New-York tribune., 1881-12-15
pprctUTJ0NS IN THEATRES.

HREI1
The excitement which the Fire ComInls-
sioncrs are creating in regard to the Guy
theatres may have a wholesome effect, b"t we
seriously doubt if it will do so much good aS
more quiet and regular and constant SUPER
vision of the theatres would accomplish lho
clearing of Oycr-crOwdcd lUbbies Will render
theatres more pleasant and probably more safe
in the event of IA panic. The general agitation
of til. subject of safety in places oi amusement
may tend to make the employees and the hic-
men on dufy at the theatres more constantly
vatchful and careful; or 1t may induce the
managers To add additional means OF exit ana
TO take other precautions. II may even add To
the feeling Of confidence, and thus contilbutcto
sensible and cool action on the part oi an
audience when alarmed but it can have little
other beneficial effect.
The Nice. the Vienna, the Brooklyn Theatre
calamitics, and other disasters less recent ana
less terrible have each served To Illustrate two
facts; first. the practical imposSiblllty OF con
structing a Grrprooi stage; aud, second the
practical impossibiIly of preventing - pane
in ease of fire. In each of these instances Che
flame, started on the stage. The materials used
for scenery must Of necessity bc highly milan
mablc and of Hght wood, cloth and oil, no
matter how carefully and securely the audlto-
rum may hc constructed. fire breaking odt
in a Undertook like an ordinary theatre stage
usually hlazcS up with the Nnddenne'' an"
fcrcencss of an explosion, and the effect upon
an audience gazing directly upon the scene Is
inevitably one TO produce panic. Those most
remote from the flames aIc not only the last to
recognize what has occurred, but also the least
quick to apprehcnd their danger; 80 1t follows
that those nearest the stage aud in most immc-
diatc peril are the first to fly, and in escaping to
tramplc down those IN their way Hence the
two dangers of fire and of panic are inscpaIahIe
from a crowded attendance in any theatre
which ingenuity has thus far devised and the
only protection therefore lies in the employ
mcnt of every prccaution to prevent the origin
of the flames OF TO smother them as soou rs
started.
The Fire Commissioners are now examining
thr various theatre. with a view to suggesting
such precautions. They should see that the
iuquiry bc directed chiefly to that point of
.,rcatest danger. the stage itself. They have
found that the automatic signals employed in
mercantile houses have proved practical in
giyjnp an alarm; but in the case Of fire at a
theatre
value. If the automatic principle can be- cN-
tended to the turning onoi Hood OF water ut
the point of danger, 1t ought to bc applied at
| once. There il no mechanical difficulty ~ pro-
| viding for the instant flooding of any stage IN
| the city with Croton water; but the means oi
| turning on the water instantly are the ones to
| be studied. The maa whose duty it Is to do this
| usually is missing. II it cannot bc done auto
| maticaly then the machinery for doing the
work ought to be- located in another part Of The
| huilding than the stage, but with u full view of
! it; and during a performance the man IN
| charge of the machinery should never DE away
! from his post or out of sight of the audience.
! The lowering Of "A safety curtain of any non
| intlammabc material must be n matter of time
and great uncertainty; sheet of flowing
water would in cur opinion be more cnCctual
| and more rcassuring tO an audience. The
placing Of Croton water pipes perforated with
! innumcIablc holes above every part of the stage
| of a theatre is an ordinary plumbers job the
making Of a connection between the water plug
to regulate the flow of water and the front of
| the theatre, where the watchman's box should
be placed, would not tax the ingenuity Of the
average bell-wlre hanger. Such pIccauton
| would not be expensive; and while it would in
| most cases extinguish fire, it would also tend
to allay panic if the audience saw that the
flames were followed promptly by sufficient
! streams of water to eXtmguish them. The
| Fire Commissioners should by all means in
sist on practical precautions like this one.
Managers who anticipate occupying their places
| for any length of time would find their profit in
the expenditure Of a few hundred dollars in this
way. At any rate. such precautions ought to he
cxacted of Them or of the owners of the build
| in.rs