The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-19
ASTOR THEATRE has LICENSE.
OPENING ANNOUNCED Posi-.
lively FOR FRIDAY \ HIT.
FIRE Department Finds Many Things Mo-
Yet Ready, q Everything 10 10 b
Made shipshspe--scenery WASN'T Fire
proof Gerry Protest Not Yet Settled.

~ 1UR@A V N@~
Yet Ready, But Everything 10 20 BE
Made shipsnspe-sccnery wasn't Fire
proof Gerry Protest Not Yet Settled.
The new Aston Theatre, which Miss Annie
Russell was TO ave opened on Monday
night In "A Midsummer Nights Dream
but to which the Police Department re-
fused a license because the constructors
had not complied with the Fire Depart
ment's regulations, got It's license yester-
day afternoon. After the license had
been secured WaRenhals a Kemper, lessees
Of the new theatre, announced that the
opening performance will positively take
place on next Friday night.
This makes the fifth date set by the
lessees for the opening, but this time, they
say, there will DO no hitch. Wagenhals
4 Kemper assert that throughout the
troubles they nave been the goat in
asmuch az the fights have been between
the LonRacre Square Theatre Company,
the owners and constructors OF the build
ing, and the Fire Department. Incidentally
this is the first bit Of publicity that hasn't
brought a smile to the face Of Press Agent
Hemstreet.
According to the story told at Fire Head
quarters yesterday the fault lies with the
construction company, which did not sub
nit it's corrected FIRE plans to the Fire De-
partment until 2 o'clock Monday afternoon.
The department says that not until three
weeks ago were the first FIRE plans sub
mitted to the Fire department. b de-
partment found that the plans did not come
up to the regulations and ordered some
changes made in the capacity Of the pump
that supplies the roof tank with water, the
standpipe arrangements and some other
matters before the department would per-
init the theatre to get its license.
These necessary changes were OF 40 i'm
portant q character that almost the entire
plan az submitted three weeks ago had to
be overhauled. Early yesterday Fire Com
missioner John O'Brien made a personal
inspection Of the theatre and found a num-
Der Of other troubles besides the capacity
Of the roof pump.
-Ifound things In about as bad a condition
as l care to- reported the Commissioner
later. But conditions could be worse
Mr.. O'Bnen then said that the court on
the north side Of the building 10 but four
feet wide when IL should be seven feet. Also.
said the Commissioner, there are no hand
rails on the gallery as required by Law, and
after a personal test the Commissioner
found that the scenery was not hreproof.
The lessees told the Fire Commissioner
they had hired q man named Schultze to
do the h~reproofng, but the Commissioners
report says the h~reproonng had not been
done.
There was q scurrying around by the
constructors and lessees in the afternoon,
with the result hat the license was finally
secured on the understanding tina the fire.
Prooang and other required changes would Snd
placed a pump that came up to the require
rnents in position before the Commissioner
visit, and had also erected a steam engine
outside the building to supply the pumping
power temporarily. In the meantime the
electric engine prescribed by law will be put
The tickets bought by Monday nights
audience will be exchanged for seats for
Friday night. More friction is, expected
here for the Ieseees, because there had been
some advance sale for Friday night.
The troubles between the leesees and the
Gerry society, which hled an objection to
Wagenhals Il Kemper's application 70 the
Mayor for permission for forty children I'd
take part In the play, will be threshed out
before the Mayor to-day. Yesterday Mayor
Mcclellan sustained the Gerry society's
objection, but the theatrical men hope To
win out when they present their side OF the
matter to-day.
Theatre Company vented his wrath on
Battalion Chief William Begin yesterday
"A license was refused yesterday" saic
Bimberg. To-day one In granted, al
though conditions are exactly the SAINT
now as they were last night" .
In reply TO this the Fire Department
officials say that conditions will be different
on Friday night. Chief Begin says h
called at the Astor Theatre on Monday
afternoon at 2 o'clock by appointment, bu
was told there was work still to be dom
that would take three hours. He wen
back again at S O'Clock, only to learn tina
there was two hours work still TO be finshed
Then he gave IL up in disgust, he says.