The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-13

'lOIi lllS SdllG1y Ol lie 4l4yCeull= IllSoISI.
Later on a formal order will be is
sued directing the managers to make
certain additional improvements. re-
garding exits and other matters.
The official inspection by the mayor
and the Commercial club has been
temporarily abandoned. The worst
features have already been eliminated
and with the renewed activity of the
building inspector, the fire marshal
and the school directors, various de-
fects are being remedied.s It is the
desire of the mayor that the city coun-
Gil should take part in future inspec--
tons, as it is from the aldermen that |
the laws must come It is expected |
that the inspections will be resumed |
very soon.
The Commercial Club Report.
Yesterdays Journal gave the
recommendations of the Commercial
club committee, including the clause
advising that two theaters be closed.
The report on which the recommends |
tons were based was as follows:
Text of the Report.
The committees report was as fol-
To the Public Affairs Committee, Com
mercial Club:
Your subcommittee, appointed at the
meeting on Jan. 5, to consider certain res
olutions introduced at that meeting, by
one Of the members report as follows:
| On the morning of Jan. we received
an invitation to join the mayor and. a
number of city officials in an inspection
! of the theaters and public halls of the
city. Mr.. MunZer was unable to- be pres
ent on that day, but joined the commit
tee on the next day On.-the first day, in
company with the mayor and his commits
sion; we inspected the Metropolitan, Ly-
ceum, Bijou and Dewey theaters On the
next day we inspected the International
auditorium, the Park and Columbia thea
| tiers, Dania and Simonson's halls, Union
| Temple, the Swedish Tabernacle and the
dime museum. Il sssS
None of these is fireproof;.. and we be-
lieve it to be the duty off1the manage
ment of each place of assembly to do all
possible (1) to lessen the danger of fire.
| ca to put out at once any fire that may
occur; (3) to provide the bbest possible
means of egress from ting body Of the
house; the balconies ,andt thh galleries. sg.,s
We submit the followiDg Il pl99tas upon the
principal theaters:. ~ fs.,.51- 49, 4x,,$.
! On the first floor of this building there
is mandatory of pxygen and hydrogen
gas We believe this to be dangerous.
The theater entrance and foyer are spa
cious to a point near the foot Of the ball
cony stairs, where it is so contracted as
to be dangerous The seats are badly ar
ranged, and in places project in the aisles,
some aisles being completely closed
Emergency exits on first floor are To-
Gated back Of boxes out of sight, and
openings thru walls surrounding boxes
and leading to these exits only about two
feet wide. ts it,
Gallery and balcony main exits insult
fcient, and in our judgment dangerous.
i There are seats III cross aisles in bal
Icony.
, The gallery is badly arranged and is
mot provided with sufficient emergency
. exits. t-E-.
X An elevator shaft leads from the en-
gine-room to top of building, with opening
into engine-room unprotected.
The wall between stage and auditorium
has poor protection for some of it's OPEN
ings, and has no fireproof curtain.
There is no skylight over the stage.
Il Space under stage is partly filed with
, inflapmable material.
Space under auditorium IS in. foul con-
dition.
The heating plant and engine-room are
located under main entrance. d.
METROPOLITAN.
Contracted condition in foyer at foot Of
balcony stairs.
Important first floor exit concealed.
Should open directly into auditorium.
: Main exit from gallery and balcony in
sufficient, and in our opinion dangerous.
+ No fireproof curtain, and majority of
openings thru wall not protected in any
! way against fire. $50,
:. Dressing and property are with
, in the limits of the stage CD auditorium.
An immense amount of inflammable
! rubbish is stored in dangerous places
. The parts of the house not intended for
: the public gaze are in a filthy and Uttered
condition, affording ample opportunities
for spontaneous combustion. Conditions
), prevailing under the auditorium are bad;
: especially from sanitary point Of view.
The skylight above the stage is Of no
l. ic
closed tight.
BIJOU.
This house was the best regulated, best
!, equipped and cleanest Of any that we in
! spected. It lacks few Of the requirements
: necessary to make it as perfect as any
: non tireptoof theater can be.
: The main exits from balcony and gall
lery are Inadequate. Separate entrances
and exits from the balcony should be pro-
vided. An extra emergency exit is being
: put in from the gallery to the ground.
There is a ireproof curtain over the
proscenium arch, and all openings in the
: fire wall are protected with fireproof doors
Dressing and property rooms are sep
). arated from the body Of building by brick
!, walls.
: The greater portion of woodwork on the
: stage is covered with metal.
. The exits are in plain view and are well
7 Indicated
!. Every portion of the house is in a, re-
4 markably clean condition, the space under
the auditorium having cement floor and
. having all woodwork and walls white
5 washed
> There is separate system Of lighting
: for the front portion of building
DEWEY.
Y This theater might be improved in some
{. particulars, but the general conditions are
! good, and we think this house complies
2 with the present ordinance.
= OTHER AUDITORIUMS.
> The International Auditorium, the Co
: lumbia and Park theaters are closed, and
y We will make no report on them.
The Swedish Tabernacle, Simonson's
hall and Union Temple we regard as now
unsafe s5Et
DANA hall and the Dime Museum each
4 require some changes.
e Following the inspection Of these houses
4 the mayors commission met at the may.
d or's office last Friday and agreed upor
a a number of matters that the commission
3 believed should be embodied in a new
1fr,on tod To