New-York tribune., 1905-02-13
FIRST FLOOR AUDITORIUM.
PL4N FOR THE CASINO.
RehearsaLs of 'FIorodora" Resumed
on Stage of Burned Theatre.

Acting Fire Commissioner Thomas W.
Churchill Battalion Chief John Devanny and
w T Begin, chief Of the Bureau of Violations
of the Fire Department. with DR.. Walter Bensel'
of the Health Department, met Lee ShubeTt
and George Freifeld a representative of the
sheirs of The Bixby estate. the owner OF the
Casino. yesterday afternoon at the theatre. They
made Thorough inspection of the building 10
determine the cause of the fire and to decide as
far as possible. what immediate action should
be taken to repair the damage
Chief Devanny. who had charge Of the fire
Sebtinc forces in the interior of the theatre on
Saturday. escorted the party through the burned
portion Of the house. 1t shown that the
fire was caused by defective insulation of the
electric light wires. The fire. 1t was found, had
been confined TO the floor Of the second balcony,
ahe ceiling of the first balcony and some of the
seats Mr.. Churchill complmented Devanny
on the quick work done under his direction.
with so much woodwork. plaster and other in
RfaumabIe material. he said. he did not see how
She fire was so promptly checked and put out.
Speaking of the condition of the theatre later
20 a Tribune reporter the Acting Commissioner
ssaid:
This theatre was built twenty-three years
xeo before The present building law came into
force II has altogether too much plaster and
Woodwork in it. Any repairing done now shouIu
BE with hreprOof material. but the FIRE De
&arfrnent has nothing DO with the conStruc-
zion We have to see that it has sufficient ex-
ats and all the fire appliances required by law
an that respect the Casino was as safe as any
bther theatre in the city.
Mr Freifeld said that the theatre would prob
ably be repaired at once. and that the chances
4vere the owner would be in favor of recon-
etructing the auditorium and lowering it to the
e-round floor That. he declared. would cost
Ebout $4,000 The heirs Of rhe estate had spent
nome $4,000 in the last two and half years IN
tomplying with the fire and building laws prin-
kipaIly on the stage where steel gridiron had
been put in to replace the wooden one No ac-
xion he said had ever been brought against the
house for violation OF f'the law.
! Lee shubert, who with his brother, Sam"
ehubert leases the Casino. said that until the
Insurance adjusters had their meeting next
h4,esdav no definite lire of action looking to
zhe reconstruction Of the theatre could, be an
snounced Whatever is done" said he, will
he done with view 10 safeguarding the public
10 the fullest extent, no matter whether the
sheatre is restored TO IT'S original condition or
Reconstructed
rs It probable that the auditorium will be
lowered 70 the ground foor?" was asked.
THAT we cannot say" replied William
szline, Mr.. Shuberts counsel, who was with
him until the adjustments have been made.
afr Freifeld, who represents the owner OF the
building is willing TO cooperate with us in
making the house safe, and, with the assistance
of the proper authorities, we purpose making
ahe repairs as speedily and completely as
POSSIBLE
Mr. Shubert and AIr. Kline agreed that 1t
was feasible to lower the auditorium, but said
st would probably take three months to do ii.
tThey had been told it was not necessary, they
declared as the Casino had gallery, and
ahe seating capacity of the orchestra and bal
cony was not so large as that Of some other the
aires which included a gallery. To restore the
theat to its original condition, using hreproohnS
where needed. they thought, would take about
zen DAYS or two weeks 1T might be worth
noting" said Mr.. Shubert, that this is the first
accident in this theatre since ii was built in
1882"
With an audience, composed of members of the
Fire Patrol and with the asbestos curtain con-.
cealing the damage caused by the fire, rehears-
els Of ''Florodora' were resumed on the stage
of the Casino st noon yesterday.
This operetta was TO be revived by Fisher &
Ryley at the Casino a week from tonight, and
fhe members Of the company had just resigned
ahe stage 10 members of the Lady Teazle" COM
pany when the fire was discovered. Members
OF the 'FloTodOra" company were surprised
seoeiVing notices yesterday morning calling
Them TO report for rehearsal at the Casino at
moon.
Miss Adele Richie who viii play Lady Holy
Tood IN the new production protested. Over
The telephone she informed Mr. Fisher that she
considered il outrageous call the members of
g1he company for a rehearsal on a stage that
had been wrecked by fire, smoke and water.
She was finally convinced that the fire and
water mad not reached the stage, and that even
the odor Of smoke could not be detected back
hof the asbestos curtain. Other members of the
Ecompany offered the same protest and received
ftne same information. There was not the slight
est evidence on the stage or in the dressing
f2ooms OF the fire that wrecked the front of the
house
Chief Begin and T.. BenseI were members of
The Committee Of Safety appointed last year by
the Mayor TO inspect the New-YOrk theatres
after the Iroquois Theatre fire fn Chicago. Mr.
tBeggin said yesterday that although the COM
snittee had had the right to make recommended
tiCns for changes that would insure the safety
of audiences. it had had power to order the
reconstruction OF building that was built ac-
cording TO the laws existing a the time il was
lerected
DR. Bensel said. at his home No 2S2 Amgter-
roanl-aFe., last night: The present law requires
nhat when building is not hreproof ii shall
ansVe more exits, and these the Casino has 1t
IS not so much q question OF making the theatre
l1lreproof, for the panic among the persons in
the audience is infinitely more to be feared than
fhe fire itself and no human being can foresee
what a crowd Of people will do in such an
emergency. We are not in favor of second story
theatres at all. but this has this in its favor
i1hat il has no gallery, the highest seating point
the balcony-being only two flights I'D. Until
] have seen an architects plans l could not saw
whether lowering the orchestra seats TO the
street level would mean the reconstruction OF
the house or not In any event ii would be a
good thing to do