Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-07
DISTRICT BUILDING LAWS
How They Relate to Theaters for Fire Pro-
lection.
Local Statutes Elective ms COMPARED
With Those of Balti-
more.
rom the National Building Register.

more.
| From the National Building Register.
The terrible loss Of life in the Front street
| theater Of Baltimore last week has been at
| tributed by many newspapers to the faulty
construction Of the building. This natu-
rally leads to a reference to the laws in
| force in Baltimore relative to the con-
structfon of theaters and other places OF
public entertainment. These laws or reg
ulations are not very thorough and &C
cording to other latest edition at hand they
are as follows:
And be 1t further enacted and ordained.
That in all buildings Of public character
already erected or that may hereafter be
erected, such as hotels, churches, thea
| tiers. school houses, restaurants, railroad
depots, public halls, and other buildings
used or intended to be used for purposes of
public amusement or instruction, the halls,
doors, stairways, seats and aisles shall be
80 arranged as to facilitate egress in case
| of fire or accident, and to afford the requi-
site and proper accommodation for the pub
lie protection in such cases.
And be 1t further enacted and ordained,
That all aisles and passageways in said
buildings devoted to purposes Of instruc-
ton or amusement, shall be kept free from
camp stools. chairs, sofas and other OBJ
structions, during any performance. serv-
ices, exhibition, lecture, concert, ball or
any public assemblage; all exits from any
public building shall be opened for the
| use OF every departing audience"
The Local Law Contrasted.
In striking contrast to these inadequate
regulations we quote the following as some
of the regulations in force in Washing
ton:
Il. In all theaters and other public places
of amusement already erected in the city
OF Washington the doors shall open out
ward and remain open when the building
Is occupied. except fy-doors opening both
ways, which may be kept closed. The hall
doors. stairways, seats, and aisles shall he
OF fire or accident; and to afford the requi-
site and proper accommodation for the
public protection in such cases, all aisles
and passageways in such buildings shall be
and other Instructions during any serv-
Ice, exhibition. lecture, performance, con-
cert, ball or any public assemblage.
"An theaters and other public places Of
amusement shall have water plug on
each side of the stage, sufficient hose Of
the size used by the fire department to ex-
tend wnen In use to any part of the stage,
scenery, and fixtures on and over the stage,
Tor immediate use at all times.
There shall also be placed over each
curtain opening, The full width Of same, a
two-inch perforated water pipe
All lights on the stages shall be electric
sulated.
THE curtain openings of all theater
stages shall be provided with asbestos cur
tains. which shall be arranged with ap-
pnances to be dropped at any moment
Width of the Aisles.
1.-THE side aisles 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
width Of five feet six inches.
"All exits shall be of such dimensions az
may DE deemed sufficient by the inspector
of buildings and the chief of the fire de-
parinent. In all theaters every floor that
Is more than eight feet above the side
walk shall be provided with ample stair
ways or exits by such fire escapes as NAV
be required by the inspector of buildings
and The chief of the fire department. All
heating boilers shall be placed outside of
the walls CT the theaters.
In every theatec during every public
performance there shall be stationed a ca
pablo employe 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 as
sistance in case of fire or alarm of fire.
As to Exits.
Every building erected or altered to be
Used as theater or public place of amuse-
ment involving the use Of a stage with
movable or shifting scenery, curtains and
machinery, shall be q brick building of
hre-resistirg construction throughout, ex-
cept flooring, SO far as the nature of its
use will permit; shall have the highest ma RI
OF the main auditorium floor not more than
four % feet above the sidewalk; shall have
| at least one frontage on the street or
avenue, with openings for exits not less
than one-third of the frontage of the build
1Eg, and shall have the doors, halls, cor
ridors, lobbies, stairways, passages, and
alsles wide. direct, and so constructed and
arranged as to afford easy egress for the
occupants under all circumstances: all
exits and entrances shall, as far as practic-
able, be identical, and shall have all doors
open outward and of such width as may
be deemed sufficient by the Commissioners
OF the District of Columbia. Such build
ings shall have sufficient stairways and of
such width and location as may be deem
ed by said Commissioners sufficient.
FireprOof Stairways.
All stairways shall be composed of iron,
stone or other incombustible material. All
stairways must be constructed with secure
handrails or brick dividing walls sufficient
in construction to prevent accident in case
| of heavy pressure.
"An partitions inclosing Hobbies and cor
ridors or separating them from auditorium
shall be of brick masonry or heavy stud
ding, brick-nogged throughout, or other
wise made non-combustible.
THE lights at rear of auditorium and all
passages and Stairways shall be independ-
ent of the lights in other parts of the
house, end so arranged that they cannot
be turned off from the stage or platform.
'An doors from auditorium to Hobbies and
stairways shall be metal-covered wood and
self-closing. There shall be Hobbies adjoin-
ing each division of the auditorium, the
floor surfaces of which shall be equal to
one-third of the floor of the adjacent au-
ditorium.
Between Stage and Auditorium.
THE stage shall be separated from the
auditorium by a brick wall not less than
seventeen inches thick, or its equivalent,
the entire width Of the building. There
shall be no openings in this wall except
the curtain opening, aud not more than two
others. to be located at the level or below
the stage.
The roof trusses, all scenery, curtains
and exposed woodwork of every stage and
f1y doors shall be thoroughlv coyarad or