The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-08-21
CHAPTER 1886
AN ACT 70 Diminish Danger 10 Life In
Case OF Fire

case or FIRE
(Passed April % 1908
II Is enacted by the General Assembly as
follows:
Section The provisions OF this act shall
apply TO all buildings already erected o.
that may he hereafter erected IN any and
all the cities and towns OF the state ex'
cept as herein otherwise provided
Sec 2 All theatres. halls. churches. and
school houses shall have the doors or win
dows OF or to any exit or fire escape. and
OF any opening thereto, so ARRANGED ms TO
swing outward; and at no time when any
show. performance, exhibition. dance,
ball fair, service, or session rs being
given or held therein. or any audience
shall be present therein shall said doors
or windows be locked
Sec In every theatre and hall there
shall be stationed on each floor and gal
lery a competent adult person, who shall
keep the doors or windows OF or TO each
exit or fire escape and OF any opening
thereto on such floor or gallery unlocked
and ready for instant use during the time
every show, performance. or exhibition Is
being given or held. or any audience ~
present therein The doors or windows
OF or to every exit or fire escape. and
openings thereto. OF every theatre and
hall shall be plainly and legibly marked
as such by letters not less than six inches
In length. and by red light which shall
at all times ne kept burning WHll'. any
audience is present, and ali lights therein
shall be kept burning while the audience
is leaving the building.
Sec The stage and accessories thereto
OF every theatre In each city or town
where there Is public water service, and
also. whom deemed necessary by the ofn-
GERS specihed I'm this section the stage
and accessories thereto OF every place OF
amusement in any building therein. shall
be equipped with an automatic sprinkler
system. satisfactory in all its arrange.
ments TO the inspector OF buildings. N
any. and the board OF fire commissioners.
If any, or II not any, the chief OF the fire
department.: said system TO be connected
with the public high pressure water serv
ice where available One or more incom
bustible ventIlators shall be placed over
the central portion OF the stage In every
theatre such ventilator or ventilators 10
have a total area equal at least to one
tenth OF the area OF the stage hoor. and
shall be provided with counter balanced
valves or louvres. and arranged TO open
automatically by the action OF heat or
fire and also so that the same may be
operated from the floor OF the stage by
metallic connections running thereto The
proscenium arch opening in every theatre
shall be provided with an asbestos or
equally freproof curtain. arranged for
quick and easy action. and shall be fully
OF each show. performance. or exhibition
therein In each city or town where there
Is public water service. suitable hose
and sufficient supply OF water shall be
furnished for use In case OF Are In such
theatre.
Sec 5 The board OF fire commissioners
or In case there Is no such board. the
chief OF the fire department OF every city
shall cause 10 be installed and maintained
in every theatre therein fire alarm box
and shall station IN every theatre, during
the time any audience is present therein
n fireman. and tho person or persons
holding the license for the same shall pay
such city for the attendance OF such FIRE
man the sum OF two dollars for every day
during which any performance show. or
exhibition shall be given therein The
board OF police commissioners. or In case
there Is no such board the chief OF police.
OF every city shall cause 10 be Installed
and maintained In. every theatre therein
police call box
Sec No obstruction OF any kind shall
be placed I'm the aisles or passagewsys
leading 10 any exit or FIRE escape. or any
openings thereto OF any theratre. hall
church or school while any show. per
formance. exhibition. dance. ball. fair
service. or session Is being given or held
therein. or while any audience Is present
therein
Sec. 7 All poorhouses. orphan ssyiums
homes maintained In whole or part by
any public. religious. charitable or benevo.
lent Institution, hospitals. hotels. and H.
censed lodging houses. which severally
have twenty-five or more inmates. or per
manent accommodations Tor twenty-five
or more persons shall have the doors or
windows OF or TO any exit or fire escape
20 arranged as 70 swing outward. All
buildings used as factories, laundries. or
workshops In whole or In part. In which
buildings severally twenty-five or more
persons are employed. shall have the
doors or windows % or - any exit or FIRE
escape so arranged as 10 swing outward
All factories laundries workshops. or
rooms In any building where the entrance
thereto r. from a corridor or hallway and
n which factories. laundries. workshops.
o. rooms severally twenty-five or more
persons are employed. shall have the
doors of entrance thereto so arranged ss
20 swing outvsrd N any such door or
window of such factory. laundry. work
shop or room shall be locked or fastened
during working hours the lock or fssten-
Ing shall be such. and kept IN such con-
ditlon. that the same can be easily and
quickly unlocked or unfastened by any
person from the inside
Sec O. IL shall be the duty OF the owner
or ovnsrs OF every such building. or, In
~~~s ska pooxso M is~eaaa thereof 0hoit y