OCR Text |
Show tV fc? tV H NEW CHICAGO THEATRE LAW. H The new law recently adopted in Chicago for B the safeguarding of theatre audiences provides, B among other regulations, for the following: K Curtain Steel, with fireprooflng on the stage HI side; to be raised and lowered by mechanical wk power and to be in constant use between acts. B Sprinklers Automatic or dry; to be deter- VB mined by the board of underwriters. H Seats Must be two feet eight Inches or three H feet wide, depending on conditions; must be no H more than ten seats between aisles. H Aisles Must be two feet eight inches or three H feet wide, depending on conditions; must be H straight and lead directly to an exit. H "Standing Room" Each theatre license must H state the number of seats, and no tickets can be H sold in excess of this number. H Stairways No stairway must be less than H four feet wide, and no stairway have less than H twenty inches in width for every 100 seats for H which it is an exit. H Exit Lights There shall be a separate and H distinct system of lighting for exits and stairways H of electricity, gas or sperm oil, to be separate from the lighting system throughout the rest of H the house, and to be constantly lighted during performances. H Height of Ground Floor No theater shall have H its lowest bank of seats above the sidewalk level. H Firemen Two or more competent city firemen H to be stationed in each house under the direction of the fire marshal. Standpipe The stage to be equipped on each side with standpipes with hose for every floor level In the house. Exits Each floor to have two exit passages leading directly to the street or alley facing, to be fireproof and to be separate from every other passage. pas-sage. Flues Dampers to be located in other places, one under the control of the electrician and the ether under the control of the city firemen. Many theatres will have to undergo great changes to come within the new ordinance. 5 (5 A group of theatrical men were recently enjoying enjoy-ing a Bohemian lunch after show hours and listening listen-ing to amusing experiences in the South and Far West. One of them, and not a comedian by any means, told of a funny Incident that happened while his company was playing in a Southern Iowa town. A man in the audience who had been Imbibing very freely before entering the theatre arose from his seat, and, with much difficulty, left the theatre, refusing to take the return checlc proffered him at the door. After drinking a few times in a nearby saloon he appeared at the door of the theatre and demanded admission without a return checlc. "You can't come in," asserted the doorkeeper. K "I I'd like to know why," replied the drunken Br man. "I paid my money and I'm as good as H you are." H "That's all right," replied the door keeper. H "But you can't come in here you're drunk." H "Of course I'm drunk," replied the fellow. B "B'ye 'spose I'd want to come back in if I wasn't B drunk?" B tx & a B Timothy Murphy has a friend. In point of fact, B Timothy Murphy has many friends, else he would B not be familiarly dubbed "Tim." .But this is a B particular friends, who made a practice of borrow- H ing $100 of the comedian each summer for several B years. Last summer, however, as the comedian B related, during his Denver, visit, he heard from B him as follows: "Dear Tim: This summer I've - B decided to reverse matters, and instead of bor- B rowing from you, I Inclose herewith $100 for you B to keep for me for a rainy day." But the com- B edlan didn't find the money. He looked on the B floor, under the table, in the envelope. Nowhere B could he find it. Then he accidentally turned the B letter over and found this postscript: "P. S I've B just looked out of the window and find it's raining B like sin." e b c5 tv B A "vehicle" stars call their play. B The reason to be terse B Is very evident today B When most plays prove a hearse. B t J! B Between the acts I heard him say, B "The light of your eyes has kindled, 'tis certain B A blaze in my heart." Then softly she: B "Just lower the asbestos curtain." |