Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-06
reference to the door opening into the lobby
of the Columbia from the establishment i'm

reference to the door opening into the lobby
of the Columbia from the establishment i'm
mediately east of the theater. The Messrs.
Metzerott stated that they have no intention
or desire to violate the building regulations;
that the door was cut in the partition FOR
purposes of ventilation about four years
ago by the then tenant Of the store ad1oin.
they are perfectly willing to Immediately
have the door closed up with brick.
During the consultation with the com.
missioners the Messrs. Metxerott stated
that they believed openings OF similar
character exist in two other theaters IN
Washington. These doors. they stated
were cut at about the same time as the
door in the Columbia lobby.
the Commissioners stated that they Will
order the side opening into the Columbia
lobby closed at once. and that they VIII SA-
anime the other theaters. ana II similar
openings are found to exist they WILL also
order those doors or openings closed
The regulation relating to this subject Is
section 1872 of the building regulations.
which reads as follows:
ridors, or separating them from the audi.
torium, shall be Of brick masonry or OF
other non-combustible materials. Every APP
proach to or exit from q theater or other
place of amusement through any other
building shall have inclosing walls of brick,
stone or iron, and floors and ceilings OF ap-
proved incombustible. hre-resisting mate
rails. and there shall be no opening through
said walls, floors or ceilings
1t was learned at the office OF the building
Inspector today that a certificate for the
issuance of a license to the Columbia Thea
ter was granted by the building inspector
and the fire department November o. 1903.
1t was also learned that the proprtetors OF
the tykcater were not notified that the door
in theT1obby was Objectionable to the au-
thorities. 1t was apparently not considered
49, h. Hos chi
to warrant the withholding of certif1-
cate for the issuance of the license. and
there seems to have been no question as
to the porpriety OF granting the permit iof
Mr.. Joseph E. Luckett. manager OF the
Columbia Theater, made the following
statement today in regard to the alleged
technical violation by the theater OF the
building laws:
''The Columbia Theater is not nor has
not been in any technical violation OF the
building laws and has never been SO Judged
by the building inspectors ONCE.
Its license was one OF the first passed
upon and the theater has always stood high.
not only in the eyes Of the building inspect
ors, but of experts on exits and safety OF
public auditoriums
The door cut through from the lobby to
the store adjoining was not done by the
management Of the theater. but was opened
by E. P. Mertz. the druggist. who was con-
Quoting drug store In the Metxerott build
ing adjoining the theater. Mr.. Merits saw
fit to do this without first obtaining per-
NIT.
He was arrested, tried and fined so In the
Police Court. No contention has ever arisen
between the building inspectors office and
the management Of the theater regarding
the store, az they knew the guilty parties
connected Herewith.
Regarding the issuance Of the license to
the theater, the assessors off1ce notified the
theater on it's regular form that the build
ing inspectors office had passed favorably
| on the theater license. and that the license
was ready upon the payment Of the fee at
tached to 1t.
1t has been the custom of Mr.. w. J. DON
ovan, one of the inspectors and collectors,
to call on the theaters each year and collect
the amount Of the license. This year the
management did not wait for Mr.. Donovan,
but sent down to the District building the
last day of December and found the build
ing closed. The next day being q holiday
they were unable also to get into the build
ing, and Saturday being a busy day with
the theater the management awaited until
Monday morning, when they presented the
| license fee, with the card from the assess
| or's ONCE. and the license was promptly
| filed in and granted.