Evening star., 1922-02-20
Says Roof Ii Not ssUniqus

tn0 authOrlt1eS Will require 10 insure
the safety Of the patrons Of his house.
by March /.
Says Roof Is Not ssUnique.o
Mr.. CrandaN said today that reports
reaching him are to the effect that
the building was closed on account of
its unique roof" He ernphatically
declared that the two expert en-
gineers who have been employed by
of the theater can find nothing
unique" about the roof.
Mr.. Crandall also pointed out that
the engineers employed by him have
virtually completed their report,
which shows that the theater is per
favorable report. he said. he would
have closed the theater Immediately.
On the other hand. Mr.. Crandall en-
phasized that the committee on en-
gineers from the District building
Metropolitan, which took about fifty
minutes, while the two engineers in
his employ went over every bolt and
beam and every inch OF the thea
ter. making measurements at every
point"
"If this committee of engineers
which examined the theater on Monday
found anything wrong" said Mr.. Gran
Aall, they should have notified me i'm
mediately and the building would have
been closed Immediately. However. II
was about o'clock Saturday evening
before I was notified to close the
haste in closing the theater."
Columbia Manager In Doubt.
II am still in the dark as to the
reason for the closing of the Columbia
Theater," said Lawrence Beatus, man.
aging director Of Loew's Palace and
Columbia theaters, "and I am anxious
to receive q report from the Commits
sioners." Mr. Beatus declared that he
was willing to do anything possible
crate with the Commissioners"
William Godfrey, assistant manager
Of the Maryland moving picture thea
ter, said he believed the house was
closed on account of the bad condi-
tion Of the floor. He said prepara-
tions have been made to place new
cement on the floor. and he hoped to
have the theater in condition for
opening by March 1.
Up until noon today the managers
Of the National. POLKA and Cosmos
theaters had not received the letters
from Engineer Commissioner Keller
giving in detail the Gauges for the a.
ton taken by the Commissioners Sat.
urday evening in closing the seven
theaters indefinitely, 1t was stated to.
day at those theaters.
1t was said at the National that the
show scheduled for this week, s.The
White-Headed Boy" would LAY over
here In order to keep its schedule
straight, and that in theevent neces-
sary repairs could be made by the end
Of the week and the theater would
be permitted to open its doors Mon
day, another show. George Whites
Scandals" would be presented.
"Follfes5A to Stay in New York.
The same case applies to Polls. The
Greenwich Village Follies" were mo-
titled shortly before they left New
York and will not come on to WASH
ington, 1t was stated, but will remain
in New York and open in Baltimore
next week.
Manager Brylawski of the Cosmos
said today that the architect and con-
structor of the theater were on the
premises trying to ascertain the cause
for the Commissioners orders.
1.-THE building code was followed
correctly" said Mr.. Brylawski, "and
at the time the theater was built Are
proofing was required up to the roof
We complied with those regulations
and have cyprus roof. as steel waa
not required" Mr.. Brylawski thinks
he said. the Commissioners refer to
the roof and not to any other part OF
the building. However" he con-
tinued, I'VE will construct a steel root
II required. as we have the Interest
Of the public first"
All except one Of the vaudeville
acts scheduled for. this weeks per-
formances were notified before they
started from New York. he said. M
other one was in another section of
the country and could not be reached
In time.