The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-31
Superintendent Grant Will Pro pose One for the Regulation of This Kind of
 Theater.
WOULD LICENSE OPERATORS
While Some Such Places Are Per fcctly Equipped, in Others Lives Arc Really Endangered
 Every Day.

Since the moving picture show has become so popular the element Of danger to tho audience has received moro or less attention, and the recent fire in Manchester and the closing or the shows in New York city has called especial attention to this question. In this respect the people of New Haven may feel assured that the shows as conducted in this city are safer and better regulated on the average than In most other towns and are ire quently inspected by James Grant, superintendent of fire alarm tele- graph
 Superintendent Grant said yester- day that he will in a short time draw up an ordinance to present to the board of aldermen, for the better con trul of these places. Among other things the ordinance will require that all operators of moving picture ma chimes be licensed, for this is one of the greatest causes of danger when machines are run by young boys. 1 Other requirements will be in regard to the construction of fire-proof metal booths in which the machines shall be operated and regulations as to use of ! films, wiring, etc. ln'its essentials the ' blIl will follow the regulations of the Now England Insurance ENchange5 whose rules are now enforced as far as possible in the city Hartford has such au ordinance and t Is working out admirably.
 All tho moving picture shows fin the | city were inspected only yesterday by 1 Superintendent Grant, and he found that most of them were following out ! his suggestions. The great source of danger Is If course the booth In which tho machine is placed, and he has diff l hculty in some places to persuade the owners to keep papers and rubbish cleaned out of these places. In many shows the films are run by mere boys, who litter mp the place with rubbish and frequently smoke, when a single spark would Ignite the very innam- able film or any papers and start a fire Tn fact, the running of machines by boys under eighteen, and their habit of putting up electric wiring Is something which demands a stringent licensing regulation.
 Another rule is that the film shall bc run from one metal box into an- other, and this is being gradually en- forced ali through the city Where this Is compiled with, a fire could not reach moro than a few inches of film and would go out of itself or an ex- ploslon would be less disastrous.
 In the matter of exits, Mir. Grant has insisted that all thcaters be sup piled with rear doors, so that the aud fence could leave without having to pass uuacr n burning booth in case of fire. This is the case in every such house in the city But the great rai necessity fig that all the booths should hc constructed of metal or concrete. with automatically closing door and slides, and this is not the case at present in many of tho places
 There is no question but that until such an ordinance Is passed and cn- forced, fire which can start so casi- 1 ly In moving picture show house. would imperil and might destroy tho lives of a large part of the audience. The danger Is especially great where tae snow Is in q building the upper atories of which are occupied by ten- ants and the proposed ordinance would eliminate all such places Could thc public see the inside workings of many Of the moving picture shows, even some of the fairly well equipped ones they would shudder at the thought of these places being filled every afternoon with women and chill dren
 On the other hand there arc several shows in the city which have readily followed every suggestion of safety and taken a pride in the almost clim- mated element of danger in their places Two of those in the center of the city are said to have the finest equipped booths in the country and q fire could not burn for more than a few seconds, and even then would be drawn no a chimney to the roof by a draft np q specially constructed pipe. It is doubtful Ir the audience would know fire to be in progress, so com pletely and automatically would the booth bc cut off,
 IL is not these shows where expert electricians are employed and every precaution s taken which supcrin- tcndent Grant will aim his ordinance at, but the many cheapy constructed and carelcssly handled ones, where lives arc menaced every day,