Chap. 23.—An ACT to require the owners or lessees of public halls, theatres, and
opera houses to provide suitable and sufficient exits for the safety of persons
attending all gatherings therein.

Approved February 19, 1904.

Whereas, by recent catastrophes numerous lives have been lost by fail-
ure on part of the owners of theatres, public halls, and opera houses to
provide safe methods for escape in the case of fire; therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall be
the duty of all owners or lessees of public halls, theatres, and opera
houses to provide suitable and sufficient exits to said buildings, and the
doors to said exits shall remain unlocked during all performances and
shall in all cases open outwardly, and not inwardly.

2. In cities and towns having police and fire departments, the re-
spective heads of said police and fire departments and the mayor of such
city or town hall shall, as a committee of three, inspect at least semi-
annually, all buildings mentioned in this act which are located in their
city or town, and see that the provisions thereof are complied with; and
in cities and towns which do not possess police and fire departments, the
mayor and two members of the council, to be selected by the mayor of
such eity or town shall, as a committee of three, inspect all such build-
ings located in their city or town semi-annually, and see that the pro-
visions of this act are complied with. Any such building as to which the
provisions of this act have not been complied with, may be closed by
order of the mayor of the city or town until said provisions are complied
with.

3. And any owner or lessee of any such building who shall violate any
of the provisions of this act shall be subject to a fine of not less than one
hundred ror more than five hundred dollars, or be punishable by con-
finement in jail not less than six nor more than twelve months, or both;
and the continuation of any failure to comply with the provisions of this
act for each week after notice has been given the owner or lessee of said
buildings that the exits are unsafe or insufficient, shall be deemed a
separate offence. | .

4, The council of any city or town may make such further provisions
insuring the safety of the public using such buildings as they may sec
proper to make, not in conflict with this act.