Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-23
council Will Pass
|H[A1[R ORDINANCE
MEASURE SUBMITTED 70 LESSEN
FIRE RISKS IN "Mov,Es" AND
OTHER SHOWS.
WILL COMPEL SOME OWNERS
TO REMODEL THEIR PLACES
Ordinance Fixes Number Of Exits, Ar
ranssmsnt Of Seats, Construction Of
Booth For Projecting Machine, Wir-
ing, and Other Features Of Arrange
msnt and Construction. 4.

-5gtr
the public tom the danger Of fire and
panic in moving picture shows, the-
aters, and similar places of amuse-
ments was before the council at an adj
tourned meeting Monday afternoon.
Modelled after Davenport ordinance,
it was prepared at the request Of Fire
Chief I. II. Kirby, who has urged the
council to pass it.
That body Monday showed an in
clination to do so before the council
reorganized at the first meeting of the
fiscal year, April s.
Submit It to Lawyer.
Before taking it up n detail the
council turned the ordinance over to
City Solicitor F. e. Northup for him
to make such additions and amend
lments to the original as to make it
bullet proof" Northup promised to
do so, so that the council could pass
the ordinance to its second reading
very soon. After that it must lay for
ten days before it can be adopted. The
council hopes to have proceedings on
the ordinance advanced far enough to
adopt it Monday, April 5.
Has Many Important Features.
AS measure to reduce the chances
of fire risk in public places the ordi-
nance has many important features It
specifies the number and size Of exits,
width Of aisles. and distance between
rows of seats. It provides that only
fire proof materials can be used in
booths containing the projecting ma
chine and the location of the booth in
it's relation to exists. The minimum
age of the operator is specified, as is
the kind of electric wiring allowed and
other features, including inspection by
the fire chief and city electrician. The
penalty for violation IS fine of not
more than 500 or more than thirty
days in jail.
Its Chief Provisions.
IT the ordinance is passed in any
thing like Its present form, most, if not
all. of the moving picture shows Of
the city will have to be remodeled to
meet its requirements. It is the prob
able intention of the council to allow
movie theater owners thirty days in
which to remodel their places before
enforcing the ordinance.
The following are some Of the chief
features of the ordinance: There must
be. at least one exit for each 200 seats
Ebn The grounds hoorsand one exist for
each $50 seats on the balcony or gall
lery. Exits are not to be less than
thirty-four inches wide.
"a Any theater that has only one aisle
must make that aisle forty inches
wide; If it has TWO aisles they must
be at least thirty six inches WIDE The
seats must be securely fastened to the
floor and must be at least thirty two
inches apart back to back.
Gives Chief Control.
The ordinance gives the fire chief
authority to keep theate: closed until
the requirements Of the ordinance as
to the arrangements and structure Of
the projecting machine both are COM
piled with. One of the important feat
ures of the clause governing the con-
struction of the booth is that no wood
is to be used in it. 1t must be con-
structed Of fire proof materials; stone,
cement, brick. metal. or asbestos board.
The ordinance forbids placing the
booth over an exit, and the booth must
be securely anchored in its place.
. Only two openings are allowed in
any booth. One is for the light shaft
from the machine. the other Is for the
operator to look thru. Provision is
made for metal doors for closing these
small openings. The doors that close
over them are to be held open by a
combustile cord, held by fusible link
that will melt and release the doors 80
they will shut when the temperature
reaches 100.
c*he: Requirements.
No lights are to be allowed in the
booth except electric lights. All cleo
trio wires must be brought into the
booth in metal conduits. Only one film
can be exposed in the booth at time.
All others must be kept in a tight
metal box when not being used on the
machine. The operator must be not
less than Is years If age, and must
hold certificate Of fitness from the
city electrician. The theater owner Is
made responsible for the operator hav-
ing certificate. At least two hand fire
extinguishers must be Kept in the
booth. Smoking in the booth Is pro-
hibited, and matches shall not be kept
therein. .
Exit doors must be kept unlocked
when an audience is in the place. Exits
are to be marked by signs and red
IlSHtS. AAeieas entrance, oT lOuUy are
not allowed to be blocked or INSTRUCTED
at any time either by spectators or
otherwise. Failure to comply with
any provision is made misdemeanor.
City Solicitor Northup said today
that he was examining the law care
fully fully With view Of inserting into the
ordinance some regulations Of ventila-.
ton, so that the danger to patrons
from lack of ventilation would be.
overcome.