Tacoma’s Theaters Face Shutdown Over Fire Safety
Following a disaster in Chicago, Mayor Campbell orders city officials to inspect local entertainment venues for fire hazards.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
If it should be found that the theaters of Tacoma are not complying with the law in the matter of fire escapes and appliances for the control or prevention of fire, or if there are not the proper number of exits, such alterations as are necessary will have to be made at once or the theaters will be closed until the law is complied with. This is Mayor Campbell's position in regard to the theaters of Tacoma. Acting under instructions from the mayor, Fire Chief Jesse C. Poyns and Building Inspector O. L. Tuel made a thorough inspection of all local theaters today. Both officials declined to make a statement for publication, but admitted that not one theater in the city was complying strictly with all the provisions of the ordinance. In nearly every case, however, it will be possible, by making alterations, to put the buildings in the condition required by law.
“Such alterations as are necessary will have to be made at once or the theaters will be closed until the law is complied with.”
This article reflects a nationwide pivot in public safety policy after the catastrophic 1903 Iroquois Theater fire in Chicago killed over 600 people. It highlights how reactive civic policy often is, with local governments only tightening fire codes after massive, preventable tragedies elsewhere in the country.
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