New-York tribune., 1905-02-19
THE QUICK USE OF HOSE.
Writer Suggests More Precautions for Speedy
Extinguishing of Fire.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

Sir:
The rapidly of destruction at the Casino yester-
cay Gay suggests that chance saved New-York from
little later. when the auditorium filed. there
might easily have been far sadder story to tell.
The above item from The Tribune of February u
may well be again presented. The absolute certain
ty of what might have happened is fully shown by
the accounts of the beginning of the fire. its dura
ton and extinction. One thing only seems to have
been lacking in this instance. and that was an
audience With this addition. the sad story would
probably have been told. and the horrors of the
Chicago disaster repeated. The object and inten-
ton of the ordinary individual entering theatre
is to stay till the end of the performance and to
leave by comfortable. safe exits; not escape in
the midst of a bewildered, excited crowd of men,
women and children down the spider web outside
iron sstairways or in mad rush for the usual
doors.
Since the time of the Chicago fire all sorts of
plans have been suggested for getting people of
a theatre. and little has been said of how it might
be so arranged that people could stay in at least
long enough to make orderly safe departure.
Even after all the delay attending the sending out
of the alarm. the bursting of the hose. ETC.. this
fire at the Casino put out with comparatively
small damage to the building. 1t is fair suppose
that stream of water, even small one. as large
as the ordinary garden hose promptly applied.
would have at once put out the beginning or this
fire with most trifing damage.
In the case of the Iroquos fire. it told in
evidence that the hydrant there the hose was
there, the pipe there. but the hose not at
tached to the hydrant, the pipe was not the
hose and the to them not on hand
at all; and a small blaze running along the top
of scene curtain, which one dash from an inch
nozzle would have put out in thirty seconds. was
left to do its terrible work.
Yet little attention paid to this failure to
extingush the beginning of the fire. while vol
written about asbestos curtains fire
escapes, etc, every seeming to suppose that
fire must be heavy and fierce one beyond
control of those connected with the management
of the house. The writer served a long term in
the old Volunteer Fire Department in New-York
City; five years of 1t in hose company The
glory of the hose company man to get to a
fire quick" and put hydrant stream before
engine arrived and took away the water and the
writer knows from actual experience what one
stream of water will do early in the game. The
interior of the stage of theatre is a beautiful
place for fire to spread about in but it is also
u beautiful place to firt about good stream of
water. and the stream will most always come out
ahead, if it is there when it could and should be-
If properly installed and properly attended.
The fire at the Casino has not added to the con-
fdence of the public in theatre fire departments
Had there been audience in the house, the, city
would have been in mourning and the balance of
this theatrical season ruined. Put up fire escapes
put in fire eXtinguishoTs all that tends to the
safety of the audience. But above and beyond ALL
put in hydrants with hose attached. and with men
VINO know how to make quick of the outfit.
Put hydrants up in the wings so that the stream
can reach the tops of the stage fittings Get
head of water from tank on roof II main will not
supply it,
Look to the hose and that It is not leaky or
rotten. Have all cold water faucets in basins
sinks and tubs with screw thread for small hose:
the same as used In most all buffers pantries in
private houses. Have length of small hose near
each faucet and instruct all hands how to screw
on the hose that seems a simple matter Try IT,
Tell some one without experience to do II quick
and see how easy 1t is to have delay All this
seems at first a lot OF work and expense but II
the stage age would take care Of the plant and keep
would probably get sufficient pressure from mains
Keep hose on hydrants and hydrants oiled and
working easy" Let give more attention to
keeping fire away from the audience and the
audience may be convinced that it Is not neces-
sary to break its neck in getting away from the
fire. 7 p II =
Brooklyn, Feb H. 1905