Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-10-01
ENFORCE THE 1HEATER Law.

ENFORCE THE 1HEATER LAW
How many theaters In Chicago are
living up to the law!
Just look over the ordinance and
then over the theaters and see what a
difference there IL.
Stripped Of it's verbiage and L.
gal details, the new ordinance, In its
twcnty.six sections. provides: That
all theaters must be equipped with an
automatic water sprinkling system
over the stage. supplied from tank
not less than twenty feet higher than
the building; the sprinklers to be In.
stalled over the stage. under the stage.
In the paint and property rooms. and
other locations back of the curtain.
stand pipes. for hose connection. sup
piled with water from the tank above
the building: pumps. extinguishers, fire
hoops and axes. and other fire fight
ing appliances shall be installed upon
the stage. subject to approval OF the
fire marshal. There shall he Il solid
brick proscenium wall separating the
stage from the auditorium. and all
prOscenium openings shall he covered
by n steel curtain. which shall be In
Use during the performances as act
drops or scene curtains. Iron doors
shall be used for all passages from
the auditorium to the stage. All stage
framing, fly lofts, stage galleries. etc.
shall be of iron. All woodwork and
scenery must be coated with some Are
proof solution. Outer doors leading
to the stage must be vestibuled to pre-
vent direct draughts. Adequate vents,
70 carry of smoke or fire. shall be con.
structcd In the roof above the stage.
to lie operated by electrical cOnnec-
tiOns which shall lead TO the box Of
flee ana to the stage switchboard. hi.
agrams OF all exits shall be printed In
programs. All exits shall have sep
arate lighting system, showing red
lights over the doors. inside, and bright
electrical lights to illuminate the exit
stair outside. Automatic fire alarm
systems shall communicate with the
fire department. and the automatic
sprinklers, behind the curtain line,
shall also communicate autOmatica
with the department. Each theater
shall employ two or more firemen. de-
tailed by the department. who shall he
on duty during all performances. The
fircmen shall require fire drill Of the
house attaches Mt least twice week,
and no one fireman shall he detailed
ut any theater for more than two
weeks. Each theater license shall
state the exact seating capacity. and
no one shall be admitted to the theater
a ter these seats have been sold. All
theater lights shall be controlled by a
shutOff in the lobby. The building COM
missioner. fire commissioner and chief
OF police shall be In absolute control
of all theatcrs. with inspections al
lowed at any time, and upon their rec
| concentration the mayor shall revoke
any license and close any theater
| Aisles shall all lead directly To an
| exit, without any turns or angles
| Cross aislcs, also leading to exits, shall
he opened for every fifteen banks OF
seats on the ground floor, and be-
| tween every nine banks OF seats IN
| balcony or gallery. There shall be nc
rise greater than eighteen inches be-
| tween rows of seats, ana each row OF
seats shall have a space of two feet
ten inches from back to back. There
shall be no more than ten seats IN
| each row between aisles. No aisle
shall be less than two feet eight inches
wide at the stage end and three feet al
the other, and there shall be no steps
sudden rises or other Instructions In
| any aisle. All doors must swing out
| ward, all stairways must be always
| lighted during performances, and the
floors shall be designated as Main
Floor" First Gallery" and Second
Gallery" All exit stairs shall lead
directly to open spaces or inclosed pas
sageways, protected by fireproOf walls
six inches thick. Existing buildings
may have these fireprOof passageways
constructed within the walls OF the
audience rooms, but in future construc
ton of theaters all audience rooms
must adjOin at least two public thor
oughfares, shall be surrounded on -four
sides by open passages or inclOsed fire
proof passageways leading direct to
the streets. No audience room now ex
] listing shall have its lowest bank OF