The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-02-19


} At the conclusion Of the confer
ence Inspector Grant. chief of de-
tectiyes. was ordered-to notify the
managers Of the seven theaters. six
located in the downtown section.
to -close the doors at once"
Ten minutes later Inspector Grant
and Detective Arthur Scrivener
started the rounds Of the theaters
to notify the managers. and by :
O'Clock every box once OF the seven
theaters had been closed
Policemen at Doors.
Spectators in the moving picture
houses were permitted to remain
until the conclusion OF the perforra-
ance underway at the time the po-
lice oficials arrived. although
o'clock was set as a dead line for
managers to have their buildings
emptied.
By 1880 p. m. policemen and fire.
men were stationed at the entrance
OF each of the seven theaters carry
ing out orders of the Commissioners.
Managers Are Dismayed.
The drastic order was complied
with in an orderly manner by all
managers who expressed dismay at
the suddenness Of the decree. EX.
pressions OF amazement greeted in
spector Grant and Detective Scrive-
ner as they read the order of the
Commissioners to each of the man
ayers. Box Offices Of the moving
picture houses were closed imme
diately by all managers, while In
spector Grant left orders with police
in front of the place to guard the
buildings against further entrance.
The buildings ordered closed
have been found by the board of
examiners for the District to be Un-
safe either from a structural point
or for lack of fireproof equipment"
Engineer Commissioner Keller eX-
planned in announcing the order.
Blow TO Theaters.
The buildings would be kept
closed, he said, until repairs salts
factory to the Commissioners had
been made. Col. Keller said he be
lieved all buildings ordered closed
could be repaired. II would take
until the middle OF the summer for
some to be brought within require
ments to be demanded by the Dis
trict, Col. Keller intimated.
All buildings ordered closed were
reported by the board of five VOlun-
tary inspectors working for the
District under direction of Col.
Keller during the past two weeks.
The board recommended that five
be closed Immediately upon sub
mitting their report to the Com
missioners yesterday afternoon at
o'clock. During the conference
which followed It developed that
Several members OF the voluntary
committee considered two other
theaters unsafe" and the Commis-
sioners at the conclusion Of their
investigation into the report or
dered that all seven be closed i'm
mediatelyy
To Inspect Ten Others.
Ten additional theaters viii be
given a second inspection by the
Commissioners upon recomrlenda-
uons Of the voluntary committee.
These theaters are not considered
unsafe, however. Col. Keller said
The Commissioners did not make
public the report OF the inspection
committee nor did they reveal the
! exact faults which prompted them
to close the seven theaters.
The sweeping order closes Wash
ington's two largest and oldest
| legitimate stage. theaters-the Ma
tional and Polls. II also closes the
doors of two of the leading four
downtown moving. picture houses.
the Metropolitan and Columbia
Obtain Power 90 Act
Before issuing the edict which
closed seven theaters the commis-
sioners armed themselves with IN =
amendment 20 the building reguia-
tions. granting them full power to
act under the order which followed: I:
Hereafter no building. or part
thereof. shall be operated. main
tanned or used as a theatsr. or
other place OF public assembly. un-
less the same be fully freproofed
n