1eet SIX lnehes = =
~ tu'ApnS ~" Wv - - tn1 osaS VI ptattoih =