Year: 1867




Protection or Life In Theatres.


There is bill now before tho Legislature
which we hope to see passed with all possible
expedition. 1t is that regulating theatres and
other buildings in which large assemblages
take place, 80 as to provide proper means Of
egress in case Of fire. Since the burning Of the
Richmond theatre, when several hundred peo-
pie. including the Governor Of the State and
his family, lost their lives there has fortunately
been no accident Of . similarly disastrous
character. This, however,: has been owing
rather to the merciful interposition Of Provi-
dence than to tho careful management Of our
theatrical establishments. A large number Of
them have been since destroyed, and in some
instances the audiences have had narrow
escapes


If fire were to take place during per.
formance at any Of our New York theatres tho
probabilities are that there would be as many
If not greater number of victims than in tho
Richmond catastrophe. At none Of them, with
single exception, are the means Of egress
sufficient to empty house rapidly in case Of
accident. Then the difficulty caused by =
panic would be certain to be aggravated
by the reprehensible practice which prevails OF
filling up the passages with camp stools ON
crowded nights. We have over and over again
protested against such practices; but the man.
ayers have always turned q deaf ear to our
remonstrances Now that they are deemed
I'll subject for>lcgislation we trust that there
win be no halfway measures in regard to
them.


Nothing should be left 10 the choice of tho
manager or architect In the construction Of
theatrical establishments which involves the
security Of the public. To every theatre there
should be main passages Of ten or twelve feet
in width, and those Of the parquct should be
at least six. The placing of temporary seats
in them should be visited with heavy penalty,
and on repetition Of the offence with closing
up of the house. No theatre or music hall
should have less than three large doors in front
as many at the rear, and, where practicable,
means of egress also at the sides. Another
essential prccaution is plentiful provision Of
water in tanks by which both stage and audi
torium can be instantly flooded IL necessary.


One Of the principal causes of the rapid de-
struction Of theatres by fire is the difficulty OF
shutting of draughts. A remedy for this has
been found in Scotch invention now in opera
tion in an Edinburg theatre. II is an iron cur
tain separating the auditorium from the sage,
which, on the occurrence OF fire, can be in
stantly lowered thus combining the flames TO
the portion OF the building where they may
have broken out. We should be glad to see .
precaution OF this kind enforced here.
In the event Of fire occurring during q
performance the shutting out the conhagra-
tion from the audience by such . barrier
would ,r.nquillze their fears and prevent the
occurrence Of a panic. II would be to the
interest Of proprictors and managers Of theatres
to have these safeguards forced upon them;
for they would then find NO difficulty in getting
their buildings and wardrobes insured. We
submit these suggestions to the committee
having charge of the bill now before the Legis-
lature. We have not seen o copy Of IL, and
therefore do not know how far Its provisions
concur with them. On one point we hope there
will be common agreement, and that Is as 10
the necessity Of the maintenance OF a special
day and night police for theatre duty, The cost
N hp maid ~ tho unouocarc