The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-22
JEROME WHACKSAT THEATRES
GOING AFTER INSPECTORS VINO
PASSED LEW FIELDSS.

some OF lue INFORMATION EhtueT6u ny
District Attorney Jerome since he began,
about two months ago, to investigate how
closely the theatres Of the city conformed
10 the building and Are department laws
became known yesterday when II was
learned that he had sent letter to Isaac
A. Hopper, Superintendent Of Buildings,
asking for a report on the Lew Fields
theatre in West Forty -second street. Mr..
Jerome's expert, Harry De B. Parsons,
was not admitted TO the Fields theatre or
the Victoria, both Of which were built by
Oscar Hammerstein.
In his letter to Mr. Hopper Mr. Jerome
names twenty-five specifications OF what,
he says, Mr.. Parsons understands are
violations Of the law at the Fields theatre.
u these violations exist, Mr.. Jerome says,
they constitute crimes and il Is his duty
10 prosecute. He asks for the name OF
the inspector who made the last report,
any other reports Mr.. Hopper may have
and the names Of the inspectors who made
them. Mr.. jerome expects an answer in a
day or two.
With the letter TO Mr.. Hopper Mr.. Jerome
sent a list made by Mr.. Parsons Of the
violations he understands exist. They
include: Aisles not Of the proper width,
doors intended as exits and opening on
stairways, box Office obstructs the entrance
doors of the first gallery open inward,
electroliers too low, dressing rooms under
auditorium, and not built under the plan
approved, registers in floor Of the audi
forum, excess Of seats between aisles and
nine right angle turns from the balcony
70 the entrance.
When Mr.. Jerome has completed his
inyestigation-he has collected a mass of
evidence already-it is understood that
he will ask the Grand Jury to act. So far
Mr.. Parsons has made reports on six theatres
which be was allowed to inspect. He
classics them as follows.
One, mot safe; three, dan gerous';
one hazardous. small seating capacity
IN lie favor; one, reasonably safe. because
OF modern construction MIR Jeromo re-
fused TO give the names of these theatres.
The investigation is not ended he
said; 1T has just begun. l have from the
Board Of Fire Underwriters a table showing
the rate Of insurance risk on each theatre
and the reports Of their examiners The
examiners report that thirty-hve Of the
theatres in Manhattan and The Bronx
are not Of hreproof construction.
In eight buildings the walls are not ap-
proved.
In twenty-eight the proscenium walls are
not approved.
In thirty-one the fire doors In the OPEN
ing Of the proscenium walls are not APP
proved.
In the following number Of theatres the
things named are not approved; 81,
asbestos curtains; 90 skylights; A. dressing
rooms; 80, electricians room; 80, carpen-
ter's shop; 80. property room; "a, stand
pipe and hose; "a, watchman's system and
fire alarm system; 80, fire axes, hooks and
other fire equipment; G, electrical equip
ment; IS, the Ere automatic sprinkler or its
absence.
The insurance risks said Mr. Jerome,
simply show the Saue the unde writer's
nut on the theatres as a fire risk. There is
no sentiment, political or otherwise, with
them Now, for instance this report
shows that the lowest rate is 81 on the 81 900
on the New Lyceum. Next to that comes
the Lyric, with the rate fixed at Sis. The
highest l. the Victoria iammerstain's), at
$50. The report says that the last in
,pecton was on Oct. ?, 1903, but II Is natural
n ass me that II any remedies had been
applied that would go % lesson the insurance
reinspection would be called for. In the
New Lyoeum and yric. for instance, all
of the things I at are not approve > in many
~ the theatres ars apr we'd. The rate for
the fields Thestre / s2.i7. and the report
shows that the underwriters disap rove OF
m ny hings in the tn atre.
In addition there are several things that
are not considered a. a fire risk-such as
aisle space, sufficient exits. &c. There is
one theatre Ireading from another type
written document where the beams and
floor are Of wood. In another the gallery
Is Of wood. In another case one theatre Is
built over another, the two being connected
hy elevators. In another the heating APP
paratus is unsafe In another the walls
Of an old apartment house are being used.
Another is an old building remodelled, the
walls never having been intended to stand
the strain Of a theatre. In another the
proscenium wall does not start from the
floor, but from the stage level Between the
floor and the stage floor there il an open
space.
In one theatre the Building Depart
ment required the dressing rooms under
the stage TO be fireproof. 1T il against the
rules Of the Building Department TO have
dressing rooms under the stage at ALL
lnen the heaUh department Cdlnt diouB
and cut holes in the top Of the dressing
rooms, so that the occupants would have
air. or course, that made fine draught
The Fire Department required the installa-
ton Of a certain pump for water purposes
The Water Department refused to supply
enough water pressure, 30 the pump was
useless
In several theatres the boilers are under
the exits. That's a nice thing in case Of an
explosion. What would happen to the
eKIts1 In another theatre the gas metre
is in the boiler room. should think
better place could be found for It. In
one Of the theatres examined by my men
there was an iron fire escape from the
balcony, On the fire escape was ladder
10 be used to get TO the street. The ladder
WAS tied to the top Of the fire escape with
stout hemp cord. There was a rusty knife
handy My men reported that q strong
man might be able TO Clit the cord with the
knife, but it couldn't have been much good
IN time Of panic
In a general way Mr.. Parsons reports
that there Is a lack Of supervision in the
theafra Old rrourammes. papers and