Perth Amboy evening news., 1915-01-19
PASS ORDINANCES To
INSURE CLEAN PLAYS
AND SAFE THEATRES
Aldermen Adopted Ordinances
at Meeting Last Night to
Raise Standard Of Photo
PLAYS and Performances.


ton of obscene or otherwise degrad-
ing theatrical performances, pictures
and the like, aud to prevent crowd
ing and to insure satisfactory hre
protection in amusement places were
introduced and passed upon their
first reading at p regular meeting OF
the Beard of Aldermen last night
An ordinance to provide for the IL
censing OF theatres, motion picture
houses, circuses and other exhibit
tions, old not come up for final pas
sage as 1t had been expected that
it would. 1t is believed that changes
Will be made so as to exclude hold
ers of all kinds of church affairs,
amateur performances and sporting
exhibitions from the necessity of
paying license fees.
Prohibit Unclean Shows.
An ordinance, which is a supple
ment to an ordinance to license, regu-
late and prohibit shows, exhibitions
motion pictures and the like, provides
that there must not be exposed to
view any picture, exhibition or per-
formance of an obscen immoral,
vicious degrading or demoralizing
character 1t provides further th3t
any pictures which have not been
passed by the National Board of Cen
sors shall not be exhibited here, nor
may any picture be shown which has
been disapproved by the local Board
of Censorship. The latter body is to
be appointed by the mayor and is not
to consist of more than fifty persons.
Under the provisions of this doc
ument, aldermen declare, the mayor
is given a foundation to work upon.
Violatiyc,s may be reported to him
u = - J 4 1.s.F
licen e. Members of the WoT
Club and the Perth Amboy Board of
Trade have been the movers in the
idea. fheir Representatives filed a
copy of the proposed ordinance with
the aldermen at their committee
meeting Friday night
Under the other ordinance intro
duced last night, no standing room
for theatres or other places of
amusement can be sold. 1t provides
that the capacity of an amusement
place shall be the same as the num-
Der of permanent seats. No people,
except employees or duly authorized
public officials can stand in aisles or
ton picture houses and the like, and
no seats for the stage can be sold.
The distance between seats must not
be less than thirty-two inches. meas
uring from back to back and in event
there are no individual seats, the av-
erage width allowed for each person
shall not be less than eighteen
inches.
Under other provisions there must
not be more than sixteen seats in a
single row between aisles. The fast
ening of doors when audiences are
IN houses, excepting by fire or panic
bolts, that may be easily operated
from the inside, is prohibited and
under no consideration can draw
bolts be used. Exits must be marked
with lights and have exit labelled
over them in letters at least six inch
es high. Sufficient lights must be
kept burning in amusement places
when audiences are on hand to en-
able them to see to find their way
out. There must be no storage in
lobbeis, aisles or other passageways
when buildings are occupied.
Electric wiring must be kept in
flrst-class condition and wiring of
travelling companies must be inspect
ed before 1t can be used. There must
be an ample supply of fire extinguish-
ers. Hose, firetanks, chemical tanks,
axes and the like must be provided
in all parts of playhouses, including
dressing rooms.
The penalty for violation of any
section of the ordinance shall make
the offender liable to pay fine not
exceeding 500 or being imprisoned
for term not exceeding thirty days.
The inspector of buildings, city cleo
trician and members of the fire de-
partment shall have authority to
make inspections and see that the
law is enforced Upon a second or
other offense after the first, the
lioooso NOV ha roVola6