New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-17
AUDIENCES ON ICE.
THE EFFORT TO MAKE PLAYS BEARABLE
IN SUMMER.

HOW 1T is DONE AT THE BHoAD"Ai-i'Hi''
rRATEp WIND BLOWN ALL OVER THE HOUSE.
~ arv reader of this column has ever stayed 'n
the city of New-York through a summer, ne may
possibly have noticed at times difhcuity IN Keep
ing cool 1t Is a difficulty which Is pretty wen
spread over the city, and it is one whch mas other
effects than the most obvious of causing tenn
porary discomfort 1t seriously Injuries any business
which has to be conducted in a cool place unless
some way is found to make the place COOL IN spite
of the adverse climatic conditions NOW, such d pusi-
ness Is that of theatre according to SeneraI oehei
although the opinion Of theatrical manager VIII
nre,ently be quoted to the contrary. Most man.
ayers however are sufficiently convinced that this
is the case to try every to make their houses
as cool as possibde, whenever they have them open
in the summer.
AS the warmeet OF weather may row be assumed
TO be on It's rapid way toward New-York' 1t may
interest some of those who to be residents OF the
city until after 1t is passed. to know now nara d
theatrical manager tries TO make place OF amuse-
ment pleasant for them Just in the way OF cooling
# off irrespective of what entertainment he pro-
yldes For this purpose the city theatres are Var-
ously provided. according to the intention to use
them much or little in the summer and according
to the opinions of the owners as to what Is most
eflcacious and expcdent. Some Of the houses have
no means of cooling except the ordinary ones OF
ventilation because they are Intended for use only
in cool weather and others have elaborate machinery
for the purpose. IL may or may not De tnoushl 70
have Significance that. while the summer career OF
n New-York theatre is generally about as doubtful
as ''ce on summer seas" the Broadway, which has
perhaps the best and most powerful cooling machin-
cry In the city has managed to keep open for the
whole of nearly every summer since II was built.
The woman who II so inconsderate az TO use ran
in that theatre surely does not realize Row much
OF the big building is given over to keeping her
cool irrespective Of her fan. The company has fans
OF It's own.
ONE FAN FOR THE WHOLE AUDIENCE.
The principal fan Is down under the ladies' parlor.
on the Forty-Arstst side of the building. OF course
nobody will understand that this Is the kind of fan
that the inconsiderate woman upstairs uses. 1t Is
not even of the sort that IL borne before the En-
peror OF China, in the picture in the geography.
though that IL an imposing instrument in It's way.
This fan more resembles n windmill. yet not wind
mill that Is blown. but one tina; blows The prln-
cpie Of the windmill works both ways; and as a
wind can drive a windmill. even SO a windmill can
drive or draw wind The windmill in question IS
one OF thrty-ilve horsepower. II Is driven by an
engine OF forty horsepower. so that anybody.
whether he understands such things or not can see
that there FIVE horses spare on the part OF tho
engine. The fan, when 1t gets really excited about
the hot weather, makes something ike w reVoIu-
tons a minute.
This fan IS in the end OF sort OF hue, which lies
along the length Of the building. This nue opens at
It's other end into an air shaft. which runs TO the
top OF the building. 1t Is through this shaft that
all the air comes in AMI It is caused 10 do 50 with
great velocity when tho fan is agltated The fan
draws 1t down tho shaft and through the nue, and
then sends Il abou; its business through the build
Ing. When the night Is hot the nue is filled Win
fee. At first the incoming air encounters blocks OF
Ice laid on their sides a frame. When 1t has got
past these 1t comes 70 more Ice standing edge on
another frame. The blocks placed in zigzag
tY,- ouch hA md
by the time the air has twisted and twined its way
among them IT has lost good deal OF the hery Vigor
wherewith II had been bent distressing the city
before It was turned to a more useful purpose by
the fan.
BIG ROOM FULL OF AIR.
Having drawn the breeze to Itself on the one SIDE
the expels 1t on the other. part OF 1t passes
INTO a big air chamber and part Of 1t into pipes
Tho chamber Is under the orchestra floor OF the
theatre 1t Is two feet high next the stage, and six
feet high at the other side. and this makes con-
siderable air space Those who have sat In the or
chestra sea's hay. noticed certain affairs like big
pepper-boxes under some OF the seats These are
the tops o little pipes that open directly into the
big air chamber As the air Is constantly forced
into the chamber by the fan, II OF course seeks an
outlet. and ii comes up through these pepper
boxes TO the comfort OF those who are sitting IN
the orchestra seats ,,..,.
For the orchestra circle the arrangement is little
different. The floor OF this part of the house rises
I'm low steps the pitch required Tor SEEING
and the chilled air finds its entrance TO the house
steps 81 is brought TO them from the fans through
immense pipes Tho dress circle and balcony have
ness OF dsposng Of most OF the air that comes into
the house. they manage to get plenty OF II from me
lower portions. That is to say all around the walls
OF the dress circle and balcony there are ventators
nfty-two OF them altogether. TO carry on the air
that Is passing through the house. II rises naturally
from the orchestra and the orchestra circle where
It's entrance has been already described and passes
out through these ventilators and also through
ventlators the seven chandeliers. But this IS
not hot Vitlatod air because the circulation
through the whole house is so rapid that 1t does not
1t is not found necessary to run the fan at its full
speed except really hot nights AS general
ming OF the fan at half speed and without ice, the
mere circulation OF the air being enough. But there
application OF cooling agents IS FOUND 100 niuch II
Is then that the machinery begins to pile up its revo-
rushing down from the top Of the shaft az the roof
doyours thirteen tons OF It between '5o ana II
when 1t takes thirteen tons to keep the house cool
for an evening. II may be counted as a reasonably
hot night Some eXpermenters came down from
Columbia College once, cut holes In the pipes and
discovered that the fan was driving 1900 cubic feet
added only that in the winter the current OF air is
diverted and passed ever steam pipes. instead Of
warmed in exactly the same manner that it is
cooled In the summer.
OTHER THEATRES HAVE OTHER PLANS.
1t seems rather remarkable to find that OF the
newest and most improved theatres have much less
efficient means OF cooling Proctor's Pleasure Pal
ace for instance n model OF modern improvements
in most respects has somewhat the arrange
ment as far as the mere ventilation goes but no
provision for ice simply because it is not intended
for a summer theatre. There 1t Is meant that the
summer crowds shall go into the big, open palm
garden up to the roof garden, ard that Nature
shall do the rest. And II cannot be denied that the
theatres that have tried this plan In previous sum-
mers have generally found II good one.