Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-11
THE HYPERION MATTER.
Abatement From pr. wiaehell.


 ' To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: It is with great reluctance and only to ! state some facts and correct some misstate- ! ments that the following is submitted: The determined and repeated attacks re- gently made by certain parties in the city upon portion of the building known as the | 'sHyperion," has been a matter of public II comment.
 | That the structure 8 whole challenges @ most scruteniZing investigation of practical builders and experts, so far as stability, capacity and adaptation to the purposes in tended, has never been questioned. The conveniences and almost perfect acoustic properties of the Hyperion" were subjects of repeated comments by the most prominent speakers during the political campaign just passed, and whatever anxiety may have been felt possibly the momentous issues at stake may have overbalsnced all consideration of safety. At least there was no objection to testing the capacity of the building. We have heard little but praise and favorable comment from the most distinguished actors and theatrical managers that have appeared upon its stage. While much harmless and instructive amusement has been furnished our citizens since its doors were opened to the public, there may be some who regret that the project ever materialized, and especially ! to give rise to such nightmare of apprehen- sion concerning the safety of portion of the same.
 Would it be strange if even the present owner were among the numbsra
 There were defects In the construction of the upper gallery. Considerable has been done for their removal. Time, patience and money will no doubt as far as possible re- move the others. A few citizens of late have become very much exercised in the matter and have made great exertions to effect the change at once. As it is private enterprise no demands could possibly be made upon the public treasury. In this respect 1t is different from the State House question, they do not apparently see how the gallery under discussion which would be comparatively dangerous when crowded to it's full capacity of seven or eight hundred could possibly be comparatively safe when occupied by only one third that number.
 While the other portions of the Hyperion are recognized as being almost absolutely safe, which can be said of very few build ings of it's kind no virtue or relative safety is apparently recognized in the upper gal lery. It may be difficult to account for the working of some minds, 1t may not. There are manufactories in this city where pieces of machinery, weighing from three to five tons are placed upon the second, or third, or even fourth floors, while directly under them men, women and children are at work day after day. The great weights are con- centrated and not distributed over large space, thus le96eO1ng the danger. IS 1G safe place for these people to be grouped by the score, with possibly two narrow exits and no fire escapes accessible upon the building? Are the public buildings in this city to say nothing of the private ones, where hundreds of citizens often congregate free from similar dangerous conditions, The State statutes, the chartered regulations of the city define the course to be pursued in these cases.
 The past actions of committees and coun- cils are matter of record. We cannot be- lieve that a seconds sober thought of our citizens, and especially business men, could possibly go upon record of advocating measure that does not involve principle of general application, nor can we think for one moment that their influence could be ob- tained in carrying out 8 subtle and inexpli- cable maiace. In relation to an article which recently appeared in an evening paper of this city stigmatizing the honorable members of the board of education of New Haven, would say the character of the article is its own comment. We are surprized at the ignor ance of facts displayed by the writer; all of which are @ matter of record and can be easily ascertained, or in ease the facts were understood, as it has been intimated that the writer or his representative was present at the aforesaid meeting of the board, we are amazed at the adeptness of mental necrom. ancy that overshadows the great Hermann himself. Respectfully,
 A. E. WINCHELL.