Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-12
NEW REGULATIONS
Made by the Commissioners for rheatsrs
and Places of Public Anus emeuts.


Made by the Commissioners for Theaters
and Places of Public Anus erneuts.
After careful Consideration and personal in.
spection Of the thesters and other public
places Of Amusement in the city the Commits
sioners, in pursuance with the joint resolution
OF Congress, today made the following reguls-
tions governing same:
Regulations for the public safety in relation to
theaters or other public places Of amuse-
ment in the city of Washington, District Of
Columbia.
Ordered:
That the following regulations are hereby pre-
scrfbed for the public safety in theasers or
other public places Of amusement in the city of
washington, District Of Columbia, in accord
ance with the requirements of the first
section of the Joint resolution.
approved February 20. 1882, entitled Joint
resolution to regulate license to proprietors of
theaters IN the city OF Washington, District of
Columbia, and for other purposes
Section l. In all theaters and other public
places OF amusement already erected in the
city OF Washington the doors shall open out
ward ana remain open when the building is
occupied, except fly doors opening both ways:
which may be kept closed. The ball
doors, stairways. seats and aisies
shall be so arranged as to facilitate
egress in cases of fire accident; and. to afford
the requisite and proper accommodation for
the public protection in such cases. all aisles
and passageways in such buildings shall be
Kept free from camp stools. chairs, sofas and
other distractions during any service. exhibi-
ton, lecture performance, concert, ball or any
public assembage.
Sec. =. That in all thea.ers and other pubic
places OF amusement In the city OF Washington
| there shall be placed and kept attached TO a
water plug on each side of the stage and fly
floors sufficient hose of the size used in the
IRE department to extend, when i'll use, to any
part OF the stage, scenery anu fixtures on and
over the stage, and so situated and kept clear
OF distractions as to be available and in con-
dltion for immediate use at all times pro-
ylded in the act approved January rs. 1887, en-
| titled AN act for the further protection of
property from fire and safety OF lives in the
District Of Columbia"
Sec. 3. There shall also be placed over each
| curtain opening, the full width Of same, a
two-inch perforated water pipe supplied by
one and one-hah inch rising main at each end.
Sec. 4. All lights on the stages shall be cleo
| tic incandescent, the wires to be properly in
sulsted.
Sec. s. Over the center of each theater stage
there shall be placed a skylight containing not
| less than eighty square feet of surface.
Sec. 6. The curtain openings OF all theater
| stages shall be provided with asbestos curtains,
which shall be arranged with appliances TO be
dropped at any moment
Sec. 2. The side aisles Of all theaters and
other places Of amusement shall be not less
than three feet in width and the center aisle
on the main floor not less than three feet six
inches wide at the lower end Of opening and
increase in width toward the exits to q width Of
i've feet six inches.
Sec. 8. All exits shall be Of such dimensions
as may be deemed sufficient by the Inspector Of
buildings and the chief OF the fire
department. In all theaters every floor
xkNN = ,~Lx HxnN III. H.
sidewalk shall be provided with ample
stairways or exits by such fire escapes as may
be required by the inspector of buildings and
the chief Of the fire department.
Sec. 8. ALI heating boilers shall be placed
outside OF the walls Of theaters and their situa-
ton approved by the inspector Of buildings
and the chief of the IRE department
Sec. 10. All lighting, water appliances and
other arrangements as heretofore defined on
the stages shall be under the supervision Of the
fire marshal.
Sec. ii. In every theater during every pub-
pable employee of said theater, who shall be
approved by the chief Of the fire de-
partment Of the District OF Columbia He
shall be competent to render valuable assist
ance in case Of fire alarm of fire in or about
such theater, and it shall be his duty to have
all apparatus for the extinguishment Of fire in
proper position and ready for use at all times
during such performance, and to whom no
other duties shall be assigned during such per-
Torrance.
In this connection the Commissioners today
wrote to the managers of the Bijou Theater
calling attention to the following deficiencies
in the theater and notifying them to comply
with the regulations within ten days or the
theater license would be revoked:
There are no water plugs and hose on the
stage and fly doors. The perforated water pipe
over stage opening and receiving mains to sup.
ply same are absent, a. are also the entire
lighting Of the thester by mean
descent electric light The vertical WIN
dows in skyiight to be arranged
by automatic appliance In case Of fire. The
curtain opening provided with an asbestos cur
tam; all side aisles to be made not less than
three feet wide; two aisles to be
opened a. explained from the aisles
Ill the orchestra to side exits
the two center aisles on orchestra floor opened
gradually from the end near the stage to a
width OF five feet six inches at the rear end.
Also to open center aisle in the gallery of
same width and increase the steps in
width from the rear platform, as will
be explained. Also to continue the prosceuium
or partition wall to the roof the full width of
the house, and to be first sheathed close and
stripped On the sheathing and the entire surface
covered with tin. The heating boiler to be
removed and placed outside the building.