Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-02

from q switchboard in the front Of the
house. independent of the stage electrician,
50 that there is no possibility of their
being accidentally extinguished during the
performance. An advantage in the use or
red lights is that the color is always
visible through smoke, which is not true
of other colors. The bulbs are of stained
glass. The painted globes formerly In use
were discarded about a year ago. Arrange
ments have been made by which the ashes
tos curtains, with which all theaters are
provided, will be lowered at least once
day to make sure that they are in perfect
working condition.
'It would seem wise to me- said Mr.
Bieber, ''for every playgoer to take the
trouble to familiarize himself with the
houses he patroniZes, so as to become
thoroughly acquainted with their stairways
and various ramifications. In 800 cases out
of a thousand the precaution would be use
less, but in the thousandth case 1t would
be more than worth all the previous trouble.
I have no doubt that managers of all
houses would be glad to give information,
and, If desired, facilities for inspection, TO
their regular patrons, whose ignorance IN
most cases concerning the general structure
and methods of approach and egress IS
ASTONISHING. IS IHlS DeWllucIliS SCiioC VI
helplessness and confusion which does as
much anything else to produce panic
In nearly all the theaters of this city two
Objectionable features obtain. One lis the
use of steps, when inclines. might be en-
ployed. People going in or out OF the
theater frequently stumble over these steps,
and in case of hurried exit the falling of
one person is likely to produce a dangerous
congestion in that particular passage way
The other undesirable feature Is the abrupt
angular turns in many of the upper stair
ways which are likely to lead to banking
up from which it would be impossible to
escape in the press of the crowd.
X X
Washington theaters have been free from
any suggestion OF. danger from fire for
long time past. The only occasion within
number Of years when the inexcusable cry
Of fire was raised occurred during Percy
Haswells performance of 1.-THE Royal
Family" 1t was given at the Columbia
Theater. and on the first night of Miss Has
wells season in this play. A woman occu-
plying a seat in the balcony swept lighted
cigarette from the street into her skirts.
carrying 1t With her into the theater, up
the stairs, and did not discover 1t until
after the play was well in progress. The
smoke arisiI from her garments of course
terrified heE but with fine presence of
mind she refrained from raising an cutlery.
A man sitting near her, however yielding to
the brute instinct Of fear which is likely to
assert itself at @siich a crisis, cried "Firei"
Washington audiences are frequently
criticised by players for their GOODNESS.
Scenes which aroused the widest appro-
baton In other cities are received here with
acuuiescent approval, and stars have been
known to retire weeping to their dressing
rooms under the impression that their eff
forts had wholly failed to please, when, as
matter of fact, the attendance during the
week proved conclusively that they had
established themselves firm in the affections
of the audience.
Possibly 1t was due to this quality Of
| self-control which distinguishes a Wash
| ington audience that every person in the
| house sat perfectly motfonless. There was
| an awful stiffness, unbroken even by the
rustic of garment. 1t was the ominous
stiffness that might precede the onslaught
of terrific storm. 1t Is very possible that
| IL a single person had jumped to his feet
| the crowd would have followed, but no one
| throughout the entire auditorium made q
| movement Intelligence, which becomes
quickened at moments ofimportance seemed
| word that to stir meant universal peril.
| And the silence was not broken until Miss
| Haswell. with a little speech. assured the
| audience that there was absolutely no dan
| ger.
The attendance at all the Washington
| Theaters on Thursday night was exception
| ally large. There was absolutely no ground
| for an impression that there was any
| diminution in playgoing enthusiasm. Yet
| there is no doubt that the Chicago disaster
| has aroused with striking vividness an i'm
preston that is always smoldering In the
| mind of every visitor to a theater. There
| is an awful solemnity in the contrast which
| the cry of fire brings about in an assem-
blage of people brought together for pur-
poses of thoughtless merriment and inno-
| cent diversion. AS in the case Of railway
wreckage, the actual danger of such an oc-
| currence is slight, but its possibilities Of
| horror are so enormous that single event
| stands out in the record Of years as a mem
| orable and overwhelming catastrophe. The
| records covering very extensive period Of
| time show a comparatively slight loss by
| casualties of this description, when the ap-
| parent risk attending theatrical displays of
| a certain description Is considered Every
| effort has been made to provide against the
| danger of fire in modernly constructed thea
| ter buildings, and the danger of panic is
greater than that which attends the actual
burning. A sense Of security on the part of
| the audience Is the greatest benefit which
| fireproof or fire-resisting construction can
provide. for once panic starts cruel and
unnecessary sacrifice of life is almost inev-
table. {Ef
tt.{x
The death of Jerome F. Sykes brought
sadness to a number of people in this city
who know him well. For number of years
he has made his home on Long Island, but
the fact that Washington is his native city
causes him to be regarded almost as a
townsman. He owned number Of acres
at st. James. L. L. and had just completed
house which embodied his own ideas of
comfort and convenience. His position as
comedian was on a secure footing, and
there was no man in the theatrical profess
sion whose health and prosperity seemed
on sursr footing. He was admired by the
public. respected by acquaintance and be-
loved by friends.
"RAFTLEg' AND 'sWAFFLES."-,At the