New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-11

Royerv In connection with the recent panic thete
On tho night of the occurrence there were Z''oo
persons present while the seating capacity OF th'
house is only 1,G00. Thomas Donaldson, manager
of the London Theatre said Of this matter the other
day:
sTbere are GOO chairs downstairs Ia the theatre
500 seats in the FIRST balcony, and Accommodations
for perhaps 900 persons in the top gallery when
packed. This makes the seating capacity aooue
1000 1t is folly to say there have ever been Z''oo
people IN the house at a time. The Windsor is the
only theatre in the city that will hold that NUMBER
II the members Of the Grand Jury had come 10 me
in nerson could have explained the matter OF the
2.7oO Some one of the Jury examined the ouiiding
while was away There were 300 tickets IN inc
tcket-box that night. But the tickets do not STAND
for the number of people in the house at any ono
time The Jury does not seem TO have taken iito
consideration the fact that this is variety theatre
People are coming and going constantly. one WIN
come In TO see some particular act ana theh go OUT
and another will come in for another act' ana 80
n, With nv arrangement Of exits can empty
the whole theatre in four aud half minutes. IL
would be absurd 10 limit the number OF tickets sou
TO the seating capacity Suppose this had oeeh ING
case on the night of the panic The same man
could have cried fire. when there was only leak
IN a steam. p,pe. There would have been the same
no human ingenuity can prevent people from being
hurt IN one Put five hundred people out in The
omen street and start trouble among them, and
some one will get hurt. People In a panic are In
frenzv and difference of few hundred people Will
not prevent anyone's being hurt We don't need
any new legislation in the matter. The law as u
is forbds the obstruction OF the alsles. uhuer-
stand that to mean that they are TO be open SO
that one can pass freely. Why not limit the ad-
missions TO churches in the way proposed, as wen
ss 10 theatres There is crowding In churcheS
sometimes aud as much danger OF he ana panic,
was chief clerk of the Building Department LOT
thirteen years. and know al about the woIkng Va
the law in these matters The proposed LEGISLATION
woud prevent no injury to life beyond that already
secured by law There was no cause tor the panic
that night But you cant control people wnen
of the Jurors is unnecessary. do not wish 10 put
myself in the light of setting myself up against
them simply think their action is oased Oh ialse
At Abboy's Park Theatre William w. Iillotson,
the manager said 1t seems to me that an enact
ment based on this presentment would Do entlreiy
wrong The State would need TO appoint inspectors
as is done steamboats, ana as ~ were, come III
and take possession. AS construe IT. TINS present
meut would do away entirely WIN. sunlISSo On
tickets The law now requires the aisies 10 he
unobstrucied-that is, that persons shall not DE
allowed to stand in them any more tnsn .nas
does not refer to the space back OF the seats since
i'm theatres as well churches the aisles are tue
ODauiQQs from the stage 10 odCh VI tbO
mum IL a provision of law were to he made az
proposed here the theatres would lose all dement, OF
Than ksgiving and other holidays. Furthermore.
we have been playing to crowded houses Az the
week and all the money obtained from admission
tickets would be lost to us II the sale OF tlckets
were to be limited to the seating capacity OF tne
theatre The extra standingro0m is all back oil
the seats: the people there would be the hrst ones
to get out Ia case of alarm OF ire, and they
could get out almost before those IN tue oouS III
pancs be people who are injured arc not those VINO
have admission tickets, but those IN the seats. ne
latter are hampered by the seats they are CROWDED
i'm together a soon "a they begin TO rush out and
they receive their injuries In consequences Oh lnlS
and not because there are people without seats"
Z" But will not those with admission tlckets pre-
vent the others from passing out as soon as they
would otherwise y
Il think not. In case of panic. each one gets
ont as rapidly as possible, so that those Oack OF
the seats are not in the way OF the others. No,
tine Injuries come from the crowdng and rush on the
part of those who have seats III the PROVISIONS
proposed were to be adopted, 1t would lead 10
system of espionage and anyone who came hete ana
was dissatisfied with the play, or IN any other
way, could make complaint at inc least apparent
infraction of the law, and make 1t very disagree
able To illustrate: Last night two men look
stations in the aisle in the balcony The ushers
tried to make them move back out OF the aisle.
They refused TO move. The play was proceeding
in the middle of the act, and people near were
hushing the ushers, so q was thought Dest 70
today have note from man IN the audience
who writes me that we allowed two men TO stand
in the aisle last night and that II TINS offence Is re-
peated he will complain to the BulIumg Depart
ment / think the proposed action injurious 10 the
theatres and of no benefit to the public"
A. NJ. Palmer said that lie did not knew whether
the proposed legisll tion would be injurious or not
All that am concerned with in the matter" said
he, is that the public shall have every salegt ard
about them. II this legislation will secure them
any more let the law be passed. l will live mp to
IT, There is one law that ought to be rassed, how,
ever and that Is to make man who will cry fire ,
in theatre liable to o t,e of $500. The panic in
The London was uncalled tor. similar thing has
happened here several times. ! know that the
thing has been done out Of pure righteousness.
One thing is certain If the proposed legislation Is
made there will be some loud GROWERS. There
are good many who do not wish 20 take a seat in
theatre; they prefer TO go In and stand, so as TO
anyone, or for oeher reasons"
In conclusion Mr. Palmer said that he would not
pretend to say anything the advisability of the
proposed limit of the sale of tickets. The most that
he could do would be to fulfil the requirements Of
| the law.