Year: 1876




There are certain operations carried on within
theatre which form the especial and legitimate risk OF
such building but there are Others which, though
best carried on in the immediate neehborhood need
not necessarily be done within the walls Both kinds
Will be considered separately, and it so happens that Il
Is in some OF the latter that the greatest danger les
The quick shifting OF light scenery IN tho immediate
vicinity of powerful gasghts the intense heat caused
by the lights Ia tho upper parts over the nies and
slides, the rapid man pulation or gas, OIL lime and
other lights Tor effect and the occasional use OF
explosives in the midst OF vast quantity OF highly
dcsiccsed wood, labyrinth OF corcage and quantity
OF hanging drapery moving about with every draught
and blast OF wind; these and some others hardly
sufficiently important for special notice, as lor
instance, traing carpenterng repairs or glue-pot
work on small scale, constitute legitimate risks
which may be sometimes capable OF reduction thoagh
they cannot be altogether abolished; and OF them II
only be SAID that they are generally weli known
among all engaged 10 theatre from me arsss 70 Tue
very great caution is commonly used 10 prevent isn-
ton OF even the most rinng article Of any KIND as
they we'll aware tnat the result would almost IN
eviably be the sudden blazing up of the whole.


uScALLED Foa RISKS


The operations which need not necessarily De per-
formed within the walls OF theatre carpentering
large scale, scenery max ng, scene painting and
decorating; ana these II carried away from the
building are BY no means specially dangerous. When,
however, they are done within the walls and subject 10
hign temperature aud desccation as before
as we'll as to the chance OF other materials suddenly
blazing up near thcm they Increase the danger 10
a very serious extent When, again. TO these opera
tons added the storage OF large quantities Of TIMBER
clothing, furniture lumber and the thousand articles
known theatres as property" II VIII he seen that





as before separation Of the risks nrst great
divisions, the necessary and legitimate forming one
and those operations which can be carried on outside
the walls tho other. Then come the SUBDIVISIONS,
which, unfortunately cannot affect the former, at least
10 any apprecabe extent but which can be freely and
with great advantage applied to the latter The work.
shops should be eiectuay separated from the scene
painting, the scene painting from the lumber rooms,
the lumber rooms from the clothing making depart.
mont the latter from the property rooms, and SO on.


These room should be loored and ceiled with well
burnt tiles lad in good cement or plaster or II pre-
fha Qnnra md ltqhI ngig n
plaster alone, but II Ia essential that they should be
solid and not, as generally found, hollow, with air
passages inside. For convenience OF business they
might all open a common passage IT desired, but
each should be surrounded by walls Of sollc masonry,
with iron doors, which on the first alarm might be
instantly closed so as TO isolate them.


In such rooms, or in any part Of theatre, except
when absolutely necessary there should be no light
ininmmable materials forming part OF the structure
fixtures Everything should be Of such kind that
it would under no circumstances blaze up suddenly
when gnitcd, and should be heat proof
possible Stairs, floors and partitions should be COM
posed OF materials both heat proof and uninfamma-
ble All metals for this purpose are Objectionable,
unless the compartments very small in which
iron may bc used with safety If embedded in plaster
or cement or covered IN strong casing OF wood
which, up to a certain point, is perfectly heat-proo


In the great divisional fire wall there should DO
on every level from the basement 10 the roof,
iron doors, which should generally be kept closed,
but could be opened from either side when
necessary, ana Ct there s should DC direGs rec access
in front; and, In the event of the levels not corre
spending, thero should be light wrought iron ladders
fixed the stage side, insure immediate transit
In either direction


srArRcAsEs.


For the safety Of the audience theatre should bc
provided with at least two principal saircases and
these should be tar as possible apart SO that In the
event OF one becoming injured by hre or enveoped In
smoke the other might be made Available. 1t would DO
much safer to have two separate starcases for each
part OF the audience, according 10 PRICE
the hall of exit that half of each part of the audi
ence might pass out by itself; but, where there
are two main staircascs, the stairs could DO divided
tain extent produce the same result by pro.
venting undue crushing, and thus insuring rapid
egress in case Of necessity. Stairs with bends
az right acute angle are much safer
than straight stairs II is true that uniform move
persons passing down tho stars is to certain
the stairs interfere with this uniformity to certain
degree the on the outside OF the bends have
greater distance to travel tnan those on the inside;
but tho absence OF pressure Is OF greater importance
than uniformity Of movement and consequently where
great crowds have TO down stairs angles
useful. In some buildings too it may DO possible to |
the stairs with angles in alternate directions
TO moine uniformity Of movement with absence OF
pressure.


Care should be taken to prevent an undue accumula
ton OF heat in any spot particularly over the prn.
cpa light OF the auditorium, and no wood or other in
material should DO permitted in the immed
vicinity Of this or any other place in which the
temperature is necessarily high.
II may perhaps not he known to every ono that in
many theatres the carpenters shop is situated in tho
roof over the main gas hight an arrangements wholly
incompatible with the safety of an audience in case OF
fire.
Where there is glass round or over lights there
should be metal grating underneath TO prevent
broken fragments OF glass falling and njurng persons
or setting lire TO the place


All lights every kind should be protected by hang
ing shades above to dperso the heat and by cages or
gratngs around, to prevent anything being blown on
them coming in contact in any other way, and the
footlights should IN addition to this, have strong
wire at distance OF about eighteen inches, 70 prevent
the actors


Alter the performance the lights OF the auditorium
should on no account be lowered until the whole of
the audience has left No excuse should be given for
any one 10 light matches.


In every part of theatre there should be few oil
candle lamps kept lighted to prevent a panic in
case o the gas being accidentally or otherwise extin
gushed.


are unavoidable they should invariably be dono
without artificial heat and, II possible, without
artificial light and should be concluded at least
an hour before the opening Of the doors, SO
as TO allow time for ine discovery of any dam
age likely arise from them. II artificial light be ABB
solutely necessary It should be supplied either by
of the fixed gas pipe, which should be attended
during the operation by the responsible gas by
means OF locked safety lamps surrounded with metallic
esuze and in charge OF a fireman other responsible
ofcla who would know what to do in the event OF an
accident. All stage lights should be guarded
any material coming in contact with the
guard would bc of reach OF the flame. l. Is better
have guards placed, Is too commonly the case, in
such way that they serve to hold falling materials
,hsre % he that the ana
materials may extinguish the light


HOSE.


Every theatre should have In constant readiness a
supply OF under pressure capable OF forcing 1t
every part OF the building, and in quantity sufficient
last until the arrival OF external aid and there
should be rising main and distributing pipes mounted
with proper ydrants or fire cocks in such way that
part Of the building should be at greater distance
than thirty feet from hydrant


fireman, or, in large theatres, a stan OF 1remcn
sh ould always bc present whenever any OF the audi
the house, and there should be small bells,
which could be rung from various parts OF the build
ing call the hremen In case OF any anxiety without
alarming the visitors. By tho term "frcman' here
used is be understood trained and instructed
in business OF extingusnng dres, and not as too
found, mere laborer, sceno sniitcr or
other subordinate assistant clothed in costume
a nreman's uniform.


CONCLUSION.


II being then assumed that the existing arrange
mcn,s not satisfactory IL appears to be duty
vov,ug on some 10 propose others.