The Ohio Architect and Builder

The Ohio Architect and Builder Rates of Subscription Telephones Business and Editorial Rooms $1.00 a Year in Advance Bell, Main 7 180 St. Clair Street Ten Cents a Copy Cuyahoga C 2173 Clevela,nd, O. CHARLES HENRY, A. I. A., Editor EUGENE MARTINEAU, CHESTER R. HOPE, Associate Editor JANUARY, 1904. Business Manager EDITORIAL A Lesson From. The Chicago Theatre Fire Another horrible tragedy has been added to the list, of those already entered upon the pages of history in the Iroquois Theatre disaster, of December 29, when between five and six hundred lives went out .and almosl as many more persons were more or less injured. In looking through the pag-es of history we find but one greater disaster recorded, the destru ction of the Ring Theatre, in Vienna which was destroyed by fire on the 8th of December, 188l. The Iroquois Theatre was a new bu iIding, and in building it every effort stems to have been put forth, and every modern method and device used to make the building absolutely fireproof and safe from fire. It was built in a city which is provided with a Code of Building Laws supposed to be as perfect .as anv that could be devised, and the work had been' done under the supervision of the City Inspector of Buildings. In designing the building ample provision, had been made for exits, so that when the bUIlding was filled with people to the utmost capacity they could pass out easily and the building could be emptied ~ithin five minutes' time. , Notwithstanding all these precautions and safeg1!tards, very soon after its first opening to the public this terrible holocaust occurred. The testimony of all witnesses seems to establish the fact that the fire originated on the stage among the scenery or in the fringes of the, drop curtain, and further that the stage was filled with scenery and stage trappings and paraphernalia of the most combustible nature. And while the audience was supposed to be guarded from all danger of fire in this locality by the fireproof dropctirtain, when it came to the crucial test the drop' curtain did not work from nattiral causes wihch might have 'been foreseen, but were not. The r~cord of every theatre fire almost without an exception shows that the fire originates in the trappings of the stage or in some of the apparatus connected with it. 2 THE OHIO ARCHITECT AND BUILDER M'/6Hc', eY~I;Y ,effQr,l:,' j~' fgeh1@' put forth by the architects and builders of the atre buildings to make them fireproof, and insurance companies ,are making fire tests and zealously guarding their interests in these buildings to prevent fire$, theatrical companies' are traveling over the country from place to place carrying with them carloads of the most combustible scen~ry and materials it is possible to construct and taking them into these buildings and upon their stages, and thus exposing their audiences to just such catastrophes as occurred at Chicago, only perhaps on a smaller scale. Is it not possible to make this scenery and these trappings that are trans ported from ,place to place fireproof, as well as the buildings in which they are used? If the drop curtain can be made of asbestos and made fireproof, can not the scenery that is used back of it be made of asbestos and fireproof also? ' .It seems to us that if laws can be enacted that will compel people to build fireproof buildings for theatrical purposes, it is quite as important that laws should be enacted that will compel them to make the furnishings and apparatus that is used in them fireproof as well. 'Our observations along this line seem" to suggest to us that there is a lesson to be yet learned by the wise men before the theatre going people will be entirely safe in the enjoyment of the pleasures of the stage and that this lesson is quite within the scope of possibility. CHARLES HENRY. What The,.,Iroquois Disaster Teaches A wave of reform in theatre building and the construction of other public halls and assembly places is following in the wake of the calamity, which cost almost six hundred lives in Chicago. This was to have been expected. Such a catastrophe calls the public attention in a most emphatic manner to the necessity of providing sufficient safeguards for the protection of life in buildings where multitudes are accustomed to congregate. The pity of it all is that only by such violent means is the lesson' usually taught. It may be that the fire was caused by an accident. Great calamities very often are due to acCidents, and yet if the re~ suits to come from the loss of life are to be greater protection to hundreds of thousands of lives in the future, perhaps some good l~lay be found in all the trouble and sorrow to which those who have been afflicted have been subjected. This subject is one which commands the best thought and study of the best archi tects and designers throughout the country. There are some who believe that theatres and concert halls should never be erected unless exits are provided to the open air on all four sides. This, of course, would be an ideal arrangement, but, it is scarcely practical in the crowded sections of great cities. The mqst val uable suggestion no doubt that can be made is t!W'~ taws be enacted sufficient to meet the best possible requirements, 'and that executive offices in the different cities be established large enough to see that such laws are strictly enforced. There has been too much laxity in all the municipalities in the question of build ing supervision for an industry in which is annually expended millions upon mil':' lions of dollars. A Good Year in, Which to Build , , Now that the year 1904 has been started, there is still some misglvmg as to the magnitude of the coming building season. ,It is generally believed that IHE OHIO ARCHITECT !1NDBUILDER 3 ,e year will not equal 1903 in the .volum: of ?perations, unless-ther~ shall come distinct revival in the general busmess sltu.atlOn. However, the VIews of the adical pessimists who were freely predicting a few months ago that a financial Janie was sure to come,are undergoing rapid revision, and' it is now believed that 1. re-adjustment of conditions on a somewhat lower level is being effected without any such danger as was threatened. As yet there have been little if any indica tions of lower cost of building material :md of labor, these matters remaining to be determined during the early months of the year. It seems to be -certain that it will cost no more td build this year than it did last year, and with less building in prospect, it is safe to presume' that individual operations will receive much bet ter attention than could possibly be the case in a boom year, when all building operations are rushed to the limit. In other words, when a contractor has few jobs to superintend, he is much more likely to give better attention to each of these, than if he had many jobs to look after ,and was compelled to devote but little time and attention to anyone of them. The same is true of the architects, so that owners who are contemplating- building will do well to consider the practi cal advantage of proceeding under the conditions which now exist. Fire Proof Buildings Not Always Fireproof The recent destruction of the northwest wing of the Iowa state capitol, caus ing a loss of $500,000, shows that fireproof buildings are not always what they seem. Especially is this true if care is not taken in all features of the structure to guard against the use of wood .and other inflammable' material. The capitol was supposed to be well protected in this regard, but the use of false ceilings furnished material for the flames. The fire originated in a shaft in the committee room and started ttpwards and all around the ceiling of the chamber. It was found very difficult to cope with the flames on account of the height of the build ing and its elevation on a hill. The Iowa capitol was designed .along- the lines of the New York state building at Albany. It cost $3,000,000, and the section dev astated by the fire had recently been repaired af a cost of nearly $125,000. NoW" ," Get Together" and Do Business The movement of the building contractors of Cleveland to form a central or ganization for dealing- with labor troubles is commendable. It is in line with simi}ar action taken in other cities of the country to insure more businesslike procedure between employers and employes. The many differences which are constantly arising between journeymen in the contracting tr,ades and the master builders'1n their trades can be settled much better by having organizations on both sides than by proceeding as individuals. It is especially helpful to the em ployers to have the benefits of associated effort through individual trade associa tions, and the uniting of these by acentral delegate body or council is the most reasonable means of extending these benefits, and making them general. The Ohio Architect' and Builder 'recommends to employers as well as to the employes ~hat they "get together" without further delay and decide upon an equitable ad Justment of wages and working rules for the toming season, so that those who 4 THE OHIO ARCHITECT AND BUILDER are contemplating the constructioil of buildings will have a 'Substantial.

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