The San Francisco call., 1904-04-08
Miss Isabel Irving viii Oper
the New Playhouse on
April 18.

The Majestic Theater will be for
mally opened on April IS, wnen Miss
Isabel Irving VIII present Winston
Churchilrs masterpiece. The Crisis. -
Everything points to a big demonstra-
ton on that night and society will turn
out in force to witness the initial per-
formance in San Francisco's new high
class playhouse.
The Majestic has been in course OF
construction for the last two years and
is pronounced by experts one Of the
finest playhouses in the land. Its main
entrance will be on Market street
The entire house is absolutely fire.
proof and not stick OF wood has been
used in the construction of the build
ing. The seating arrangements are
said 10 be the best ef any show house
in the country and. in fact. nothing has
been left undone to make the new
palace Of amusement comfortable and
convenient in every respect.
The entrance to the first balcony is
from a meZzanine foyer opening on
three short flights of stairs. which run
into the very center of the first bal
COny- In addition TO these methods of
entrance, there are stairways on either
side Of the balcony, opening on the
main stairway Of the theater.
BUILDING Is FIREPROOF.
The gallery has two entrances. One
from the main stairway and another
from q separate entrance on Ninth
street. In addition TO all these en-
frances ard exits. there are outside
stairways of ironwork, which run from
separate entrances on each floor separ-
ately TO the street. In other words
each floor has its own fire escape. di-
rect to the street. without connection
with any other part Of the house
The builders insist that the fire es-
Capes could never be called into use.
for the house could not be set afire. let
alone catch fire in ordinary ways. The
rails OF the building are Of brick and
stone The plaster and stucco work is
fastened 10 lathing made Of fine steel
wire; there is no wood used anywhere
The stair avs are Of iron. or at least
the framework is. while the steps are
made from the new patent fireproof
cement called -'petro-pulp'
The floors Of the house are all made
OF cement foundations, covered with
''petrO pulp" The seats are fastened
directly TO this, so that no wood is used
even on the floors Of the house The
boxes and railings of the theater are
either Of metal or stucco work.
NEW STAGE \ MODEL ONE.
The stage is said to be a model. 1t
is very spacious, and consists of a brick
building entirely separate from the the
ater. There are walls two feet thick
between the auditorium and the stage,
while the proscenium opening will be
protected by an asbestos curtain which
has been proven absolutely non-infiam-
mable.
Every preventive appliance known to
fire departments has been supplied in
this house. In addition 10 the big stand
pipes connected with the city's fire
mains there are sets Of automatic
sprinklers all over the stage. which
fuse at a very low degree Of heat and
deluge all beneath with a shower of
water. One OF these automatic sprink-
lers fused only recently in a printing
establishment, when a barrel Of ben
zine exploded and extinguished the
flames before the alarm could be turned
in. They are regarded as the best ever
made. In addition TO the sprinklers
there is an automatic skylight over the
greater part Of the stage roof which
opens both automatically and from
many places on the stage as well.
The new theater. which has been
built under the personal direction Of
its manager. H. ". Bishop. who was
formerly manager Of the Grand Opera
house and Is now the manager of Oak
lands fine new playhouse Ye Liberty,
viii be absolutely independent in pol
icy Mr. Bishop has refused stead
fastly TO ally himself with either of
the big theatrical syndicates: he will
book all his attractions himself. and
will make il a point to see that only
the very best enter this house.
In addition 10 playing all of the at
fractions booked through the independ-
ent movement in New York, Mr.. Bishop
will have many others Of the best CON-
panies in the country.
Following Miss Irving's engagement
her manager. James X. Haclsett. the
brilliant young actor-manager. will
come TO the house for a run of six
weeks. making his first appearance in
this city in many years. Following
Mr.. Hackett. James Neill will occupy
the house for the greater part of the
summer