The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-02-28

wood buildings from fireproof point
Of view. The building is about ~
years old and has, in that time, de-
Perforated to marked degree, espe-
cially in the dressing rooms and be-
low the stage.
The dressing rooms are of flimsy
board construction, where all standard
specifications for theatre construction
call for each room to be separated
from the others by fireproof wall.
"The proscenium wall is of wood
construction, where brick or some 9TH
er approved fire-proofing material
should be used from basement to and
through the roof. A fire starting in
the dressing rooms or below the or
chestra pit would sweep unchecked
in the auditorium.
over the stage a skylight should
be provided that would open by the
melting of fusible link or the pulling
Of light hemp cord.
Emergency Exits
There are no emergency exits from
the balcony to the outside. Two should
be provided of standard f1reproof con-
struction. The main stairway from
the balcony to the first floor has too
many turns. and Is of wood construc
ton. Should fire or panic occur there
would be sure to be congestion on
these stairways with it's likelihood of
injury or worse.
1.-THE box office. managers office,
Yakima Transfer Company's Office and
the living rooms over them should be
separated from the rest of the build
ing by fireproof walls.
The space under the balcony floor
Is used as lumber room or store
room for various kinds of trash piled
up on top Of the exposed electrical
wiring.
approximately two weeks ago
piece Of the ornamental scrollwork In
the ceiling of the auditorium became
detached and fell, striking the front
seat in the balcony. This was from
no cause whatever except the deterior-
alton Of that part of the woodwork.
Faulty Electric Wiring
1.-THE electrical wiring is also in bad
shape for the same reason. The wires
ir innumerable places are lying across
woodwork of the building. This. un-
der normal condition of voltage and
load would cause no trouble as long
as the Insulation on the wires was
good, but in all wiring the conductors
should be treated as bare, so that no
short circuit, over loaded circuit or
grounded contact could occur.
''As a usual thing the largest shows
draw the larger houses, also use
the most current. This then throws
the largest strain upon the electrical
installation when the house has the
bigger crowd, and that the heating Of
an electrical conductor increases di-
rectly with the load is well-known
fact At the performance of 1.-The
Chocolate Soldier" during which your
inspector was on the stage, the copper
contacts on the main fuses were so
hot that they would burn the hand
when kept on them for a few seconds.
At the same time the main feed wires
on the switchboard were so hot that
the smell of the rubber insulation
could be plainly distinguished.
Fires Would Break Out
Further, the source Of supply N
the theatre, as in practically every
building in the city, is an alternating
current. This then necessitates a
transformer to change the 2300-volt
current to the commercial current Of
10 or 22O volts. Should such trans
former break down from overload or
any other cause, and let the primary
current into the building wired as this
theatre is wired, the probabilities are
that dozen fires would break out in
the twinkhng of an eye.
Even under normal conditions Of
voltage the main feeders are, in the
opinion of your inspector. so over
loaded as to be in dangerous condi-
ton. s-t
1.-The switchboard is obsolete. The
fuses on it are of the old open-link
type which throw a shower of molten
metal whenever a fuse blows from a
short circuit. 1t is also exposed TO
mechanical injury, as there is no
guard rail around the board.
1.-The DINNERS are also worn out
and partially burned out, so that they
have been patched up with iron wire
too small to carry the load, and conse-
quently heating same red hot on GER
tain position of the DINNER level
THE lighting Is also poorly ar
ranged, as are all lights in the audi
torium; in fact, every light in the
building feeds off the one transformer
and main entrance fuse The blowing
of main fuse or transformer trouble
would put the house in complete dark
ness. Standard specifications call for
separate services for stage and emer-
gency lighting that Is, for the lights
in Hobbies, staircases, corridors and
other portions of the building to
which the public has access. and
which are normally kept lighted dur
ing the performance.
1.-THE only method of wiring which,
in the opinion of your inspector, is
absolutely safe, is a complete installa-
ton Of conduit wiring.
Building a Menace
''In conclusion we beg to state that,
even under normal conditions using
the greatest care, the building is a
menace. Under other and less fav-
orable conditions it is a firetrap. Be-
cause of the foregoing reasons it is
our opinion that the condition of the
building is such that it cannot be re-
paired, or put in a condition safe
I. I'll a.