National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-14
SAFETY FROM FIRE.
Condition OF the Theatcrs nnd Hotels in
Case OF CONFEDERATION.


Building Inspector Entwisle and Chief
Engineer Cronip, of the fire department. have
made report of examinations of public school
houses, the principal hotels, and public places
Of amusements, made in compliance with an
order of tho district commissioners Sep.
10, 1883. They state that in the case of
the National theater, in their opinion, the
exits are ample. They recommend that at
Ford's opera house the iron tie-rods in the
roof-trusses above tho stage be protected with
thick covering Of asbestos, and that the
space above the proscenium arch BIO closed up
to the top of the roof with suitable material.
They have ordered an opening in the parti-
tion at the Theatre Comique which, with the
great width of the stairway, gives an exit that
will empty the house very rapidly. An order
has been Issued requiring an additional stair
way at the Dime Museum. The great objec-
ton to Lincoln hall is its height from the
ground. They recommend that at this hall
separate meters and gas connections for stair
ways and halls in front of the building from
those ON the stage, and at the National and
Ford's opera house that three-inch
stand Pipe DO run up on line
with the proscenium arch, on each side
wall, and carried directly over tho arch, the
horizontal pipe to be perforated with 1-inch
holes, and to be operated by suitable valves
from the ground floor, and that large sky
light BIO constructed over the stage, and be
operated from the stage by light copper ropes,
or automatically. The object of the latter is
to mako a direct draught Tor tho smoke and
flames out through the roof. "These last
two improvements or suggestions" the re-
port says, "by preventing the heat from
reaching the audience, and tho other, by
allowing the heat and gases to escape through
the roof, would, in our opinion, give the au-
dience ample time to leave the building by
the main exits. With tho improvements of
the exits and the means suggested for pre-
vention and extinguishment of fires in the
above places OF amusement, We think that
we have recommended the modicum of what
should DO done, but do not assert that, If
carried out, the buildings would be abso-
lutely safe and the contingency of panic
avoided, but that there will exist no cause
for q panic, and one and all may leave the
buildings at a very moderate speed without
danger of sufTocation and burning and will
reduce the chances Of loss of life or injury
of the audience to a minimum" Tho report
expresses the opinion that the greatest pro-
lection that can he given is the tiroman now
placed upon the stage.
They report that on au inspection of the
principal hotels they find the stairways gem
orally ample, but of combustible construction.
Mention is made of the wooden structure in
the court of tho National hotel, and the re-
in this section of the building it would be
difficult to control. "Aftcr full considera.
tion of the whole subject" the report says
I'VE are of the opinion that it is best to make
provision for the care and protection of the
public in those structures than to rely upon
uncertain and dangerous operation of fire
escapes, and would recommend that o fire
alarm box BIO placed in each of the theaters
and in the offices of tho following hotels, at
tho expense of the owners National, Metro
politan, St. James, st. Marc, Harris house,
Wizards, Ebbitt, Riggs, Arlington, Worm
ley's. and the Portland and Richmond apart
ment houses; also, gong in the office, with
connections, to strike from the corridors or
passages in each story, and place every night
Waterman in the passages of each story,
from p. m. to a. M, with instructions that
on appearance Of fire to sound the Office gong.
The alarm then turned in at the Office would
be answered by the presence of the fire de-
partment in a few minutes. In addition to
these precautions we would recommend, for
prompt and effective action. that each of the
buildings be required to place stand pipes,
iron ladders, and balconies, in such number
and at such points as may be required and
designated by the fire department"