The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-12

THE LEASE CANCELLED
The Auditorium Company to Meel
Monday to Take Steps to I'm
prove il And to Render it
Safe and Improved
Play House.

The Academy Of Music. Raleigh's largest
theatrical house, has been closed.
This has followed its condemnation as
menace to the lives of the people who
attend theatrical performances there, and
the order directing it's closing was is
sued yesterday by Chief Walter Wool
colt, of the Fire Department.
This action followed on one by which
a change was made as to the lease OF the
house. The Academy has been leased Tor
some time to Mr.. e. H. Baker, but yes
terday morning the lease to him was car
ceiied unGer an agreement made WIN
hum by order of the Board of Directors
of the Auditorium Company, which now
owns the Academy. This lease having
been cancelled the building was in the
hands of the Auditorium Company and
or the president of this company, Mr..
Carey J. Hunter, notice that the Acad-
envy was condemned was served by Chief
Woolcott who wrote as follows:
''Mr. Carey ]. Hunter. President Audito-
rum Company, Raleigh, n. Z.
Dear Sir:-As chief of the Fire Dc
partment of the city of Raleigh, and act
ing under its charter and ordinances,
hereby notify you that from and after
this date | shall insist upon strict
compliance By your company with the
provisions of Chapter ", Section 10 OF
the ordinances of the city regarding the
erection of fire escapes at the Academy
of Music
"In the interest Of what I deem the
protection to the lives Of our citizens,
hereby direct that the Academy oil Music
be closed until the above mentioned or
dinance is complied with, as l regard 1t
now as a menace to the citizens who
attend performances there.
VERY truly yours,
WALTER WOOLLCOTT,
'Chief of Fire Dept. City Of Raleigh
The Academy has long been regarded as
being a very dangerous place in case Of
a fire and there are many citizens who
would never attend performance there
or account of the danger Only yester-
day afternoon the great danger in tie
place was Illustrated.
Fire broke out in the Bragassa bakery.
next to the Academy at seven o'clock in
the evening. This fire was quickly over
promptly and three hose lines being laid.
These were not needed as the olaze was
without their use. There was
a matinee in progress at half past 1ou'
al the Academy and at night thefe Wa'
a performance also. Two hours earliet
or an hour later the blaze of FIRE would
have burst past the windows on the sou1h
side of the Academy, there would have
mil
the stampede that would have followed
there would have been many lives loss
yesterday afternoon or last night.
The danger Of the place has really not
been recognized IN Raleigh. People nave
grown accustomed to it. The exit from
the gallery is narrow and crooked,
while from the lower floor there is but
q ten foot wide stairway. Back OF the
stage there is perfect labyrinth through
which exit is had down a narrow stair
case. The windows are small, affairs.
closed, with no fire escapes and impossi
BILE to reach from the first floor. Ada
to this the fact that under both sta;
ways in the grocery store below there is
kerosene oil tanks, kerosene oil barrels
and meat stored that there Is beneath
the theatre s. printing office in which
gasoline Is uSeu ana q pluLuplilb tSIao-
Iishmcnt in which there is fire frequently
and the danger of the place can be seen
without any further details.
Manager Baker, of the Academy OF
Music. has secured for immediate use
the Metropolitan Opera House which will
be improved and arranged with fire es
capcs He Will use this for the remainder
of this season and all the bookings of the
IL; -,
been put on at the Academy will be seen
at the Metropolitan.
The stage at this place is deeper and
higher than the one at the Academy and
the acoustic properties are said to be
better. Everything will be done to make
it comfortable for its patrons and Mr..
Baker will take with him TO the Metro
politan Opera House the entire force of
assistants at the Academy OF Music.
The directors of the Auditorium Com
rnnv arc RI rpoct ;z ~,