New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-19
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
SECURING SAFETY IN THEATRES.
ACTION TAKEN by THE BOARD OF rlRE COMMITS
SIONERS,

sIoNERs.
President German presented yesterday TO the
Board of Fire Commissioners with me of The
the battalion chiefs as TO tho conuIt,on o W
theatres in the city, the following general conotu
sions which tho Board adopted as rules 10 govern
The examination of the theatres in the City OF
New York made by the Fire Department WIN NloW
10 determining the best lnode Iol 'nc j.;
lire or panic and protecting life and property ~ Caso
of fire or panic has shown the necessity OF dehhhg
what n theatre should be. 1t should he h0use
ttroncy and properly built, consisting OF an audlo-
r;n,n and stare kent clean and free from all I'M
necessary combustible material ana not useu as "
storage house for scenery, furniture properties OF
INV other thing not needed for the play or exhlOl
zion then being exhibited. Paint shops carpenter
shops, work shops and storage rooms IN Wln Gu
all combustible material should pc kepu suouIu 10
iocated outside of the walls of the theatre proper
The dressing toilet rooms should not be uhder We
stage or auditorium put should "a r HoGlS TS1
Oaratns should be SO arranged that the hTS, Iot
heating the house should not be within the walls Oh
the theatre. The space between the TOP Oh 'uc ny
srenum arch and the roof of the theatre should DC
Enclosed with brick walls, or double PARTITION Ol
corrugated sheet iron or other hreprooi Ha .
with an air space OF al least SIX lnches oetNcoH
the sheets for the purpose OF preventing ilo oi
smoke from the stage or flies passing over iHe pro-
scenum arch between the ceiling OF the auuioIIuii
and the roof of the theatre the gas or other lIum
mating process 10 he arranged so that ne stage
on6itor,nm and lobbies could De controlled sepa-
rately and that an accident to either coMIu lot
put the house suddenly IN darkness. III az C"ooo o
the gas should he lighted by ELECTRICITY as lnG use
should be stationary mot swinging or lolhtCu, ana
all gas burners should nave glass glopcS' WIG vi
other proper covering , 80, 1900,
"Alf places of public amusement should De con-
nected by telegraph from the stage ana from inc
box office with these headquarters, ana nave spec2l
Fulfilling signals given them. On me hrst IEtl-
nation of fire panic an alarm should De lhNtaity
sent 10 the Fue Department. All places OF puOAc
amusement should have at least four proper axes,
Two ON each side of the stage, two Tehooks one Oh
each side of the stage and rs many proper wafer
buckets ALWAYS filled with water, As may be neccS,
sary and not less than twelve, properly distributed
ebout the stage and flies and plainly Marked 1OT
fire purposes only. The roof over the stage shouu
be constructed of glass sashes so arranged mat my
would slide open by their own weight when the
rope that held them should be burned, unloosed or
cut on the stage thereby permitting The heated an
smoke and fire to escape through the GooI' IN al
places of public amusement the people on each StoIy
should have direct means OF egreSs 10 tne street.
without coming in contact with thOsc OF announcer
story: and all avenues of egress should ne lseu at
zach performance as those intended for use III case
of fire of panic only arc generally 1ouhu useless
when most needed. 49, "
The Inspector of ComDustbles and the Inspector
of Buildings are hereby directed Immediately TO
carry out the foregoing rules and enforce compliance
in The usual manner. The detailed reports of the
chiefs of the Second, Third, Fourth FHth. SKI H.
Seventh, Eighth and Ninth BatIaIons are hereby
referred to said inspectors 10 carry ont ana enforce
compliance with the recommendations therein
contained, and report to the Board every morning
in writing the progress made the previous DAY
john J. GoRMAN, President.
" HEADQUARTERS Fire Departmmt,{
d" NcW-IOT Jan. 10, lsH2.'