The Progress., 1888-01-28
FIRES IN THEATERs.
Safeguards With Which Every Place
AmuSelnent Should Ra Provided.

/
Safeguards With Which Every Place al
Amusement Should Be Provided.
Perhaps the most generally discussed
and it might be fairly assumed the
most generally accepted safeguard
is the iron curtain. Taken for granted
that the fire in most cases originates
on the stage, the very natural idea sug-
gests itself that the first thing to be
done is to sever the connection be-
tween the stage and auditorium. Un-
fortunately, the iron curtain is not al-
ways an infallible safeguard. for al
though it probably prevented panic
at Munich in 1879. yet the Berlin Ma
tional Theater was totally destroyed in
1888, despite the iron curtain and use
of incombustible scenery. Iron cur
tains, too, have an unfortunate knack
of getting out of order just when they
are most wanted. so that until they be-
come more easily accessible in cases Of
sudden necessity. their utility is ques-
tionable. That they could be more
easily accessible goes without saying.
We're they. to quote the happy idea of
the practical editor or the Stage,
painted and used as act-drops." there
is no good reason why they might not
be utilized in any emergency. The
more general use OF electric light I'M
stead Of gas might be another means
Of lessening the number of fatalities in
theaters; while the prohibition of open
tire-places. lime-light tanks, and car
penter's and property makers shops
within the main walls of the building,
would undoubtedly tend to mako
theaters much safer than they are at
present. Then, again, the removal
from the stage of all scenery not in
actual use. and especially-when not
needed-such scenery as "borders''
hanging from the "Aies," ought to bo
insisted on; while the r hydrants,
buckets, ETC.. at the wings and
':dies" should be inspected regularly
by some competent person. It is this
want of Inspection which often renders
the most perfect appliances useless in
time of need. On an Atlantic pas>en-
ger steamer, the carpenter is obliged
to visit and test twice each day every
bulkhead in the ship, while the seamen
are regularly drilled in every probable
circumstance of q fire or wreck at sea.
Why not apply the same discipline to
theater employees?
In spite of the most elaborate pre-
cautions, however, fires will occasioh-
ally occur, and as the safety of the
audience, is. after all. the first thing to
be considered, the real remedy consists
in the construction of proper and un-
impeded exits, instead of the tortuous
corkscrew passages which are too often
en- evidence in the older places of
amusement. I lay stress on uMm-
peded exits, for, though wide and
roomy passages may be built Nd Snf7si-
tuns, they will be Of little service if
impeded by Il barrier which, however
useful for the orderly admission of the
audience, is decidedly dis;ldvantageous
to their chances of getting out alive
should a panic of any kind occur.
Will it be believed that in a we'll
appointed theater I happened to visit a
week or two after after the Exeter dis
aster-a theater, too, which possessc<l
admirable exits, and in which the
spaces between the rows of seats in all
parts of the house were every thing
that could be desired-that even here q
barrier, firmly fastened by an iron bar,
extended more than half way across
one of the passages. and was not un-
hinged until the performance had al
most cOncluded!-Chan Journal.