New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-31
THE SANE DANGER HERE.
THEATRES OVERCROWDED
Sturgis Says Similar Disaster Is
Only Question of Time.

Fire Commissioner Sturgis last night one
Of the most attentive readers of the accounts
Of the Chicago disaster The same thing
could happen in New-York.' he said. and it is
only question of time when it will happen
The Fire Department has little to do with the
theatres here, only to keep fireman in every
house during performances to ring the alarm,
direct the hose. etc. We have made efforts to
keen the exits open and do away with stand
ing room. but we have received little assistance
from anybody. For instance. the courts would
not allow us TO clear the aisles in the Metropoh-
tan Opera House. The managers do about as
they please and in their prohtmaking the pub
lie assists them
Take the performance of 'Parsifal last week
There were one thousand people standing up
more than the seating capacity of the lower
floor. Tomorrow. doubtless. they will pack and
Jam in there again. What is TO prevent a worse
horror than this one in Chicago, should the
Metropolitan get on fire? 1t is the jam of
people standing up in the rear of a theatre, as
they do every day in the vaudeville houses.
which is the worst danger in a fire panic. They
block the exits when the crowd tries 10 surge
out. Many of the new theatres in this city. too.
have been built in defiance OF the ordnance
especially in the matter or aisles, which should
be wide enough for two people to walk abreast
There is one new theatre in New-York where
one man has difficulty in getting to his seat II
he is at all stout"
Aft Hayman manager for Charles Frohman,
on the other hand. said that he did not believe
such an accident could happen in New-fork
He said that the fire precautions here were very
strict. and in the Frohman houses the stages
were flooded automatically when the tempera-
ture reached a certain point. Every corner OF
the stage was watched all the time, also
Another manager laid much of the blame for
the Chicago disaster on the long entrance like
funnel. by which the Iroquos auditorium Is
reached The house. he said. did not face any
where on the street. but surrounded by
other buildings. Sc that the exits were made
quate.
Mr.. Blue Beard" the play which was being
presented when the accident happened. is ex
travaganza of the conventional English type.
with a great amount of scenery over two hun
dred players mostly girls and children. who ap-
pear in numerous ballets, and an Infinite
amount of gaudy costumes. tinsel properties and
the like, TO produce glitterlng and 1alryLKe el-
fects. 1t was play supposed 10 appear eSpe
ciaIIy to children. The leading members OF the
cast were Eddie Fov. who has long been ldentl-
fed with low comedy parts In musical atTdc-
lions: Harry Gilfoi and Robert CaWthorner VINO
also have been playing burlesque and 10" com
edy roles for many years in similar prouuCI4OA9'
Sam Reed Frank Young, MISS Bonille 9las go
late a favorite dancer at Weber & tlelQs 81 MISS
Blanche Adams, Miss Nora Cecil Miss Adele
Rafter and Miss Annabelle Whitford-
The theatrical firm. Of klaw K Erianger'
Of this city. was the owner OF the American
production of MI Bluebeard," and also owner
with w J. Davis and Harry Powers, or chi
cago and Nixon & Zimmerman. or Phlladei-
phia, of the Iriquois Theatre Many mothers OF
girls in ''The Blue Beard" company came weep
ing to KIaw & Erlanger's offices last night,
and the firm was beSet on all sides with n
uuiries. They met all corners at once with
telegram received at o'clock from Ben Ste
yens manager of THE Billionaire' company
which is playing IN Chicago, to the effect that
the loss on the theatre would not exceed S1oO.-
OO0 and many - he cost mes had been saved,
though ths scenery was all gone. None or the
players were lost, the telegram concluded The
Assocflssd Press dispatches from Chicago.
however, included !SCrline. a German aerial per
former, among the dead. and three members
of the company. OF whom was Eddie"
FOy, among the injured.
According to Klaw Erlanser, the theatre,
which was opened only month ago, was built
by tbs Fuller Construction Company and de-
signed by Benjamin H Marshall, and was sup
posed TO be near freproof as a building can
be made. It seated LOO people, and cost ST.
100000 The production Of Mr.. Blue Beard"
was the same here at the Knickerbocker
Theatre last winter and imported from the
Drury Lane, London, after its days OF useful
ness there were over. Klaw & Erlanger say that
It cost them S65,OO0. If so, it originally cost
much more. What provision. If any, will be
made to rebuild the production has not yet been