The sun., 1902-02-01
ALL THEATREGOERS MUST SIT.
FIRE COMMISSIONER STURGIS
ABOLISHES STANDING ROOM
Even at the Opera VIII Mean $780,
900 Loss In q season. Maurice Grnu
Ssys-IIardship 10 Hundreds OF Music
Lovers Got Seats Last Night.

Loycrs-Thcy Got Seats Last Night
Fire Commissioner Sturgis, through Chief
Croker, sent out an order yesterday calling
the attention Of all flremen, and particu-
larly those detailed at the theatres. to
the rule OF the department requiring that
aisles and passageways in the city's play
houses must be kept free Of seats and people,
and threatening those who neglected to SOC
that the order was carried out with trouble.
Maurice Grau, manager of the Metropoli-
tan Opera House, where the rule wGs rig
idly enforced last night, said that IL persons
were not allowedto stand TO witness per-
formances there 1t was very doubtful
II the plans OF those who we're carrying
out the great opera performances could be
accomplished successfully.
IF this rule is actually enforced with
rigor, as am told il will be. said Mr.. Grau,
1T will mean a large loss to the manage
ment. II will mean an especially large
loss on Saturdays, when there are two
performances. / am confident that our
loss each Saturday will amount to several
thousand dollars and that the total loss
for the season will amount to fully 100000
THE enforcement of the rule will be,
moreover. a great hardship to hundreds
Of earnest students of music who cannot
afford to pay more than a dollar each to
attend the opera"
Mr.. Grau said this with some show OF
feeling. II was just after the beginning
of the performance last night. The fire.
man stationed in the Opera House had
called the attention Of the Treasurer to the
fact that about 150 persons who had braved
the storm were standing in the passage
ways and at the same time had given notice
that this was violation OF the law and
would not be tolerated. The Treasurer
had a consultation with Mr.. Grau, and as
there were number Of vacant seats In the
house, the persons who had been standing
were taken to those.
In other theatres in which there were
any people standing, the fremen saw that
Commissioner Sturgis's order was earned
out. There were not many people stand
ing in the theatres last night anyway.
Al Hammerstein's Theatre Oscar Ham
merstein said: Il am going to obey the
law. As long as there Is such law am
going TO see that IL is obeyed in my theatre
and / am not going to fight It,. Obedience
will mean hardship TO many theatres. but
to me, at least the rule seems wise one.
This is the Fire Departments order:
HEADQUARTERS or FIRE DEPARTMENr,l
CITY or NEW York. Jan 20. 1902. !
Bureau chief Of Department.
!. The attention OF all officers and members
OF the department, particularly theatre In.
spectors and members detailed to places of
amusement, Is hereby called TO the provision
of Section go. Rules and Regulations. 1895.
relative 10 obstruction 10 aisles and passage
ways, either by reason OF chairs or stools
placed therein, or persons standing or sttlhg
= In future no person or persons will be per-
mitted TO stand In aises. passageways, or ID
any other part OF the house Tor any knsth
OF time whatever. Reports OF the failure on
,ne par, Of any manager ma or e%poyse ~ member q suS Of
aau ARfa nj led
with these orders will be Immediately made.
II. Theatre inspectors in future vii pe
all standppe. hose; oouplinss. IRE ehtin-
guishers. and other fire appliances. IN all thea
Tres ia every battelion district once once, each IN
this Office. stating results OF such tests.
together with such recommendations a. Ia
their opinion are necessary TO he made In
order that all laws. ordinances and regula-
tions OF this department msy be strictly COM
mi Attention is also called TO tho fact
that automatic or swinging chairs attached
e seats In theatres are regarded a. an an
obstruction and IN violation oi IaT. ana VIII
EDwARD y CRoKER. Chief.
When the curtain rose on the first act
OF sOn the Stroke of Twelve az the Metrop-
oils Theatre In The Bronx last night there
was a row between Policeman Collins and
the fireman, who were detailed at The thea
ire, as 60 which should make the other
sit down: ,,
you'll have 20 sit down. said the fire.
man. MY supenors compel me 20 make
YOU sit down. No one can stand In aisles
OF passageways any more
Collins thought the fireman was joking
hut soon found out that hs wasn't Then
the two argued The polioeman said hs
superiors didn't allow him To ait down
anywhere while on duty.
sGet out of the theatre, then said the
fireman
PaOple in the hack rows couldn't hear
the ola y.rs besAuse Of the fack-, Mana
gar Hussnlsfg finally persuaded the two
men 10 ~ ouislde in the lobby The pollos-
man Reported the afair 10 his ouniIahd"r
Cap fluod az the Alexander avenue
station. md Flood told tollins be- had
arrd pfutsfly Tho hfruAn sid b"
.,o,llf feuoft tlr tsnllnrif,an ~ hsad4 tATtrfn