The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-01-07

Century, Columbia, Havlin's. Imperial.
Crawford's, Grand and Standard theatefs
were tested Yesterday ey G9mm,ssaipf the
test which Mr.. Hamburger made.
The Building Commissioner placed a
plumbers blowpipe against each curtain;
The blaze, he said. was the most powerful
to which the curtains could be subjected.
The blaze was concentrated on one spot
OF each curtain. At the Standard Theater
the blaze had been applied to the Stand
ard curtain for four minutes and three
seconds the particular spot on the curtain
reached a state Of white heat, but the as
bestos remained unchanged.
At the Century and Columbia theaters
the test lasted over two minutes.
At all Of the theaters the curtains with
isfactory name 1t was this test that
convinced Commissioner Hamburger that
asbestos is by far the most satisfactory
material for a fireproof curtain.
Some fault was found with the trim
mings and drop pieces on the theater cur
tains. but these defects may be easily
assurance from the managers that the
suggested repairs on the curtains would
be made Immediately.
REPAIRS ARE BEGUN.
The reports of the building inspectors on
the general conditions Of st. Louis thea
tiers have been fled with the Commission
er of Public Buildings. These reports are
similar in many respects. When the in
spectors visited the Century Theater they
provided. Since the inspection. however;
Manager P. Short Of the Century has had
a fre-alarm box installed.
The principal, defects. as contained IN
sence Of sprinklers on the stage, asbestos
curtains not operated in grooves, scenery
not freproof and absence of fre-alarm
boxes on the stage.
boxes, however, the Commissioner OF
Public Buildings has ruled that the 9TH
er so-called defects are not ~p1ecnonaoie
Frank r. Tate. manager Of the Colombia
Theater, received a telegram from George
MAJ tbe CHICAGO Z, City Council had re,
iected the ordinance providing for sprin-
klers on the stages of Chicago theaters.
The argument which the Chicago man an
sprinklers we're more likely. to cause a
panic by going of accidentally than any
other continuance in a theater.
Louis Fire Prevention Bureau, made a
statement to The Republic last night, COW
ering the situation with regard to hre
protection In theaters. he saio.
PRACTICAL MEASURES.
I is my belief, founded on study Of the
Iroquois fire, and other incidents. that the
danger point is the stage itself; and II
between 1t and the audience there can be
an effective wall for twenty minutes, at
the auditorium, there is no more danger
in q theater than there is in any place of
public assemblage, or in many OF the
thronged business houses Of Chicago. and
what we are striving for here is not
the destruction of the business Of the
theaters; but for practical measures which
adapted to prevent dangerous fires. and
panics with or without a fire. We have
an ordinance not Understanding STAN
dard sprinkler e9ulpm ne- on a. az r, sne
and I. myself, are earnest apostles of the
automatic sprinkler system, wherever It
can be made effective.
proper ONCE for a theater STAGE; or II 1t
has any, there are other devices which
are more sure, and at the same time pre-
sent less objections IN many Ways; me
In the case Of a w~ell-equipped sprinkler
system. It generally does work when
needed. but in any system which has ever
heen installed there Is the possibility of
its working sometime when It is not need
ed: that is to say, a sprinkler head may
20 of through some accident or through
some unexpected circumstance where there
III this should happen when there was
q large audience present 1t would be the
occasion of sudden alarm and panic
eject would be much the same as ii there
were a IRE. This, however. Is pure theory:
although the managers Of theaters insist
that It Is % pregnant OF fast that n
sprinkler system for q minute, except un-
der the lash Of compulsion. And hardly
my objection to the sprinlier system Is
that II d so far removed BY its eisvs{ipn,
u test or moro above the moor Of 3he
staga that the point Of contact = 100 s..