New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-15
MAKING TIE BIG GARDEN SAFER.
CHANGES MADE YESTERDAY UNDER The DRECuo
OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

CHANGES MADE YESTERDAY UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Chief Fisher, of the Eighth Battalion. yester-
day sent to the Fire Commissioners report upon the
present internal arrangement OF the Madison Square
Garden After stating that many as 1900 persons
were in the building at time during the circus per-
torrance, he says:
The seats for persons attending the performances con-
sst OF wooden chairs some twenty or more securely Ids
tened together Those called reserved seats are the hrs
ten OF chairs around the arena and are sep
grated from those IN the galleries by wooden railing or
fence from three 10 four Ieet mgo Inc 7ies IrtnE 10
from the reserved seats are not IN my opinion
OF sufficient width being somewhat less than three feet
The gallery sisles about IN the same proportion ana 90
not correspond with the ses leading down Ito the arena
The means OF exit for persons In the gallery On the Iwe
tv-sxtht side OF the building consists of tempora
stairway leading down into the menagerie and thence
through the arch 10 Fourthave and another
stairway the west end OF the gallery leading % me
ground floor Persons in the balcony the Twenty
the chairs and wooden railing To reach the Madsnn-aNe
entrance go 10 the temporary stairway leading 20 th
Madsou-ave leaving only two exits for the large as
" onid therefore recommend that the starways the
MadisOn-ave the building leading nom the bal
cony and galleries the Twenty sxthst aud twenty
sevenh-s sides, be removed. and direct exits made 10
the streets also that the exit AZ FOurthave ana Wen
sevenh-s be freed from s obstructiOns IN order that II
may be available in case OF an emergency aso maj ol-
rect and continuous isles be made rom the galers 70
sides OF buildings also that the doors In
and Twenty -seveuth be freed from distinctions and
gallery which barred with wood, be made avail
able for escape IN OF panic accident Underneath
the gallery on Twenty siItst side the animals are
stabbed while the space beneath the opposite gallery
the horses are stabbed and quantities OF hay and other
cOmbuStibe material kept there The appliances Tor
eytingi-hing fire fire extn Eui,hers distributed
around the building, some ten feet out OF reach.
The Commissioners sent the report to Inspector Ester
brook With request that he should make personal ex-
animation OF the Garden aud decide what measures ought
10 be taken to make the place safe M Eterhrook went
10 the Garden while the afternoon performance was In
progress and Inspected all the exits alses and stairway'
The managers 6f the circus expressed Willingness 20 make
any change which he thought necessary for the safety Or
the spectators, and the conclusion OF the AFTERNOON
performance they set force Of carpenters 70 WOrk I'D
AIRY the Iuspectors recommendations into effect before
the evening performance. DISTINCTIONS were removed
from exits and the exits were marked aleles were
ries were opened.
chief seery, OF the Bureau Of Conbustoles aso went
dircop- for The proper distribution Of tnammabe ma
terals under the galleries, IN order 70 avert possible