New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-31
HOPPER MUST EXPLAIN.
JEROME STUDIES REPORT.
Violations IN Leo Fields Theatre
Confirmed by Buildings Bureau.

District Attorney Jerome yesterday received
from the Buildings Bureau report showing
that recent inspections by the officials nave
confirmed the charge made by H. De B. Par
sons that there were twenty-five violations OF
the law in the Lew Fields Theatre in West
52d-st. owned by Oscar Hammerstein. The re-
mort from the Buildings Bureau declares that
before the theatre was opened TO the public the
attention of Mr. Rammerstein was called to
some Of the violations, and he promised to nave
them remedied, and that notice TO remove the
violations was served on him on January l..
On February he replied that they had been
removed, but the recent inspection. according
TO the report. shows he had done little to
remedy the defects.
Last night Oscar Hammersten sent a letter
TO the Mayor demanding an official investiga-
ton Of his theatre. whose safety, he declared,
had been certified by the chief engineer of the
Bureau of Buildings.
Mr. Jerome took the report with him to his
home at Lakeville, Conn, yesterday, saying
that he would study it there. He appeared TO
think that explanation was needed from isaac
A. Hopper, superintendent of buildings Tor ne
said he intended 10 send letter to Mr" hopper
asking why he certified that the Lew fleIos
Theatre was all right, when the reports of VIC
lations in his office showed that the house was
not constructed according to law. Mr. Jerome
will send such a request to Mr.. Hopper prob
ably on Monday and if Mr.. Hopper's explana-
lions are not satisfactory he will be asked 10 go
before the grand jury.
The report from the Buildings Bureau says
that the inspections of the Lew Fields Theatre
were made by Special Inspector Lucke ChieI
Engineer Miller and Assistant Engineer Roth'
and were passed OH by Chief Inspector Cor
man. Among the violations alleged TO exist IN
the theatre are the following:
Doors leading from the balcony TO the stairs,
first hung SO to open inward. altered SO as
TO interfere with free passage from the saIiery
and TO prevent the free use of the handralI on
the stairs: emergency exits from the balcony
partly INSTRUCTED by aisles, and the steps not
constructed as provided for in the approved
plans; passages in the rear Of the balcony ana
gallery not of the dimensions shown in the ap-
proved plans which called for width at the
centre Of feet in the gallery and teet'
inches in the balcony, whereas Ihcse passages
are feet, inches and feel lhches Wluei
existing passages lessened in width by placing
steel pipe coils along the interior OF the front
wall and not guarded IL any way; stairs lead
ing from the orchestra TO the basement built
TO reduce the width OF the passage; doors OF the
v OGDEN inner Vestibule opstructlng the centre
doors of the large glass and iron Nestbule IN
{ Ont Of the theatre dressing rooms unoer me
E age and auditorium not separated from the
stage by a fire wall, and having no direct ex-
terror outlet. the exit being by stairs TO the
stage through doors in the proscenium wall
or out of windows into emergency court used
by the American Theatre adjoning dressing
rooms not provided for in the approved plans,
having insufficient ventilation. and the windows
IN the wall being too small for egress; cleo.
froers along the side passages, from feet,
inches to D feet inches above the floor so
low as to cause a tall person to stoop, as they
protrude ten inches from the wall; obstructing
columns at the ends of rows Of seats in the
orchestra
Chief Engineer Miller finds particular objection
IN the manner of construction of the risers
in the stairways TO the mezzanine floor of the
theatre, and suggests that his own department
was lax in permitting their construction in the
way they now are. He says that no inspection
of the fire apparatus was made, that being con-
sidered in the jurisdiction of the Fire Depart
ment
the Buildings Department of its action regarding
the Lew Fields Theatre and Mr.. Jerome's report
He pcturesquely indignant. He wrote a
letter the Mayor his most polished vein:
After It Happened in NOrdland' Closes" he
said, Il shall pile TWO tons Of combustibles on
The stage OF The Fields Theatre. invite the
Mayor, the aldermen the Buildings and Health
department heads give them rubber coats set
tie pile Oh fire and show them how safe my
theatre is by putting out the ire with my patent
extinguisher."
He fatty denied that any changes in the plans
made during the erection Of the theatre.
He says he called Mr.. Miller, chief engineer
of the Buildings Department, week before
the theatre opened, and had a personal inspec
ton. A few changes were suggested and the
day before the nouse opened Mr.. Miller came
again, said everything was satisfactory, and
complimented Oscar on his theatre. Then he
wrote a letter TO Commissioner McAdoo recon-
mendng q license. This letter. Mr.. Hammer
stein says. is still on record
Mr. Fammersteln expects q suit will be
brought. He says the Buildings Department
cannot close his theatre TIL the suit is settled.
a Il