New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-18
MAKING THEATRES SAFE.
RESULTS OF THE RECENT INSPECTION.

DRAWN BY INsPEC OR ESTERBRooK.
"Wbat are the results Of the inspection OF
theatres by battalion chiefs of the Fire department
last December" was asked by reporter OF HE
TRIBUNE of John J. German, president of the Board
of Fire Commissioners, who was seated IN his ollce
| in Mercer-st.
Mr.. German replied that the work of in
| specting the theatres in this city had been
| undertaken with O two-fold object One oO-
ect was to ascertain what could be done to prevent
frightful loss of lfe similar to that occasoned by
| the burning of the Ring Theatre in Vienna on De-
cember B. in any of the old places OF amusement IN
this city, 1t was desired also to get sufficient IN
possible TO build faulty theatres in
| the future. The reports sent in ny the
| battalion chiefs showed that most OF the Oh
theatres dangerous III case OF hre because tIey
| had not Leen constructed properly. WIN the eXcc
ception of theatre the buildings were deVon OF
brick proscennm aeht tIo nT T we're lgV
constructed and useless to prevent flames from rom
passing either way Few OF the Inea' foS
were supplied with eilectlt t nla Scnnnr2 or
with telegTaphic communication with ERE
! Headquarters. In case OF flames breaking our Oh
the stage in any of these theatres, ana DecoW-
| ing uumanageable, there was nothing 10 prevent
smoke aud fire from extending mt once INTO tne
auditorium. Although efforts had been made no IN
several theatres cOuntcrac the danger OF RAPID
spread Of fire by providing extra means OF exit yGt
the reports showed that these exits were not asly
| q,
| of lit lie use if panic was created by a fire.
"1he repor of the battalion chiefs have been
| placed on fle." Mr.. German continued, and we
! have endrayOrcd TO make the best possible use OF
| the information which they contain. We sent
notices to all the theatre propneors III January
stating how n theatre ought 10 be arranged and fur
| nishcd with means of protection against fire. IL
| was recommended that all the theatres be placed
| in direct telcgraphic communication with fr'
Headquarters that the spaces over the proScenllhl
| arches b. filled i'm with tiTe-pTOOf material that
sliding skylIght' be placed in the roofs OVER the
stage portions and so arranged that they could be
opened and an upward draught thus created by
cutting a rope the stage floors that extra means
of exit be marked plainly that they could he ms
| tingushed bv persons in the audtOrlumS and that
| buckets flied wI'h water, hooks and axes
| be kept in convenient places in the buildings
and marked To be used for fire purposes onlf Eacl
place OF amusement in the city was inspected some
time after the notices were sent. Mos OF the own
ers and managers of theatres have expressed their
willingness to comply with our recommendations as
| far possible. lelrglapilc communication WIN
Fire HEADQUARTERS has been established nj nearly all
| the theatres, and machinery for cXtngulshlng
fires has been procured and placed in posi-
ton. Little else has been done vet, because
the chang in the buildings necessary to carry out
| the most important Of our recommendations would
interfere with the performances now going on he
owners say that when the theatrical season ends,
and the theatres are closed for the summer they
will make such alterations and improvements IN
the buildings suggest. Ii Is next Ia lmpOSsl-
bic, however, to put brick pro'cenlum arch IN one
OF the old theqtres without spending large
sum of money. II would be necessary
to build up new partition-wal between the stage
and the auditorium from the foundation, ami that
would involve great amount of tearing away nd
repairing other portions Of the building. The Fire
| Comm >soners have no power TO compel owners of
theatres put in brick roscenlIm arches, and am
ADVISED that a law compelling them TO such action
would be unconstitutional Our difficulty with the
| Windsor Theatre illustrates our lack OF power to
| make the Old places of amusement safe. Ii is for
the tn atTcOwnerS and the amlIse uent-lOYlnS pub
| lie to decide whether it will pay 10 make these
places safe by proper Encouragement. Inc Two, ne"
| THEATRES, Wallack's and HaTlgIn N Harris, have
| been constructed more in harmony with correct
! principles, and they are much safer than the Old
| ones"
Regarding theatres hereafter to be erected in the
! city, Mr. German said that new bill had been
dri up By Inspector EsterbroOk of the buildings
Bureau by direction Of the Fire Commissioners. In
| tins bi which will he sent to the Legislature III
few DAYS provision is made to prevent tine opening
of any theatre OF opera house. constructed alter the
passage OF the ACT uhIeSS certain Well-uGgHhcu re-
| qulTenents have been complied with. lne most
| important of these requirements are the following:
No portion Of a theatre building snail be used as "a
hotel, boarding or lodging hodsc AZ factory or Tor
sora2e purposes Ihi5 iSrcLG9 re@teJ nor no o a
forum and stage but also applies TO the entire strlc
ture and prohibits scenery making and sccncpuiutug
| inside the building. Inc walls OF TIE thehlro
| shall be built OF stone or DICK ana any
| fucide or front constructed OF iron shail be
! backed with brick of such thickness to make
| the walls independent OF the facing. conform as to
thickness with me requirements OF the building law
irtiVol "u ., pan, H ' ~ ,,,t fdur frrt sboIn
the roof ana co"d with stone or terra Gotta. Above
tp,ct relieving arch snd The intervening space be-
b:irk, or otncr approved material which Is
wall bcteen the stage and auditorium shall nave doors
provided with iron rnGtters. All walls floors ana par
auditorium the entrance yestiBue any room pas
sage dcyOed TO the Of the audience shall he con
sructId Of nreprOOl material lhc waits Operating ne
dressing rooms RON The slago shall be buJ VI brick, and
passages shall be made nrcroof aud provided WIN
sclfclusm- wrOughtrOu doors All stage scenery sIla
DE made safe against fire to the satisfaction OF the Ere
All seats IN the auditorium except those in the boxes
shalI be fastened to the moor hrny Inc nsies shall De
az least three six wide Ia tue ndroWC5
toward exits inca FOR every five feet The exits
snail least wide tLe aisc Tue amount Of hoor
room or the audience must be $50 superficial
| feet Tor every 100 persons. Grahen,s or lEcihcd
bic to overcome gut differences or in the ai5ies
| and passages. Al iIclOsed passages corridors and
| hand.rail Hrmly secured the wall. No
| ppssage leading to any stairway, communicating
four rcet In width i theatre dating 800 per
sous snail al ic4-; Tor 800 persons, three
cNin aud 40 feet Ia wIn. For every
| additional 100 pcIsOn5 accommodated twenty ihchcs
additional width must no ..ow,r In tue exits All doors
AZ tno oXIts suall open onward aud they snail not
be locked wnilo the building IL opened
exit and cntrInco shall be ploy.d,d Tor caCn
gallery rst. Ali stairs shall be constructed Of
nrc-i material throughout etairwals serving loF
toe exit of iy person, shall bc least four wide,
ma fl covered winding tney must be five feet wide.
tionaI MY persons Al least nJepcnd, STAR
oases, w.th dIcct exterior outlets, shall be provided Tor
each gallery anu Tor the s'as'' All STAIRWAY ;
leading 10 The upper galleries shnd DO
enclosed by walls Of uis1nry On both Sides ana the
stars mus. have suitable landings 70 make them safe.
boiler whom may BE- required Tor heating or
for o,her PURPOSES must be outside the building, aud
covered by nreprOOt roof StHhl p!pcs Su'i oo pro
yd with hose a!acnnOuts Oh ouch noor ana gallery
BucKcts OF water, nanpunps or other portable IRE
extingu sning apparatus slhh % koPt on
the stage in readiness for use. Gas Jo!s
Ia the buildnx protected by wire netting where
necessary 10 avoid danger thu lights. Every exit
shall have over IL Tho inside OF the bIng the word
exit painted IN letters noe css Than eight inches high
| Mr. German said that portions of the pro
posed bill had been suggested by the
| reports of inspections made last December. Dir.
! Eserbrook had gwen the subject careful study. and
in reporting the proposed act 10 the FIRE Commits
| slOners hc had written as follows:
regard theatres and places OF amusement where