The San Francisco call., 1901-11-21
A DANGEROUS OFFENsE.

rTAD San Francisco needed an object lesson to
Fl teach the importance of the ordinance forbid
Il ding the obstruction of entrances and passage
ways of places OF public assemblage, if would have
been abandanty furnished by the witnessed at
the Grand Opera-house on Tuesday, evening The
desire attend the performance OF the evening was
great and the managers OF the opera company in
their eagerness to profit by it sold many admission
tickets that the purchasers thronged the obbies and
the aises and even then not all Of the ticket holders
could procure admission TO the building. 1t in
fact so packed, jammed and crowded that many per-
sons holding reserved seats were unable to get to
them.
An eye witness Of the scene after describing the
struggle Ct the crowds make their way the ticket
Office and the crowding in the lobby and at the
trance to the gallery before the doors were opened
scramble so intense that the police unable to
keep order-says that at last the word given to
allow the holders of general admission tickets to
the theater; and then adds: "ln few minutes
every inch OF the aisles was blocked and when the
holders of tickets for boxes the orchestra and dress
circle sought to take their seats it required the
courage OF football player to try and get through
the mass of humanity. Ladies garbed in gorgeous
array were forced to struggle after their escorts who
sought TO make passage way through the densely
packed ssles Valuable dresses were torn and, in
some cases Jewels were wrenched away. When the
overture began the seats not half filled owing
the inability OF ticket holders gain their places
An incident of that kind ought not be permitted
to pass uEnoted by the municipal authorities No
one wishes to be unjust the managers IF the opera
company. In fact most music lovers are so grateful
to the company for bringing brilliant array Of
singers TO the city and presenting successfully the
masterpieces of music, they are willing to condone
almost anything the management may do It is the
general desire that the prove profitable the
company, and one wishes put a single unneces-
sa restriction upon its operations There are limits
however, beyond which even the most tolerant good
nature permit the manager of a theater to go;
and those limits were exceeded by the opera man
ayers on Tuesday evening.
The city ordinance on the subject declares: "It
shall be unlawful for any person, firm company or
corporation TO obstruct or cause or allow to be
obstructed in any way the entrances, exits aises
stairways, obbies passageways of any theater hall
concert hall place of public assemblage during any
performance, service exhibition lecture concert or
during any public assemblage of any kind" 1t is
made the duty of the Chief of Police to carry out the
provisions of the order and the penalty imposed for
the oense is fine not exceeding $780, or imprison-
ment for six months or both. The ordinance there
FORE is adequate deal with the ofense and it should
be enforced.
The crush Of Tuesday evening fortunately passed
without any loss of life but had there been panic
which is easy start in crowd already excited
by the struggling of with another in an inclosed
space, the results would have been frightfu San
Francisco cannot afford to take risks of that kind
The city authorities should it that an example
is made of the offenders in this case which will be an
ample warning to others who may be tempted to
follow similar course in future