The San Francisco call., 1908-05-24
Theater Ho|OCausts VIII Be Averted BY
Battery of Electric Fans in Balcony
Gotham Playhouse Sets Limit on Merry Widow
Hats and Equips Ushers With Tape Measures
By C. C. Carlton

NEW YORK. May 2s.-Here is a
suggestion made to New York theater
managers that viii be adopted here,
and might well be emulated by San
Francisco theatermen:
II is the use OF a battery of electric
fans to drive smoke and flames from
theater audftoriums. A fire scare was
averted at Days the other night by
the simple but novel expedient of
training battery of electric fans on
the door through which the smoke
was finding its way into the well filled
auditorium. The fans blew the smoke
out.
By arranging a battery Of electric
fans in a semicircle just below the
balcony rail in the theaters and train
ing them on the stage smoke as well
as flames could be readily kept back
from the audience. 1t is well known
that a majority. if not all, theater
fires originate on the stage. where
there is much -fimsy construction and
inflammable material Hundreds of lives
could have been saved il the Iroquois
theater in Chicago had been equipped
with a battery of fans.
The slightest draught is sufficient to
control the direction of flame and
smoke. This can be easily demon
strated by opening door leading to a
room wherein there is a lighted and
unprotected gas jet, which wavers and
.nickers in the slightest zephyr. A bat
terry of 20 electric fans. it is estimated,
would be sufficient TO control the di-
rection OF flames. well as smoke.
The fans could be held in reserve for
emergency use and all set in operation
at once by merely pushing one switch
button This would enable all specta-
tors TO leave the theater safely. There
is some talk here that the city authori-
ties viii compel. the adoption of this
method.
But think OF the poor actors. What
would become of them?" walls one
manager. who, as usual, finds some ex-
cuse to interpose to save a little money
The answer to that is that while there
are hundreds and perhaps several thou
sand spectators in the orchestra and
galleries OF the auditorium who are
likely to be suffocated by smoke, burned
by flames or frightened into terrible
panic there are usually only a score or
two OF actors, or in the larger COM
panieE. say one hundred. counting the
stage hands, etc, and these could easily
find access to the street Besides, they
are warned in time, while the audience
is usually in ignorance OF the existence
Of a fire that originates back OF the
curtain.
II is suggested to mercenary theat-
rical managers that the fans would be
valuable adjuncts between the acts in
cooling the auditorium during the sum-
mer season and thus add to the box
Office receipts. Hammerstein, the
smartest Of all New York theater man
ayers. always the most energetic and
quickest TO act. seized on the fan
idea at once and will install a battery
of them in the Victoria theater, and
later in the Manhattan opera house.
He realizes IL will be a great "ad" for
his theaters and there is no greater
Snowman and advertiser in the country
than Hammerstein, who is a worthy
successor OF Barnum. the circusman,
who was the greatest Snowman and
advertiser on earth.
Merry Widow" hats of huge dimen-
sions have been prohibited at the New
Circle theater. Hereafter they must
not be more than 81 inches in diane
ter Plumes must not be more than 20
inches IN height This is the notice
posted in the theater lobby:
Women wearing hats measuring
more than 80 inches in diameter Will
not be permitted to enter the aisles Of
this theater unless the hat is removed.
Hats measuring more than 23 inches
in width, or with plumes more than 20
inches in height. must not be worn
during the performances
Women may wear hats of any size
at the Wednesday matinee only
Edward e. Pigeon. gfneral manager,
when asked why he had made the ex-
ception IN favor of the exaggerated
keadgear on Wednesday afternoon only
stated that, as those matinee perform
ances were principally patronized by
women, the problem would naturally
work Itself out. thus leaving the man.
agement free from the embarrassment
Of any charge of ungallant discrimina-
ton. He has provided each OF the
ushers with tape measures in order
that the new rules may be rigidly and
impartialiy enforced.
The Thief is a comedy soon to be
seen IN San Francisco. presented by
Charles and Daniel trohman, played
here TO crowded houses and has Just
closed q long run at the Lyceum
theater. In the comedy of The Thief"
vffe's love for the husband is idola-
trous, and in her foolish dread that
she will lose his lore-which, indeed,
is received by him as more OF a tribute
than as benefaction-sre becomes ac-
tually monomaniac and steals money
with which to pay for pretty raiment
intended to make herself more attrac-
tive in his eyes. The elaboration of
the pfot-the process OF unravelment
by which the culprit is discovered-is
not so important as is it's meaning
The acute analyst can perceive in a
moment the secret of the fable. The
development of that plot is remarkably
adroit, creating anxious suspense and
maintaining unbroken interest.
For the practical purposes Of the
stage this piece is almost an ideal one
especially in this day OF prodigious
distances. II contains only three
scenes. all simple and easy to set IT