New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-18
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
Inspecting THREE THEATRES.

GERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Chief Gicquel, of the Fire Department, e1 Tantv
4be Riiou Theatre, in Broadway, near lmV;sso
lnnnoo., Owing TO the smallness OF the inca
Ire the chief desired TO see how the scsnolS rotect
handled and how much care was taken 10 % an
the scenery from the lights. The tneauv W.
tered Inv the stage door, which is III oIA Ids 20
nnder an oyster place. long passageway ieing
the cellar Of the hOuse. winch Is Itteu Ip q bowng
alley The part under the auditorium - ond
intoa number of small rooms Tor the I iay sI,ed
nnder the is a vacantspace. Chet Oicquei 3t
w e rne Jnhn A McCaull if he thought that
the props which held up the stage were III thof
snstain a very great weight MI. MoN auit to
tbere was never a very great weight on the stagee'
"a Ie Thought that the beams were amply SUN
cent for the purpose The timbers supporung eh9
stage the manager said ran from val 10 Ma,
were dropped up in MANY places DeIWeen INV H.
he posts The same true OF the no'r VI 'i'o
When tbs stage was examined it was found TO ne
ore of the smallest in the city. and every men U
Ground has 10 be usrd to advantage. Ihero aIo ~
rigging lofts as the top of the inca IL ~ 80
under the roof of the Dml ing me I.sg,nN nnmber
on the rghthand side of the stage where ln,,iTI
Of ropes a. used to adjust the cur any LII and
The proscenlnm frame Is twenty, leey ~ T. - a
tveutv-four feet wide, and ON each sue vi ALnve
800 oLout FIVE feet in width. ApoE9
the stage is a covered weil-hoie, 10 iecU ~ och
feet winch can be opened Dy I IPinsd that If a,
side of the stage. The manager eNpL!lntu ina Ill
fire sbonId occur at any time on the stage ING "o
hole could toe opened and the tianeS Won NC Ttr
"a away from the auditorium Dy me ultlt'
are two similar openings in the celmhR o! IT u
fori',m winch measure IS feet by y feet. lhere is
no space between the stage ana the Iool !i;,
which fire could be cOuiucted 20 iie il tLd
L. 10 in most tn aatres. Chief G1cquei WatCheu
closely the scene shutters after the curtain ltI II,
The first act. They appeared 10 WoIh S ~
oround the lights and received no depiVoi uN!h
hIGi"u ~ t%e sto re are several observation-disclosures,
ayes and hooks to be used In case OF an ~
There are really no workshops conhec'ou VIZ ,ho
theatre. as there il no room for them. W men INC
otor has ony work to do he does II on The stage,
oTd tbe same is true of the painters
Tho arrau cement for discussing the people re-
;,.d no criticism from the chief although he sug-
,osted some improvements which he VIII recon-
mend in his report From the Top eihg T WhlGh
ors OIL nersons there are four exits. Two star
,gays load 10 the lobby of the theatre, ana thru
from the reception room adjoining me balcony ieads
10 Broadway. There Is also Wihu0" "V ili5 "ay n
of the balcony which is about I'VE 1eeu aOoNS tle
roof of an extension to the building IN broadway;
The chief suggested that an iron Ladder oe stretched
from the window the roof OF the extension mere
:; oIso another window in the reception room adj
;oininC he balcony which could be used Tor me
same purpose In the parquetie are seats Tor 40
ner.ons There are three alsles which lead To TWO
ddv;tS Mr. McCauli declared that his theatre was
thc safest in the city because II wa so shall ne
said that there was not accommodation lor q lalPc
audience and hence even IN case OF great pane
fSe theatre could easily be omptlod III u lew
cwrsorx examination of Days Theatre was
made Yesterday by Chief GIcquel lie did not spend
I,nch time i'm the building because he made thor
ongh inspection of the place a year ago, when he
recommended many alterations anu liiEipNOii'Oi'
These changes have nOt been made ana the chlel
considers that his report OF year ago son RODS
good. Objection is made to the binding itIen pc
cause il is an old structure. Inc cDel lhihhs til
Mr. Dalv has done all i'll his power 10 arrange the
huildinG properly. In the matter OF exits the
,beafre Is admirably arranged and IN case OF hTe
the hnildnu could be emptled III very short tllue
There is much storage Oi milamlnaoie nlateIla IN
the building, is the case IN nearly al the DINER
theatres in the city. Over the pTOscenlum aFch
there is no brick wall 10 divide the stage from ne
auditorium, which Is recommended by the FIRE DE-
nartrnent IN all the theatres.
PI Thief Miller inspected Miners Theatre in the
Bowery Yesterday morning. An objection was
met there in the top gallery which was irs VISITED
There are fifteen rows OF seats, one raised ABOVE
4he other and the last one is high that person
sitting there can touch the ceiling with MS M.
Tber is a rise OF about twenty feet from the first
now 10 the last The steps are steep, and IN time
of excitement the persons occupying the iaSt rows
would he apt to stumble down the steps leading to
the exits. The gallery wall seat nearly +Uo persons
unmanqgeable in time OF great exclteineht. Tor
the gallery there two exits both are on the lelt
hand side of the gallery, and person VINO occupies
the ex RENE right-haud seat OF the last row must
have long journey 20 either exit. One ext
leads to the adjoining yarn nc Nh si
IN three minutes The stage is well arranged IN
some particulars The proscenlum arch consists OF
an iron prder and over il is brick "all 10 the
roof This separates the stage from the auditorium
Between the ceiling of the theatre ana Tue ROOF Is
small space, but nothing IS stored IN IT, Ia ine
10 conduct smoke and anes ~ any slOhd OcCuiJ 10
two yentlators in the 1901 OF the audi forum ChieI
Miller thought that an iron door shodld be ptced
in the opening in the brick wall so that il could be
closed ii necessary There is one rigging loft winch
IL also used as the paint shop Twelve pails OF
,yater are kent full all the time in this lNit and
there are also two exInguishers and hre hook and
axe ready fcr use at any time. There is an exit OF
the stage To the adjoining yard Under lhe stage
ore tbs holIer and engine-foOm and stOre-room
for obi chairs Under the auditorium are the dress
ing rooms A few suggestions about protecting the
gas burners fro the woodwork were made by the
Chief