Evening star., 1903-10-24
women and children could safely reach the
ground
Theater Detail

women and children could safely reach the
ground.
Theater Detail.
| Two years ago the department directed
that a trained and competent member Of 10
should be detailed for duty at every thea-
ter in the city at every performance. and
| that policy has been continued with excel
| lent results. several incipient fires in these
| places of public amusement having been
| extinguished so quietly and eXpeditiously
| by the men so detailed that they were put
| out without the knowledge of the audience.
| While every theatrical management pro-
| hibits smoking on or about the stage ex-
| cept when ii is required by the business
| of the production, ii was reported to the
| department during the past season that this
| rule was violated now and then. IL is there
| fore recommended that a police regulation
/ be made and promulgated prohibiting by
law what the theatrical managements seek
| to prohibit through their own efforts Seri-
| Gus disaster was narrowly averted in one of
| the local theaters last season during
| panic started by a person in the house cry
| ing Fire" There fire. and the ad-
| visibility of a law severely furnishing per-
! son falsely and maiiciously crying Fire
| in an occupied place OF public amusement or
| like place is suggested.
During the past year two little children
We're burned to death because, ii was re-
| ported they had been left alone in house
at liberty to play with fire or matches.
| Many other fires were reported by the tiro
|
playing with matches or fire. and in view OF
| these facts, preventive legislation says MI.
| Dutton. would seem to be called for; legis-
| lation which would make ii an orense
| against the law. as it surely Is against hu-
| manity to carelessly expose little chill
| dren: for in such cases not only are the
| lives of the children so exposed endangered.
but also the lives and property of other per
| sons as in the case of fire once started.
| there is no certainty where II will stop.
Mr.. Dutton renews his recommendation
| of the last two years that the sale and use
| of gasoline and like highly infdmmable olIS
! be regulated by law. insuring greater safety
| to those using them. During the past year
| ffty-five fires We're reported by the hre mar
| shai to have been caused by or to have
been due to the use of these oils. and sixty
| five by oil stoves.
| The importance of clean chimueys. pipes
and fues may be seen from the report that
| during the past year 81 fires We're due 10
| foul chimneys, > To foul pipes and - TO de-
| fective nues 153 in ALL or about Il per
| cent of the years fires. Hot ashes caused
Al fires; overheated stoves. iS: spontaneous
| combustion, -; electric wires, II; gas Jets
Il; cigar and cigarette stubs. II; caildrel
playing with fire. =. and matches were re
| sponSible for "a. /? of these fires being due
| to children playing with matches
| Inspection of Buildings.
| The inspection of hotels, apartment
! houses. places of amusement. schools and
other buildings was continued during the
| year by Senior Assistant Chief Belt by
! direction of the department. In this work.
| which, Mr.. Dutton says, was most thor
| oughly done, Chief Belt was assisted by
| Fire Marshal Beber and by representa-
tives of the building inspectors office and
of the electrical department, and through
| this inspection the laws and regulations
! providing for the protection of lie and
| property We're enforced as never before. y
| recommendation of the department that no
| license should De granted to the proprietor
of any hotel or theater until the chief Of
ticer of the department and the Inspector
of buildings had certified in writing 10 the
| assessor that the applicant had couapl ed
| with these laws and rcgulat ons, was en-
acted into law by Congress July l. 1a2
| thereby enabling the authorities to enforce
| them.
This work of inspection should he con-
tinued says Mr.. Dutton. Indeed. Il should
never be relaxed for, he declares there il
much Yet to hc accomplished. ana he recon-
mends that the number of inspectors be
so increased rs to cover, by regularly re-
peated visits every section of the ID strict.
| Believing that it is much the duty Of a
| fire department to prevent fires it is 20
| extinguish them. the department neglected
no opportunity to impress upon the COM
munity the Importance OF preventive meas
ures. Members of the department, equip
ped with appliances were deta led for duty
| at fairs and other places Were their pres
, ence was deemed necessary was in
| vited, and a number of men We're detailed
| for duty night and day at Convention Han
| and at other buildings occupied by the
| members of the Grand Army of the Re-
public at the encampment last fall. and the
| buildings were furnished with fire-fighting
| appliances. trained member of the de-
partment was detailed for duty at the
| White House at every public gathering
| there last season, as was done the previous
! year.
| In severing my connection W tn this de-
| part ment. which is today the equal of the
best in efficiency" concludes Mr. Dutton
permit me to express my grateful anpre-
ciat!on of the Very nd consideration which
| your honorable board has never ceased TO
| accord me, and at the same time to express
| my no less grateful appreciation of the
earnest, faithful support which the officers
| and men of the department have ven me.
| to which support may he attributed i'm
| very large degree whatever success has at
| tended my administration.