Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-31
Revised Building Regulations
Are Stringent.
CONDITIONS ON THEATERS
And All Roof Gardens Must Com.
ply as Well.
SOME SECTIONS APPROVED
The Best to Be PROMULGATED in the
Next Three Weeks-Changes
in Requirements.

Several sections of the revised building
regulations were approved by the Com
missioners today and ordered to be pro-
mulgated next Monday. In the meantime
Corporation Counsel Thomas will 20 over
them and make any necessary legal sug-
gestions.
The two most important subjects in
cluded in the sections mentioned relate
to lighting and ventilation and. the con-
struction of theaters and places of public
assembly.
Sections Of the revisions were published
exclusively in The Star several weeks ago.
The entire regulations are expected to be
approved and promulgated within the next
three weeks. Each section will be con.
before adopted.
Sections Approved.
The Commissioners have approved sec.
tons LIB to 17S Of the present building
code and ordered them printed. They re.
late to places of public assembly.
AS revised the sections relating to thea
tiers require that the latter shall be built
of fireproof material only and shall be
what Is known in building circles as
''frst-class'' constructions. The interior
of the building. including trimmings.
doors, decorations, curtains, windows. gall
lery and box fronts. etc. shall be of the
finest type Of fire-resisting materials.
Theaters must have at least one front
with main entrances and exits on a pub
lie street. approximately parallel to the
building not facing on q public street or
alley there shall be an open. space not
less than eight feet wide when the seat
ing capacity is not over 1000. and increas-
ing in width in the ratio of ~ per cent for
each additional hundred of seating capaci-
ty. These open spaces may connect with
the public street from the rear line OF the
auditorium by direct open alleyways or by
fireproof passageways through hre-
proof building. The passageways must
be kept free from distractions. There
must be no connection between a theater
and any other building susceptible of the
transmission OF fire.
Theater Requirements.
The flooring of theaters must be capable
of carrying q superficial distributed load
of 100 pounds to the square foot. The
main floor at its highest level shall not be
more than seven inches above the street
level of the building line. and IL on &C
count Of the grade of the streets steps are
NECESSARY. then the floor shall start at
grade at the highest point Of the main
entrance.
Two separate and direct means OF egress
from the building to the street shall be
provided for each section of the audito-
rum above the first floor In every theater.
These exits shall be arranged on each side
of the auditorium
All of the passages, corridors. exits and
openings must have width of not less
than twenty inches for each 100 people.
No door or passage in the line OF exit will
be permitted If less than feet inches
in width.
Emergency stairways and exits must
be provided separately for each floor and
balcony. box or gallery Each section
OF the auditorium shall also have two
separate stairways communicating with
the street Winding stairs are not per-
MISSILE.
permitted in any one row between aisles.
andp no seat shall be placed more than
six seats removed from an aisle. The
number of seats in the balcony and gall
leries shall not be more than ten to a
row, except in cases where an intervening
or cross aisle is provided for each OF the
ten seats
Widths Of Allies.
Three feet is the minimum width for
an aisle. The stage shall be completely
separated from the auditorium by means
of a solid brick or concrete wall, not less
than seventeen inches In thickness. All
material behind the scenes must be Of
incombustible make or treated with fire.
resisting chemicals. The stairways to
the dressing rooms and the "gridfron"
must be Of iron. The main proscenfum
must have a vertically operated steel cur
tain and must be arranged to overlap the
brick wall at least one foot on each side.
Mechanical power shall be used In rails
ing or lowering the curtain The use OF
hot-a furnaces in the dressing rooms or
any part of the building is prohibited.
There must be no false doors or windows
giving the appearance of an opening, or
mirrors placed to give the appearance of
a doorway, exit, hall or corridor. Exit
doors shall not be obscured by draperies.
Three-inch standpipes must be provided,
and at least six feet of two-inch hose.
Buildings or parts of buildings used for
motion picture machines. stereopticons or
similar apparatus shall have at least two
sides of the building abutting on the
street or alley. These places must be fire.
proof.
Roof gardens more than eighteen feet
above the ground, where entertainments
are provided for the public. must be on
freproof buildings provided with exits.
stairways and emergency exits OF the
same character and size as those required
for theaters The roof must sustain a
pressure of 100 pounds to the square foot.
In determining the seating capacity of a
roof garden. when the seats are not hxed.
AN allowance of eight square feet shall
be made for each seat.