The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-01-04
CHEAP THEATERS
WILL be TACKLED
BYCHIEE|: T'RURS.I0N.
Ne Says They Must Conform To
Requirements Of Law Or
Close Down
GRAND JURY WILL y
INVESTIGATE, Is SAID
Criminal Disregard To All Author
ity and Lives Of Patrons Ex-
. hiblted BY Many H0Nses !.

City officials viii not wait for the
toll of death from illegally maintained
picture shows and theaters to remedy
the glaring defects there, was the state
ment Of Fire Chief Thurston last night.
Neither will the territorial grand
jury, IL reliable rumor going the
rounds yesterday proves to be true. II
was strongly minated from an anthem
tic source that thorough inyestiga-
ton into the appalling conditions pre-
vailing among the cheaper theaters Of
this city would be conducted by the
grand Jury within the next few days.
"That article Of The Advertiser last
Sunday week outlines the exact state
of Affairs existing at practically all
theaters in the Oriental section Of Ho-
nolulu, /" said Fire Chief Thurston yes
terday. "Its a crime to allow them
to conduct their shows as at present,
and / M going right after them. They
Z win have to conform immediately to
, the requirenents Of the law or close
down. - -. So -.'a II ,~- .si5 Ns TX
Law Openly Violated
Thurstou said that at no time in the
i history Of local theaters have condi-
tions been worse than they are today.
y The law is openly violated despite re-
1 peated warnings given at various times
by the fire department
The Independent Theater on Hotel
street, between Nuuanu and Smith
Streets, was picked out by the fre
1 chief as perhaps the worst Of a bad
/ bunch. Here q criminal disregard to
ali authority is exhibited on every
hand. There is only one exit, other
| than the narrow main entrance, and
that is always locked and barred. In
fact, seats are jammed against 1t, max
ing it's use impossible. I,
| /" am really afraid to think what
would happen in that place In the
J event of fire, " said Thurston. "Un-
doubtedly there would be loss of
many dozens Of lives, because the thea
ter is nearly always crowded, and not.
more than two can squeeze through the
entrance door at one time. y
Danger Imminent
! 1t is at the Independent Theater that
i the door Of the operating room Is al
| lowed to remain wide open with the
highly inflammable films lying on the
floor ready TO flare up jusi as soon as
/ a spark from q cigarette falls upon II.
That there has not been o blaze in this
theater before today is simply mira
Gle as a crowd of smokers always are
copyrighted around the operating door.
The conditions in most Of the other
nickel shows are almost as bad, the
fire chief admitted. The awful stencil
that permeates the atmosphere in pic
tnre houses was almost mentioned as
being worthy Of attention. O.. asssts
VIII Take Action - -. ,.A
Fire Chief Thurston said he had in
tended to take action even before The
| Advertiser touched on the theater sub
jeet, but due to his scalded foot, which
had neeessitated his remaining ut homo
for over three weeks, he had been I'M
! able to make any reasonable progress.
He is determined, however, to see that
all picture houses are at once made
safe for the patrons who attend them.
The greatest difficulty confronting
the fire department is in keeping the
theater arrangements up TO the mark.
"When spoken to-" Thurston said,
I"they open their exit doors, and close
the door of the operating room, but
they get lazy after q few weeks and
lapse into carelessness. What we need
is proper supervision--some officer who
could drop into the theaters occasion
ally and see il all is in order--but I
haven Y any men for that" ,+U.
A prominent local resident in speak
ing of the theater problem yesterday
said he thought It would be a good idea
If the health authorities took a hand
in the matter, thereby adding the terri
toriai grand jury in the investigation
It is said they intend to make. :.
Others spoken TO on the subject
agreed that action should be taken, and
taken Immediately If Honolulu was TO
be entirely freed of the possibility Of q
theater horror. -. K