The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-07-12
FIRE PROTECTION
Of THE BEST
Three Films Destroyed But Rest of
orpheunn Theatre Intact by Bring
Ing Water Into Play
Quickly.
AUDIENCE FILED OUT
After Short Delay, Second Perform
anee Of the Evening Was
Given-Manaser Angels
First.

Proving the efficiency of FIRE pro-
lection with which the Orpheum thea
ire is equipped. Keokuk's new and
modern picture house was the scene
OF slight scare last night when
three reels of motion picture films
were destroyed when one of the reels
accidently touched the heated sur
lace OF the lamp in the fire proof
coop and the three burned up before
Operator Bert Fremmer could exiting
uish the burning films.
Two hundred patrons were at the
Orpheum when the tension which was
OF short duration occurred. The
crowd fled out of the house until the
fumes from the burning films had
subsidized and Manager Angel was en-
abied to repeat second show in a
short time, number of the first show
attendants returning to witness the
closing performance of the evening.
In explaining the mishap to the films,
Operator F'remmer stated that he had
/ Just inserted his spot glass and
had reached over to pull the clip
from the film machine when he saw
the film which was about completed,
slip back against the heated lamp
front and start to burn. Mr. Fremmer
attempted TO extinguish the blaze but
In doing so, his hands were some
what burned, though not seriously
enough to impair his operations Of the
last show.
Mr.. Fremmer stated that had he
had his coat or some other means of
smothering the first film that caught
fire. all three reels could have been
! saved, as il Is often that a film only
burns in two without stopping the
picture which is being put through the
machine at the time.
/ When the blaze in the machine
house occurred. the operator and
/ Manager Angel took the hose which
! is kept in the theatre for adequate
fire protection and the rest of the
house was in no way endangered on
account OF the presence OF ready
water service.
The fire department was called out,
making the run in minute and made
an investigation of the theatre at the
/ time. about S:45, but their services
were not needed, Chief Anderson or
I dering the reels back to the houses
4 after ascertaining that everything
had been perfectly safe. He com
mended Manager Angel with others
On the protective FIRE appliances which
are in the Orpheum and dispells all
| timidity which arises In theatres not
SO equipped.
The loss of films was the first in
/ the career of Operator Fremmer in
his nine years of service as an cleo
trician Naturally Mr. Fremmer felt
keenly the loss Of the three reels last
evening but the mishap was one Of
those occurrences which befall many
| operators unawares.
The only loss in the machine and
the entire theatre was to the three
reels of films, three thousand feet In
all which were unavoidably consumed
The films were worth about 5000, av
eraging 500 per reel.
Every One Cool
j When the Aims were fired las
night, the audience filed from the
Orpheum and awaited until order wal
restored within. Miss Rohker, plan
iste at the theatre, remained at the
piano and served to dispel and dis
| quietude by playing selections unit
the picture machine and its equipment
had been rearranged for the second
show.
4 Mr. Angel has been In the MOVING
picture business for the past eight
years and last nights occurrence was
the first Of its kind for him.