The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-13
THE THEATER ORDINANCE
SUBJECT REFERRED TO THREE
ARCHITECTS AND WORKS BOARD.
Report to Be Made Next Monday Night
-Amendment Killing Clause Per-
tanning to Park Theater

Inc common council last night WreStled
with the Dewar theater ordinance. The
outcome OF the debate was to put the ordi-
nance in the hands of a joint committee of
seven, to consist of the Board of Works,
the building inspector and three architects
to be appointed by the mayor. That there
may be prompt action, fully covering the
exigencies of the present construction of
the Park Theater and Engishs Opera
House. the action of this Joint committee,
to be embodied in an ordinance is to be
back to the Council next Monday, when
the entire matter will be disposed of. This
joint committee will either recommend that
che present ordinance known as the New
York law be passed or that an amended
a revised or a ordinance be substi-
tuted Whatever recommendation this
joint committee may make will probably be
adopted by the Council. The ordinance
which was up last night will be submitted
to-day to the mayor together with the res
olution of the Council calling for the com
mtttee of experts. The motion to refer the
whole matter to the joint committee was
made by Mr.. Payne, after the Council had
adopted an amendment making the ordi-
nance imperative as to the Park Theater
or Englishs Opera House. The joint COM
mlttee however, may restore the provision
relating to these two theaters if it sees fit
The theater ordinance came up on the
recommendation of the committee on public
safety and comfort that it be not passed.
Mr.. DeWarS amendment to the ordinance,
a substitute changing the ordinance in
many particulars, had been offered at the
last previous meeting of the Council and
had gone with the ordinance to this COM
mittee The question finally came round to
the adoption of Mr.. Dewar's amendments
and Mr.. Sherer explained that the ordi-
nance was not complete and that it was
unfair to men interested in theaters or
proposed theaterS. 1t would require them
TO spread building for the accommoda-
ton of 1000 people over a whole block of
lots Mr.. Dewar denied this and said that
MS SUBSTITUTE had been submitted to Mr..
English and met his approval He also
said that the ordinance had been before
the Council in some form for several weeks
and that. if members had found anything
Objectionable in it they ought to have said
so and not wait until now and try to kill
a desirable ordinance because it was in
complete The ayes and noes were called
on the adoption of Mr.. Dewar's substitute
and it was adopted by the following vote:
Ayes-Messrs. Golfer, Cooper, Dewar,
Dudley, Montgomery, OConnor, Ohleyer,
Payne, Rauch Shatfer, Wolcott Costello.
Nays-AIen, Clark, Madden, Murphy,
Puryear, Sherer, Smith, Woody.
An amendmt Mt was offered by Mr. Cooper,
changing the wording of the substitute so
as to allow the construction of the Park
Theater to continue on the plans already
adopted. The substitute provided that
every theater or opera house or other build
ing intended to be used for theatrical or
operate purposes for public entertain
mentS of any kind where stage scenery or
any apparatus are employed, hereafter
erected, altered or repaired or now in pro-
cess of erection, alteration or repair"
should be built to comply with the ordi-
nance. Mr.. Coopers amendment, which
was adopted, strikes out the words "or now
in the course of erection, alteration or re-
pair
Then Mr.. Ohleyer thought the wording of
the ordinance was such that it would pre-
vent the use of many small halls for public
gatherings because some of them had
stage scenery and apparatus He said
1t would result in a discrimination against
some halls, which was not intended by the
spirit of the ordinance. He, therefore,
moved an amendment providing that the
ordinance apply only to theaterS and opera
houses having seating capacity of not
less than 1000. Finally, after some consid-
amendment but which went into the main
subject of the ordinance itself, Mr.. Obey
ers amendment was adopted. Things were
getting IN chaotic state When Mr.. cooper
offered a motion to refer the ordinance
amended back TO the committee on public
safety and comfort.
Mr.. Payne offered as a substitute for this
motion that the ordinance and amendments
be referred to joint committee, composed
of three Indianapolis architects to be APP
pointed by the mayor, the members OF
the Board of Works and the building in
spector. He expressed himself as opposed
TO any step which would kill the matter,
believing that a theater ordinance should
be passed. If the construction of the Park
Theater was faulty or dangerous, ar ordi-
nance should cover that case. However.
that was a matter which experts were best
able to pass upon. If the joint committee
held that the New York law was fair and
that it should be applied to the houses now
in the course of erection, he would vote ac-
cordingly. Whatever the joint committee
decided on he would vote for. There would
be no harm done in delaying the matter
till next Monday night for the Park The
alter could not be completed by that time.
The Payne substitute for the Cooper mo-
ton was finally passed, with an amendment
that it go to this joint committee through
the committee on printing instead of
through the committee on public safety
and comfort, the latter committee, as Mr..
Golfer expressed it, having had enough of
the ordinance. According to provisions of
the motion this special committee is to have
its report on the ordinance and amendments
ready for the regular Council meeting next
nj OH