The Washington herald., 1908-01-26
PEOPLE FEAR PANICS
Theater Fires Awaken Pub
lie to Danger.
DISASTERS AROUSE PUBLIC
Holocaust At BOyer9Own Causes Cen
eFaI Inspection of Fire Appliances
ace Than FIre-TheateFs in wash
ingtOn Are Snfeguarded.

]
The recent theater panic I'm Boyertown.
Pa. in which over hundred persons
were killed and twice as many injured,
/ has again awakened the people Of the
| country 10 the danger of theater fires
and panlcs. and has resulted i'm another
! general inspection Of fire laws and appIi-
! ances in use in the theaters. Many per-
sons will keep away from the theaters
until their Uneasiness is relieved, and un-
! III they are reassured that every precau-
tion for their safety is being taken here.
No alarm need be felt, however. as the
/ regulations are obeyed, and are as per-
feet as can be made
The result Of the inspections made re-
/ Gently showed many improvements have
/ been made in fire regulations and safety
/ appliances since the IroqU0is Theater fire
in Chicago. several years ago. that
startled the world. To-day the theaters
/ of the country are safer than those IN
/ any other country Of the world. and the
/ theaters in Washington are protected by
/ regulations that make a fire either on
/ the stage or in the auditorium practically
Impossible The panic rests with the peo-
/ pie themselves, and. although people
rarely mob each other over nothing, there
are several instances on record Of it be-
ing done.
Fear Brings Danger.
Many Of the great theater disasters u
the past are held to have been more
largely the consequence Of fright upon
I the part Of an audience than the result Of
! any real danger from fire itself
/ An audience is naturally timid. In the
minds Of most people the memory Of past
/ horrors need but little rekindIing, by some
really small incident, 10 become vivid aud
alive in the present. Pauics are created
/ by fear Of repetition Of some long passed
! holocaust than by actual peril Il IS for
/ this reason that theater laws have been
made throughout the world
I In all the local theaters, asbestos cur
/ tains are used. They are the best-known
/ preventative OK theater fires. An Instance
is not known where d fire on the stage
/ reached the audience, where the asbestos
curtain was properly used. 4 curtain of
/ this character if it had been at Boyer
town, would probably have saved the
/ lives Of many, If il had not altogether
prevented the disaster
In most Jheaters. between the walls
/ which separate the auditorium from the
stage. is a thick wall Of cement OF steel.
In fact, the stage is shut or from the
/ auditorium entirely. by hrepro0f walls.
( steel doors, and an asbestos curtain.
! Practically all theater fires originate on
the stage. and recently vther additional
4 precautions have been made by CON
. structng al the staiTways on the stage
OF iron
Automatic sprinkling devices are used
/ by the score, usually located I'm the
flies and so arranged, that, at a GER
/ tain temperature. they begin throwing
/ water in all directions. Fire extingUsh-
ers are placed in all available spaces. and
/ gas jets, and lamps done away with en-
tireIy.
Stages Fire Dangerous.
/ The greatest danger now remaining
IS the use Of fire upon the stage to pro-
duce certain scenic or lightning effects.
Rare, If ever. are gas lights or torches
used now For the last three years elec-
/ tricity has taken the place of both.
Lights used in the dressing-rooms are
/ protected against contact with iniam-
mable material, by inclosing the globe or
/ burner with wire netting In every city
I a fireman is detailed TO stay on the stage
! during performances to see that the hre
/ regulations are not violated
! Many persons nave patented canvas ma
/ teridl to be made the basis of scenery
/ that is said TO be frepro0f Theatrical
/ managers say. however. that no material
! has been found Yet that is freproof and
which al the same time can be used for
] al ia
/ freproOfed I'm this manner they say. cam
not be used with good results, as it gives
a glossy appearance, hurts the eyes of
/ the public, ana, at a snort distance from
! the stage. the painted colors can barely
/ be distinguished This is the only re-
naming article used on the stage now
that is not hrepro0f, except the actors
/ themselves and their clothing.
/ Great changes have been made in the
part of the theater reserved for the audi
I ence since the Iro0uois Theater fire in
/ Chicago. December 30. 1904 Aisles in the
aters have been enlarged, and the space
/ between the rows of seats widened. and
no one is allowed 10 stand in the aisieS
/ In one theater in Philadelphia, tie seats
are so arranged that they fold up. and
/ an aisle, two feet in width can, NJ a
seconds notice, be made between each
/ pair of seats.
MashinEtOn's Laws Good.
! Theater laws i'm the District Of Column
/ bfa prevent the sale Of tickets above
certain number. according to the size Of
\ the theater. Each theater in the city
was inspected a few days ago. and not
one violation OF the law found it is said.
/ The public I'm the city of Washington is
protected as we'll as, if NOT better. than
| the people of any other city i'm the United
States. The people here have nothing TO
/ fear, in case Of fire in a local theater
1t is a well-known fact that small fires
/ have occurred in various theaters I'm the
| country recently, and by the proper use
Of the appliances and the asbestos cur
! tain. the public was not aware Of the fact