The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-01
CRAWFORD
SENT FOR.
VIII See About Transferring
Attractions.
Plan to Send Them to Grand,
Which Is Safe.
MIR. WILMARTH TALKS.
Says That He Decidedly APP
proves of the Move.
Only a Few Repairs Necessary
at the Grand.

you can say that I approve of the
transfer of the theatrical business of
Topeka from the Crawford to the
Grand If it can be brought about, and
provided the necessary improvements
are made at the Grand This is the
statement made this morning by Fire
Marshal G. o. Wilmarth to a reporter
for the State Journal.
Chief Wilnarth had a conference
with Roy Crawford this morning con-
corning the condition of the two Topeka
opera, houses, and was informed by
Mr. Crawford that he had wired for
L. M. Crawford to come to Topeka and
see what can be done to relieve the
present intense feeling which has been
aroused against the Crawford opera
house by the Iroquois theater fire.
1t is believed that the management
of the Grand and Crawford will be led
to transfer the attractions of the Craw-
ford circuit from the Crawford to the
Grand and make such changes in the
Grand as the fire marshal may direct.
81 did not say said Chief Wilmarth
this morning, that the opera houses,
as they exist in this city, can not be
closed. OF course it is possible to close
them, by legal process. I told Mr..
| Crawford this morning that 1 realized
| that his business interests should be
protected, but that the question of dol
| lars could not be allowed to be consid-
cred when life is at stake. For 10
years have been studying this theater
question here in Topeka, and I believe
| that I am fully awake to the conditions
which exist. I shall do everything in
my power to at once bring about salts
factory results for the safety of the
! public. While Mr.. Crawford has COM
piled with all the suggestions 1 have
made for minor improvements at the
Crawford opera house, I do not say
that the building is as would have it.
1 To make further improvements would
/ involve a radical reconstruction of the
entire building"
To make the Grand opera house safe,
the most important thing is the recon
| struction of the StairWays and plat
forms leading to the exits on the north
and south sides of the building. These
should be built of iron, but Chief VIII
marth says that substantial wooden
| construction would last for four or
five years. The steam heating boilers
in the building should be removed, and
the pipes attached to the Edison heat
ing plant. The electric wiring of the
| building should be carefully inspected
| and perhaps renewed. All THESE
changes, and such other changes as
might be deemed necessary, should be
placed under the charge of the fire
marshal.
The owners of the theaters contend
that the Grand opera house is losing
gane;" that it has never paid, and new
er will because it is not on Kansas ave
nue.: and it out of the general run OF
1 business The fact is that the Grand
/ has never had a fair show for business.
j If it should be fixed up as attract1vely
as the Crawford and managed in a
modern and satisfactory manner, it GER
tainly could get the business, II on the
| Crawford circuit.
1 The Commercial club may take some
! action calculated to hasten the aban-
donment of the Crawford death-trap for
J the better and larger Grand If the
present sentiment continues, 1t Is likely
! that the Crawford business will fall off
SO materially that the management of
the house will be forced to respect pub
lie sentiment and put the Grand opera
house in shape for business.
Roy Crawford and Arthur Kane,
local representatives of the Crawford
circuit in Topeka and resident man
ayers of the Grand and the Crawford
/ theaters. have issued a statement con-
\ corning the exits and fire escapes of
| the Crawford theater.
The resident managers attempt to
show that the Crawford theater is ad-
of escape in case of fire. The statement
as issued by Crawford and kene is as
follows:
Realizing the interest aroused in the
safety of theaters in general by the
| Iroquois theater disaster we desire to
make a statement regarding the safety
of the New Crawford, which we con-
slider exceptional, both as regards exits
and the possibility of disaster from IRE
| or explosion
There are four six-foot exits, with
separate steel Stairways, leading from
the auditorium on the north; one six
foot exit on the east. and ten and a
four-fOOt exit in front, making forty
four feet of exits, or approximately
four feet of exit to each 100 of the seat
| ing capacity. The possibility OF a fire
or explosion from the inside has been
| reduced to the minimum, as there is no
| hfli1 a nv yn0r.
| The building is heated and lighted ex-
cIusiveIy by the Edison company.
Some years ago a committee APP
pointed to visit the Kansas City the
aters measured the exits there and
those of the Crawford here and found
this feature of the Crawford to be in
advance of the others, and their report
| was published here.
Smoking is not allowed and a spec
ial officer enforces this order. This APP
plies to every part, the entrances and
lobby as well as the stage.
Gas tanks, such as wrought the
| havoc in Chicago, are not allowed on
the stage or in the theater. The same
effects can be gained by electric arc
| lamps and our house system is capa-
BILE of carrying ample voltage for any
| spectacular production
"A slight fire years ago on the stage
demonstrated that the house could be
emptied in remarkably quick time by
the use of all the exits. This occurred
at a matinee when the place was
crowded. but not a. person was in
jured
I'VE ara anxious to add every prac-
teal precaution to minimize danger to
the safeguards now in effect. We shall
have the exits indicated by red mean
descent lights, and shall cause all the
exit doors to be opened at the conclu-
sion of each performance, not SO much
for use as to familiarize our patrons
with the location of these exits.
fy+ocy Nv as he cf <1Jac
day never occurred in the fires which
have happened here ofore in theaters,
many of them built many years ago.
Any atetmpt to apply the lesson of the
Tr,rr,,o5r % a cfTor,17a n any ono the