Indianapolis Journal, Volume 54, Number 1, Indianapolis, Marion County, 1 January 1904 — Page 2

THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL, FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 1904.

Handing room. The actual seating ca-

of the theater is: First floor, TOO; rst balcony. 450; Mconu balcony, 450; third alcony. 4T,, total, 1.6H. Will J. Davis, one of the proprietors of pe theater, was questioned to-night as to he number of tickets sold and asked if I was true that 500 people were standing in isles and in rows back of the Seats on each oor. Mr. Davis was plainly unstrung, and Jtttr whiiO n.i u.ii.l uvm "tnn mi in . tri ma dispose of in a few ordinary words." Mr. wh alone of the theater employes knew the redit the statement," said Mr. Davis, 'ascribed to one of the ushers, that as an: as w people were siannng in ine iar of the seats. On Wednesday afternoon r the fire, however, several of the undeclared that at least 2,00") people were the theat r. whi h seats but 1.615." It was practically decided to-night that public memorial m- ting for the victims the theater disaster will be held n xt a i a a. .est jm i m i rv . lit wi wr iti ri i i n r-a l;i r.irun tJi i f rrow of, th" itv over the rreat disaster id to perform the last rites for those we bodies cannot be identified. The Mnent for the meeting is still somewhat a. - . . . . . - . . , - m - - . . r411 1... V. . I., lit I ' II' .'1 1 newspapers to-night were deluged by jncemeuts from ladies and from the taries of dozens of social organizaarinouneing the recalling of invitafor all festival gatherings which had planned for to-morrow. It is almost in that throughout the length and dth of the citv. durnur the remainder i week, not a single private reception official functiun of any kind will be h Uh UlSASIEK; CITY LAW'S VIOLATED AGO. Dec. 31. There was animtt.'l Mater and architects as to the cauo 3luois Theater fire. Accounts differ s widely as they varied last night. 'theatrical people arc practically a unit darin that th lire started with an ston, ami in this they are flatly condicted by scores of people in the audinru .- hit ilvclari' th:i t r H . t u- t V . . ti r. aioic. the edge of the curtain for evriai iiuiiuit-9 m-iiiir .k,i. .-i m looiv lace. Th'-sv statements are substantiated . . . a A a . 1 I , n V ik i a.vl. ir ni sriiris or ;i n imn.-r hi nr-on e unn ft their ealj nf fi-r w-a-. i to.' thu hlnia niwl IR OX NEW YEAR'S; COLDER AT NIGHT A8H1NGTON. Dec. 31.-Forecast for nv ;in.i it r iv (liana F"iir on FVirlnv (itr in nnrth A. t J a I.W. 1 .L a rtA now i i ii it i 1 1 it. Ii l in soniri ooriion. r-. 1 1 - . . - . .... i . V a n A W n a Is. lirtoia Fair rind nrAiicr rn TiVlilnv 6i(. a...v... . . . i - . i i . . via a. a imu v Lii i y fair; fresh southwest to northwest lio Fair on Friday and Saturday, exsnow in northeast uortionsr mum nn turday in south portion; fresh southwest lids. :ntucky Fair on Friday. Saturday and colder. wer Mi' higan ( loudv on Frida v: and colder in north and west Dortions. turday generally fair; fresh to brisk st to northwest winds, lorth Dakota Fair on Friday and Satin V uth Dakota and Nebraska Partlv . 1 -,1a auiMaai I ' .. . I aa2 ansas- r ,ur an n f n con er on nv laiuraay. finnesota Fair on Fridavr coMr In oncf .ton. oaiui'icix tan iitrsn uurui WinuS. . a. . urday fair. nnessee I air on Friday; colder In ex-vL-.:r rein nn NMriiniaT. tu i r- r..i.i. . ;cntrni and east portions. "Isconsin Fair and colder on Frida v urday fair; fresb to brick northwest ErOOal UhaervwtionM on Tharndny. Bar.Ther.R.H.Wind. Weather.Pre m. .30.22 Is 88 N'west. Clear. 0.00 m..2D.90 M 2 South. Clear. 0.00 aximum t' mperature, 3S; minimum temature. 16. omparativ.- statement of mean temnerannd total iirni'ii.lt itinn nn T1ar 71TemD. Pre. A M 1 ai for month 274 L'.;7 since Jan. 1 322 lO.äO T. BL.YTHE. Section Director. W Yesterday's Tt iitpcrn t ures. . a., i.i. .i,i.x. . Tex 42 t p. m. 56 48 54 4 22 12 54 36 32 3 :4 : 40 "S6 48 48 2 14 34 22 22 18 30 54 56 H 58 44 18 t 40 58 50 54 24 36 Amur L Tiiv ". .) tianta. ua 91 I s m m rc lr XT Ts 1 Q ua . a . a, Cairo. Ill M 1 Calkfarv. AltTtn r ,yr Thattanooga. T-nn 60 Revenue. Wyo Icago. Ill 12 ;;j tclnnatl. is 42 nd. O 4 24 )us. i; dla. Kfo 2. 33 ort. Ta 16 44 . Co! 28 2 City. Kan. 2S to ie la 8 H ! Ulnn 12 22 . Tex 2; , j ton. Tt x 54 t3 nd Jurif rioi i 1 ) in in Jk Tl . I 1- I1.U . .i .... 111 4 . ' i aa u II 11 ltr ' , ai aM. . . ää I a - i . I ' M mi. 5. - n z a. Mont 24 32 :kohviIl . Fla 4 ttt nas City, Mo 32 60 der. Wy 10 22 XU Rock. Ark 3 68 Iftsville. Ky 22 48 rquette. Mich 12 lj mphis. Teno 44 64 dena, Utah 14 2 tft'omry. Ala 32 hvllie. Tenn 26 ; n Orleans, Da 42 w York N Y 16 rfolk. Va 28 4i rth Platte. Neb .22 :, lahorna. . T 40 64 bat. Neb 26 50 es tine. Tex 88 rttacshur. W. Va is i lade 1 1) his. Fa 20 tsburir. Pa 14 iblo. Col 18 62 pid City. S 1 30 .1 I tu ii Mo ' Paul. 'Minn.!!.!!.!..!!! n .'i to. Tex 54 v: S. M r. 4 . La 40 66 .III 16 , Mo 24 Neb , 28 n. D. C 1 36 4 .bit of s-iiiasKe and a

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were well on their way to the street when overtaken by the frightened rush of those t! Ii y had left behind them. Miss Anna Woodward, a woman who occupied a seat In the second balcony, gave strong evidence to-day on this point. She said: "I was in the- second balcony and plainly saw the fire. I am a larg-e woman, weighing close to ISO pounds, and I made up my mind that if there was going to be a panic it would be wise for me to beat it to the street. 1 left my seat in the balCOOjr, went down the stairs to the first balcony and from there started to pass out through the very door in which so many people were killed a few minutes later. The door was closed and a man standing on the outside refused to open it so that I could pass out. Whether he was an employe of the theater or not I do not know, but he had evidently determined that no one should leave the theater, and in so doing started a panic. I was leaving quietly up to this time, but when he refused to allow me to pass out peaceably. I determined to get out if I had to make all aorta of noise. I went along the balcony about ten feet to a glass partition and smashed it with the point of my umbrella, I want out and down the stairs. When I

I was about half way down I heard the roar of the crowd as it came after me and I hurried with all the speed I had. '"'hey overtook me however, knocked me down, and but for the fact that 1 was close to the door, I think my chance of life would have been almost nothing. As it was, I think I must have walked the last ten feet of my passage to the exit on the bodies of those who had fallen." Sparks from Arc Light Struck Edge of Curtain The best evidence obtainable is to the effect that the fire was caused by the sparks from an arc Mght striking the edge of the drop curtain, but the actual fact, however, will not be known until after the conclusion of the coroner s inquest. There are so many statements at present, and they differ so widely, that it is impossible to ascertain the exact truth of the matter. Although the Iroquois Theater was undoubtedly the safest theater in Chicago it became evident to-day that the city building department had not strictly enforced one or t .vn sections of the building ordinances. William Curran, a building inspector, was In the theater only a few moments before the catastrophe and went away saying that -erythin? was in good condition. He reported this fact this morning to Deputy Building Commissioner Stanhope. The deputy rommiMioner, early this morning, in company with Building- Inspectors Iaughlin, Lense and Dalton. went to the theatw to BUÜCO an inspection. tpn his return to iii ity h;il! he said: "The theater and its ma nageat were strictly within the law. I will nt go into details until 1 have completed my report." Section Ii ol the local building ordinance provides that in buildings of the class to which the Iroquois Theater belongs there shall be a system of automatic sprinklers. There were no sprinklers in the theater and Mr. Stanhope, when this was called to his attenten. replied: "There was no sprinkler system in the theater, but the provision about the iron doors made it unnecessary for the theater to have them." S ctioa 1st of the ordinance provides that theaters be equipped with tire alarms connected with the city fire alarm system. Mr. Stanhope said: "The Iroquois had fire aiarni connections. I did not see the box, but that is my information." City Electrician Hyland said: "The Iroquois had no : nre alarm connection with the city alarm j system. No application is on tile for any aucfl connection. The alarm of fire, in fact, was turned in from a box over half a block distant from the theater. The law provides, also, that there shall DC ventilating shaft at the rear of the stage which will conduct flames and smoke away from the auditorium in just such emergencies as arose yesterday. The Iroquois Theate possessed no such ventilating shaft. Mayor Will Not Close All Theaters in the Citv From the action of a committee of prominent architects of Chicago, at a meeting to-night, may result a recommendation to Mayor Harrison to close every theater in the city until its exits and construction have been examined. This idea was suggested to President Beaumont, of the Chicago Architects' Association, to-day, by W. A. Pridemore, an architect who lost some relatives in the fire. Presideut Beaumont refused to personally make the recommendation to Mayor Harrison, but called an informal meeting of the association, at which it was decided that a larger gathering of the membt rs would be held to-morrow and action at that time would be decided upon. Mayor Harrison said to-night: "I see no more reason for closiug ail the theaters than for stopping all railway trains after a disastrous wreck. There is no necessity of getting hysterical about this matter, although this horrible disaster has taken place in probably the safest theater in Chicago." The Mayor to-night, in this connection, sent the following letter to all theatrical proprietors in the city: "Nov. - this year. I transmitted to the City Council a report on the theaters of Chicago, calling the attention of the Council to the failure of all the theaters to comply fully with the terms of the building ordinance relative to places of amusement. The Council sent the communication to the committee on judiciary for consideration, and. pending a report from the committee, directed the commissioner of buildings to suspend enforcement of the ordinance. The city ordinance, among other things, requires each theater to employ a fireman, to be approved by the chief of th fire department, to look after the fire protection of the houBe. I am advised by the chief that several theaters have refused to comply with this provision of the ordinance. In view of. the terrible disaster at the Iroquois Theater, and pending action of the City Council, 1 have directed the chief of the fire department to assign one regular member of the department to e;u h theater now complying with the ordinance relating to the employment oi a firernan. -Thf; firemen now employed by the theaters should be assigned to the front of the house, while the fireman assigned by the chief should b assigned to the stage. 1 have further directed the chief in cases where the ordinance has not been obeyed to assign two regular firemen to the duty of protecting the public agaiust fire. The wages of these hremi u will be billed direct to the theaters to which they are assigned, and the service will be continued until the Council has finally act d upon the ordiu.ince." After dispatching this letter the mayor aid: "If any one of the theatrical manag rs refuses to pay the wages of these men. as several of them have refused in the past, I will close the doors of the theaters and keep them closed until they agree to act as they should." HELD BY QUEEN'S WIRE; CURTAIN WAS JAMMED CHICAGO, Dec. 31. The cause of the "Jamming" of the asbestos curtain, considered the cause of the Iroquois Theater disaster, was explained to-day by an inspector for the underwriters, who made a tour of the house and found that the wire, on which the Quetn of the aerial ballet flew out over the audience in the second act held the asbestos curtain in the place and prevented it from being lowered. It was shown by the inspector that the wire on which the most spectacular feature of the show was "made practically caused the holocaust. M.ssrs Davis and Powers, Managst I of the Iroquois, have called a meeting at the Illinois Theater of all members of the "Mr. Bluebeard" company and a full statement will be made after a careful investigation. As to the report that there was a fire in the Iroquois three weeks ago and that the asbestos curtain refused to work on account of being controlled by iopes instead of wires. Messrs Davis and Powers emphatically deny It. They state, also, that the curtain was controlled by the strong- . -t wMvs that it was possible to use. The facts are. according to them, that the curtain swayed the moment the ten or twelve exits were thrown open, owing to the rush 0l .dr. Employes of the Iroquois Theater place the terrible loss of lifo to the "Jamming" . & Bk. A av - m . m m . or tne asoesios curtain. na-i it worked property they say the fire would have been confined to the stage alone. At every performance of the show the asbestos curtain has been raised and lowered. It ins always run smoothly, according to the employes. It was so arranged that should one ttX the cables holding it break the curtain would descend by Its own weight. The .islH'stos curtain was held by four steel cables. It slid up and down on, and was guided by, two others, one on each side. Th four cables e i tided above the grid iron. , 1 he tsndlror. is the framework wlii.

Carrying the Dead from the Ruins of the lroquola oaaitr

There they were attached to a large steel plate. To the steel plate was attached a tnanila rope. This rone led down to the tage and around a block. It then led aloft and ran through five other blocks and pulleys. On the side going up the counter weignts were attached, of which there wer tnougb to make a less than an absolute balance for the curtain. The asbestos curtain was so heavy that if released it would come down of its own accord. Electricians Blamed for Careless Placing of Light Among many of the theatrical men cmployed in the other Chicago theaters the responsibility for the fire was ascribed today to the careless placing of electric arc light apparatus too close to one of the hanging borders of the scenery. The electrician of a leading Chicago theater expressed great surprise on hearing that thi3 was considered a possible cause of the fire. "There never would have been any fire," he said, "if proper care had been exercised in handling the lights. The electric plant of the theater was installed, as I happen to know from personal observation, in accordance with every modern requirement for safety. The plant was not to blame. If the facts I have been given are correct tic whole blame rests on the person who placed or was operating a light so closely to the curtain." The failure of the expected fire protection is attributed by insurance men to trouble with the asbestos curtain. The stage always is recognized as the danger point in a theater, and the desire is to have it cut off from the auditorium as thoroughly as possible. The Insurance men declare that the curtain at the Iroquois never had worked perfectly, and that the mechanism had not been repaired. E. K. Wetmore, of the insurance firm which placed the insurance on the Iroquois Theater, declared to-day that the loss would not exceed $20,000. He also asserted that the spread of the tiames to the auditorium was due to the failure of the asbestos curtain to work properly. Construction of Theater Had Been Criticised Early last summer a prominent trade journal of Chicago criticised the construction of the Iroquois Theater because it lacked a shaft or flue at the back of the stage for carrying the flames and smoke upward and away from the auditorium in the event of fire. Such shafts were built in Madisonsquare Garden and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York and a similar provision is made at the Chicago Auditorium. The method of flreprooting the balcony and gallery wa3 also declared by this magazine to dei'eetixe bet j use metal lath were us- d in what is known as exposed construction, where heat would easily affect it. In modern fireproof buildings this lath is buried in concrete. It was the buckling out of this metal lath and iron rods, giving the impression that the galleries themselves were falling, that is believed by some contractors to have been partly responsible for the panic. There was no criticism of the strength of the gallery and balcony arches, which were built In the usual manner. Chief Musham. of the fire department, when asked to-day what would best prevent a repetition of the horror, said: "I don't know as I can answer that question until an investigation has been made as to the cause of this fire. On the whole, I suppose it would be a good thing for the department to have active uniformed men prepared to act stationed in every theater through every performance. I understand that New York has them and that they are paid by the managements of the theaters. They had a man in the Iri'iuois who was an ex-member of the Chicago fire department. He was old, but he should have known what to do. It seems to me that there is nothing in the world, at least nothing that I can think of at the present moment, that can save lives Mafien a thousand persons try to pass through on doorway at one time. It was the rushing, the crowding and the trampling that was responsible for the majority of the deaths that have occurred. Anybody who views the dead in the morgues can tell that at a glance." CHARNEL HOUSE PUT UNDER POLICE GUARD CHICAGO, Dec. 31. By order of Coroner Traeger the theater charnel house was today placed under a tight police guard. No person could enter without a written order from Chief of Police O'Neill, who was notified that he would be held responsible for keeping the theater building in the exact condition in which it was left by the sweep of the flames. Thirty partolmen were stationed across the front of the building, and twenty men guarded the rear. Within were thirty more officers, the whole interior, including the stairways and fire-bitten balconies, being z al"iisly guarded. As soon as possible to-day attodditional detail of policemen went through the burned building from top to basement. There were fears that In the basement in the muddy water would be found more victim? of the smoke and flames. Big fire engines that before had deluged the place were to-day being utilized to draw forth dozens of streams of thick, murky water from the basement, while a dozen firemen M hip boots made a thorough search of the basement for bodies. No bodies, however, were found In the basement. Thousands of the curious to-day tried vainly to reach the scene of the fire. The pollee permitted no loitering on either side of the street near by. If they did. the onlookers wo'. id have seen nothing out of the ordinary, for the exterior of the building was the same as before the fire. The ginnt stone head of an Iroquois Indian over the grand entrance, fitting symbol of the cruelty of the deserted structure, stood forth from a front unstained by smoke or water. Though serene without. the interior of the theater marked it .i- a true whited sepulcher. Upon the marble staircases at the left and right within were the mess and confusion of the grim march of the bearers of the dead. .nioug tne thou ndi of bits of brilliantly colored glasakshattered in the fight aga icor bed bits of ( anh ing and occBional fragments of charred l-i inutbe upper g.,!lees the view minder of a burned out

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guarded a huge pile of garments and furs gathered up in the theater after the tire. Kive bushel baskets were tilled with the purses, gloves and handkerchiefs of the fleeing mob of terror stricken women. TWO barrels were needed to hold tin' overshoes and shoes found. NEW YEAR USHERED IN WITHOUT USUAL XOISE CHIC.GO, Dec. 31.-Foliowing is the text of a proclamation issued by Mayor Harrison: "On each recurring New Year's eve annoyance has been caused to the sick and infirm by the indulgence of thoughtless persons in noisy celebrations of the passage of the old year. The city authorities ha . e at all times discouraged this practice, but now, when Chicago lies in the shadow of the greatest disaster in her history for a generation, noise-making, whether by bells, whistles, cannon, horns Of any other means, is particularly objectionable. "As mayor of Chicago I would, therefore, request all persons to refrain from this indulgence and I would particularly ask all railway officials and all persons in control of factories, boats and mills to direct their employes not to blow whistles between the hours of 12 and 1 o'clock tonight." ALDERMEN CRITICISE PLANS OF THE THEATER CHICAGO, Dec. 31. Twelve members of the City Council to-day Inspected the theater and after doing so returned to the City Hall and called on the building department. They asked to see the plans of the theater. Mr. Stanhope produced them. "How about sprinklers?" demanded Alderman Jones, who was one of the iuvestigating committee. "The way the theater is built they can be left out," Mr. Stanhope replied. "And. anyhow, the flames spread so rapidly that no sprinkler system would have availed anything." Alderman Jones then remarked that the ordinance requires all exits to be marked. "That will be looked into." Mr. Stanhope said. "Remember, however, that the lights were out and that many of the people were killed in their seats." Pointing to the diagram of the theater, Alderman Herman said: "Here is a passageway on the south side of the first balcony which looks as though it led to a stairway. But in the darkness the people scrambling through it were caught like rats in the trap. They could not get either way. The confusion of exits was such that no one could find his way in -the dark. If those things are considered exits I don't know what constitutes an exit that would be of any use." Mr. Stanhope told the alderman that he had made an inspection of the building and that, structurally, it was good. "You cannot convince me," declared Alderman Herman, "if you talk for a hundred years that people could get out of that place. I do not care what they call the exits; they did not work. There were not enough of them open, and the people couid not get out. These plans show aisles at the end of the first floor, but we were over there and saw the seats run bank-up against the railing, leaving no aisle at all. Now, what I want to know is, did these peopie, in building this theater, live up to the plans they submitted to the city building department? Here there seemed to be ample exits on paper, but a number of friends of mine got badly scorched, just the same." "On the first floor they got out," said Mr. Stanhope. "My friends were on the first floor, but they got burns on their barks just the same," Alderman Hermann rejoined. Alderman Friestedt declared that in the second gallery there is not sufficient room when the seats are down to allow any one to walk between them. Ald?rman Scully and Alderman Conrey took from the floor of the stage bits of stage curtain, none of which was larger than the palm of a hand, for lamination to the store of an asbestos company. The bits were shown to be of asbestos, although the examiner pronounced it of a low grade. "They wanted a cheap curtain and they got it," an incautious clerk remarked. He was Instantly hushed up by one of the members of the company, who added they did not wish to discuss the matter, inasmuch aa they had bid upon supplying the curtain to the theater and their bid had been rejected for a lower one. CROWDS AT MORGUES; PATHETIC I NC WEXTS CHICAGO. Dec. 31.-On every train which arrived in Chicago during the morning came the relatives of persons who were thought to have been killed or injured in the lire. The lobbies of the down-town hotels were the scenes of many happy meetings as well as anxious inquiries on the parts of fathers, mothers and more distant relatives of people of whom no trace could be found. Many of these people returned to the hotels late in the evening after either a fruitless search for their loved ones or after finding in a charred and disfigured body lying in the morgue all that remained of the relative or friend for whom they had searched. Postmaster F. A. Freer, of Galesburg, 111., arrived early in the morning in response to a telegram received from friends here saying that his wife and daughter were among the missing. Mrs. Freer and Miss Freer came to Chicago Wednesday morning expressly to attend the play at the Iroquois Theater. Since their arrival in the city Mr. Freer has had no news of th m. To-day he made inquiries of the police and spent the entire day examining bodies in the morgue. Many of the corpses bore a resemblance to his wife and daughter, and many more were clothed in dresses similar to those for which he was looking, but after investigating every clew and ex amining every body in the morgue he re

morgue he re- . . m nt martbroken dead of family. I hi wife m until Igb glglaWaaakagai

turned to his hotel to-nig and in despair of finding his From early in

CHICAGO CORONER BEGINS PROBING THEATER FIRE

Impanels a Jury, View the Inspects the Ruins CHICAGO, Dec. SI. With the announcement that one jury of representative citizens would listen to all the evidence regarding the fire and return a single verdict for all the victims, Coroner Traeger to-day promptly empaneled a jury. National Republican Committeeman Graeme Stewart, member of the firm of William M. Hoyt & Co., wholesale grocers, was told by the coroner that the death of Mr. Hoyt's daughter, Mrs. F. Morton Fox, and her three children would be taken as a basis for the Investigation. "If any persons arc responsible for this fire," said Coroner Traeger, "they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The investigation of the fire, will be thorough. We will leave no acone unturned in our efforts to fix the responsibility." The coroner's jury is as follows: L. H. Meyer, secretary of the Kennedy Furniture Company; Dr. Peter Byrnts, salesman for Lyon & Healy; Waiter Clingman, salesman for the Tobey Furniture Company; Joseph A. Cummings, manager of Browning, King & Co.; George W. Atkins, credit man for Marshall Field & Co.; John W. Fine, salesman for A. H. Kevell & Co. Continued sight of dead bodies lying huddled on the fioors and tables of the various city morgues pioved too much this afternoon for some of the jurors impaneled by Coroner Traeger. Several members of tbe jury objected to being forced to view the bodies and one juror, Joseph A. Cummings, practically coiiapsed at Rolston's morgue, where the jury was forced to step over the dead bodies in their tour of inspection. Testimony of W itnesses Examined by the toroner Coroner Traeaer to-night conducted an informal inquiry into the cause of the fire. His grot witness was William C. Sellers, the fireman employ d at the theater. Sellers did not know just how the fire began, but said he saw it shortly after it broke out. He threw extinguishers on the blaze, but without effect. He tried to pull down the drop curtain or to tear loose that portion of it which was blazing, but without success. The fire then spread with such great rapidity that he was unable to do more. Other witnesses were examined, and after they had been heard, Assistant State's Attorney A. A. Heer, who was present, said: "It seems agreed that the asbestos curtain was dropped, but that it went only to within ten or fifteen feet of the stage floor. People on the stage opened the door leading from the stage into the street on the west side of the theater, and this created a strong draft. The draft blew the curtain out toward the audiepce. This held the curtain so tightly that all attempts to lower it further were fruitless. Attempts were made by numerous persons tju pull the curtain down by hand, but without success. From all the information we have been able to gather thus far it seems to me as though the fault in creating the draft which threw the audience into a panic by forcing the flames out over their heads was due far more to the action of the theatrical people in opening the door at the rear of the theater than by the audience opening the doors in front. The management of the theater, I believe, claims that It was the action of the audience that made the draft, which was the primary cause of the disaster. I may be wrong, but from the evidence now at hand I think it will be shown that it was the action of the stage hands or manager of the company, instead of anything done by the audience in its attempt to escape." Jury Inspects the Ruins of the Iroquois Theater This evening the coroner's jury, which had spent the day in visiting the various morgues, were taken by Coroner Traeger to the theater. The jury first went to the stage and Deputy Coroner Buckley pointed out the spot where the fire was discovered. The seats in the first ten rows on the first floor were burned, but back of that the orchestra chairs were in good condition. In one corner of the stage was a pile of brass spears and armor used in the production of "Mr. Bluebeard." All that was visible of the ISO pieces of scenery used in the extravaganza was small piles of ashes where the scenery had dropped and burned on the stage. The steel frames of the arc lights, one of which is said to have caused the catastrophe, were piled in confusion near the front of the stage. The jury questioned Coroner Traeger regarding the asbestos curtain that had become fastened when an attempt was made to lower it. "I do not understand why this asbestos curtain was put In unless it could be used under all conditions in case of a lire," said Juror Cummings. The members of the jury while engaged in inspecting the stage frequently remarked that the protection against fire seemed to them to have been inadequate. The jury then climbed the stairway leading to the first balcony. Here the plush covering of the seats was found to be burned on every seat from wall to wall and from the front row of the balcony to the last. An inspection was made of the exits leading to the fire escapes at the north end of the building. "These doors are much too small; they should have been three times as large," said Juror Finn. The iron doors were closed and locked places where the dead and injured had been carried to restrain the anxious men and women who pressed in at the doorways and inquired for their lost friends and relatives. Pale faced Men and Tearful W omen Viewed Bodies In all the undertaking rooms tho bodies were placed as far as possible upon cots, and when these were exhausted, stretched in long lines upon the floors, and a constant succession of pale-faced men and tearful women passed slowly between the bodies, lifting the coverings from the charred and bruised faces, , and searching in the clothing of the dead for something by which their lost ones could be recognized. In many instances women fainted when lifting the sheet from some face in which they recognized the features of a dead child or a beautiful young girl. A list of descriptions of unidentified dead girls was compiled to-day in the office of Chief of Police O'Neill. The ages of the victims ranged from nine years to twenty years. The number of unidentified dead girls on the list was fifty-seven. For several of the girls the sole means of Identification given was the color of bits of ahoel.t m, and that generally mentioned as "black." Others are scheduled as "burned beyond description. No age." The scenes that were enacted around the bodies of the little children at the morgues were pathos itself. There were so many of them and they had evidently been such beautiful children, and were so handsomely dressed that the comparison between what they had been and what they were, caused men and women alike to turn away weeping from the bodies of the little ones. There has been no sadder feature connected with the disaster than the killing of so many little children. It is the one thing that seems to overpower all visitors to the morgues beyond anything elThe greatest center ot excitement was at Kolston's morgue. All the morgues were surrounded, but at Rolston's, where more bodies of the dead were taken than to any other, the scenes of anguish were worst. About the doors of the place were mass, d hundreds of men and surrounding them, like a huge fan, spread the hundreds of w -ping women and c hildren. The numerous police stations there could not begin to handle the crowds and extra details were hurried to the besieged morgue. On a leaser scale the same fearful siege was in progress at the various other morgues. Found Five of His Dead at Different Morgues E. C. Frady. president of the Strohber Piano Company, to-day. after unceasing search through the morgues, found live dead of a theater party of six headid by Each one was found at AdiflAi. ne is sAll njigfcaBaSLaaaEontl

Dead, Examines Witnesses and of the Play-House

and it was then seen that the inner doors were so close to the steel shutters that they could not be opened with the shutters fastened. This exit is not suffiedently high for an ordinary sized man to walk through without stooping and when the jurors learned this fact by personal experience there was considerable comment among them. The jury then ascended to the top gallery, where the greatest loss of life occurred. Somebody Criminally Negligent if the Doors Were Locked Coroner Traeger pointed to the balcony rail, which was bent in in several places, and said that a number of spectators had jumped through these openings to the lower floor. An inspection was then made of the exits leading to the fire escapes and the jurors were told that the bodies of the dead were piled ten feet high in front of these doors when the police reached the scene after the fire. "If those doors were locked somebody was criminally negligent," said Juror Finn. "The exits are too small anyway." said Foreman Meyer, as he measured the doors leading to the fire escapes. In both balconies there were hundreds of grewsome relics of the catastrophe scattered between the seats, where they had been dropped by the terrified victims. There were a score or more of rubber shoes, muffs, handkerchiefs, gloves, children's woolen hoods and mittens. A gold-trimmed comb was found wdth the inscription. "From Jack to Littie. Chrhutmas, 1903." Under one seat was found a tiny doll, which had evidently beeYi taken to the theater by a little girl. The jurors were deeply affected by the sight as they sorted over the relics of the disaster. At the conclusion of the inspection of the theater it was decided to continue the inquest until Friday morning at 9 o'clock. A few of the questions to which the jury will endeavor to obtain satisfactory answers at the inquest are: "Were the steel doors leading to the fire escapes on the first and second balconies locked when the fire broke out? "If they were locked, were they opened promptly by the attendants? "Why was it impossible to lower the asbestos curtain? "Why did the management permit the use of tire lights in the files with no device to prevent sparks from the carbons igniting the borders of the scenery and curtain? "Why did the ushers shut all the doors and urge the audience to remain seated after the fire broke out, instead of doing everything possible to empty the house? Coroner Traeger and his assistants did all in their power to-day to supply information concerning the dead and wounded, but five times the number of available men in his office could not have accomplished the task. Crowds of . people besieged the office throughout the day and begged that arrangements might be made so that they could view the bodies without delay. The applicants were promptly furnished with permits, which they showed to the police and which admitted them to any hospital or morgue. Six bushel baskets of valuables and trinkets of various descriptions were gathered by the police and firemen and turned over to the coroner. Among these were fully a dozen watches, and in every case the watch had stopped at 3:50 o'clock, the time when the fire broke out. ARRESTS OF EMPLOYES; CHORUS GIRLS IV AX TED CHICAGO, Dec. 31. Seven employes of the Iroquois Theater were arrested to-night, charged with being accessory to manslaughter. Chief of Police O'Neill said the arrests did not indicate that there was any specific blame attached to them. The move was made to prevent the possible disappearance of witnesses before the time when they were needed at the inquest. The charge placed against the men is one that admits of bail, and it is not expected that the bonds will be high when the men are arraigned for hearing to-morrow morning. Orders were issued to-night br Chief O'Neill to find other members of the company and theater employes who were actual witnesses of the fire. This order will mean, the police say, that more than twenty arrests will be made in the morning, chiefly among the ballet dancers and members of the chorus who were crowded in the wings waiting for cues when the fire was discovered. According to Coroner Traeger, a large placard had been placed in the hotel where a large number of the compauy are staying, ordering that all members of the company should be ready to leave upon short notice. Believing that this was a move to keep witnesses from testifying before the coroner's jury, the arrests were decided upon. Shortly after midnight detectives from the central police station arrested William Plunkett, assistant stage manager of the theater and four members of the "Moonlight Chorus." The chorus Is made up of eight meu and eight women and was about to appear on the stage when the fire started. The prisoners were taken to Harrison-street police station and locked up. Mr. Plunkett was charged with manslaughter and the members of the chorus with violation of a part of the municipal code of Chicago, providing for the holding of witnesses for the coroner's jury. Two women members of the chorus. Misses Anna Brant and Daisy Beatu, were arrested and taken to the central police station. After being questioned by the police they were released. Burdette Spindler, ten years old, and Leon Frady, ten years old. Frady's mother-in-law died at St. Luke's an hour after reaching the hospital. Mrs. William Rise, a sister of Frady's, is sitll missing. One of the most peculiar of the identifications to-day was that of the headless body of Boyer Alexander, eight years old. The lad's father, Dr. W. D. Alexander, 475 Washington boulevard, had sleeplessly so lght his son all night long, and to day, in examining the headless corpse of a child the physician identified his own by a watch, a birthday present from the father, found upon the remains. A pitiful scene attended the identification of Marjorie Edwards, fourteen years old, of Clinton, la. Her father, William R. Edward?, who has been in Chicago on a visit. identified the daughter's terribly burned body frjm a sample of the clothes of her skirt, which he carried In his pocket. Mr. Harry Wunderlich, representing a piano house of this city, and residing at Wilson avenue and Clark street, recovered the body of his young daughter Helen, aged seven years, at the county morgue. The most pathetic side of this case is that the mother of the little girl. Mrs. Pearl Wunderlich, thirty-five years of age, and her father are still missing, as they were separated from their child In the terrible crush during the panic. Descriptions of the Dead Read to the Eager Crowd Chief of Police O'Neill to-day supervised the work of helping friends and relatives to recover their dead. Hundreds of persons. r-grief and anxiety written In their faces. thronged about Chief O'XHU's office seeking information. The pressure grew so strong that Secretary Markham, mounting a chair, read off descriptions to the multitude, who listened with straining ears. Frequently persons In the crowd recognized the descriptions read by the secretary and started in horror for the particular morgue named as the word fell from the secretary s lips. At the morgues the inadequacy of the means of inspecting the bodies was evident. Only a few persons at a time were allow. 1 to pass before the bodies and places in the line of admission were as eat,."rly sought and fought for as means of escape were when the theater was burning. While the crowd of anxious seekers for news besieged the different morgues, the telegraph and long-distance telephone offices were almost swamped with the flood of Inquiring mesaages. It is probable that nearly every person in Chicago with relatives living in other parts of the country i-i.-ived one or more messages during the day asking If they were safe. Messenger boys from the telegraph offices of the Postal and Western 1'nion. carrying great bundles of messages, and Innight the terrific rash of business was still on. Private wires of stock exchange and board of trade houses were likewise loaded aown with inquiries and answers. Chicago s telephone etvn . lias n- er n Mit In UIWVl iMakaäält MO f mm 1 it i-los-lr aaaWaBal a' a v ii :i v

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Miss M. Cartledge gives sotec helpful advice to young girfe. Her letter is but one of thousands which prove that nothing is so helpful to young girls who are just arriving at the period of womanhood as Lydia E. Pink ham's Vegetable Compound. 'Dear Mrs. Ptxbtham : I cannot praise Lydia E. PinkhamN Vegetable Compound too highly, for it is the only medicine I ever tried which cured me. I suffered much from my first menstrual period. I felt so weslc end dizzy at times 1 could not pursue my studies with the usual interest V.y thoughts became si uppish, I had - - - 1 1 1 1 iicauociica, uiiLKacui's &uu bunnu spells, also pains in the back and lower limbs. In fact. I was sick all over. " Finally, after many other remedi naa r-ccn trieu. we were aav sea to re w w n w - i viua r,. rinxaam s egetaui Compound and I am pleased to bay that after taking it only two weeks, a wonderful chanje for the better took place, and in a short time I was in perfect health.- I felt buoyant, full of life, and found all work a pastime. I am indeed plad to tell my experience with Iydl K. IMnkham's Vegetable Compound, for it mat!t 8 different girl of me. Yours verv truly. Miss M. Cabtledg, 533 Whitehall E Atlanta, Ga. " f-woo forf'ft tf cr'.iW ef too Ittter proving n--ohtain connections on some of the outlying exchanges. MAYOR HARRISON WAS AWAY ON HUNTING TRIP CHICAGO, Dec. 31. Mayor Harrison wai on his wav to the South for a huntinir trin when the fire broke out yesterday, an controller jacuann was acting mayor, l happened that the finance committee of the City Council was iu session when the ex tent of the disaster became known at the City Hall. Mr. McGann at once walked into the committee room and was told by ("hairman Mavor, of the committee, to direct the fire marshal, the chief of police and the commissioner of public works to proceed in the emergency without any restriction of anj' kind as to expense. He was told to do everything needful, spend all the money necessary, and look to the Council for his warrant. "We will be your authority for everything you do," said Alderman Mavor. A telegram was at once sent to Meyor Harrison, informiug him of the fire, and he returned from Kansas City on the first train. STRIKERS ESTABLISH TRUCE FOR TEX DAYS CHICAGO, Dec. 31 o ug could better typify th 0- . gpua'hy which is felt for those fered a ly b3' the calamity thn tn cUon of the striking livery drivers. By a vote, which was without a dissenting voice. It was decided to establish a truce of ten days. President Albert Young, of the union, following the meeting, issued ths following decree, which was distributed broadcast: "Owing to the great disaster to the public caused by the fire at the Iroquois Theater I do hereby declare a truce In the present strike of undertakers and livery drivers for ten days, and do further request that every man now on strike report at once to their respective places of emnio -ment and do everything in his puwer to assist his employer in caring for the wants of the public. Wages are to have no consideration." In their turn the employers issued a call to their striking employes to return to work, "irrespective of any previous affiliations with any and all organizations." and promising to protect them in all contingencies which may arise in ÜM luture. THE NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY Prosperous Year for the Great Corporation Enorrtious Increase in Business. NEW YORK, Dec. 31. The close of 1!WJ finds many people expectant as to the reports of the large financial Institution. It has been assumed, with the changes In valuations of the stock and bond list sine July 1, that there would be considerable marking off in values and In the reduction of surplus holdings. The New York Ufe Insurance Company is the first v the great corporations to make a statement. The applications fur now Insurance amounted to $475.000,000. The new paid -for business accepted by the company ff I'jui 1 $326,O0, 000. President McCall states that' this last mentioned amount la in excess of th..- prevL ous year by $23,000,000. It shown also a gain of owr $190.00),uUO in total i aki-fot insurance outstanding, which 1? Bated at one billion seven hundred and firty-fivg millions in amount, covered by SU policies. The income of 19u3 ta oveM eighty seven millions and is in excess fl the income of 1502 by more than elKhtllnllllona. The company reports also that it loea not invest in or loan upon stocks of Ay kind, and that no credit is take:, Jn a.'l - r.r the excess of the present market Value ot securities over their coat value. v.n t, excess is over two million dollars. The total resources of the company excefA three hundred and fifty miUlon dollars. ts bong holdings lucre. u -d i:i 15 : ever thirty mil lions- Th- poll r--s r Y the State insurance superintend plus reserves, have been h cr the year by more than thirty dollars. The various bank and trus I by HioQ Hi officials predict an easy money and the stock and other exchange n appear to be well satisfied that tra nation and th1 doubtful views of Improvement will likewise be tleare In the early part of the year. Tti building an! railroad operation I by strikers and tight money mark tt Is believed, be resumed very 4 the new y The g -rnment figures W( aid se.-r vp rt to indl i nd total exports will fall a few million low those of 1 and be about eqfl those of 11, bw materially In ex those of l:C. while the total importi exceed those of any preceding year combine. i with the exports, make t' total of ' 'ii ui. more than in any ceding vear: also that the exports of BtaCtures will ex 1 those of 1902 bj eral millions, but be somewhat below of the record j'.tr. 1900. and perhaps lov a W.r Ipeer Trophy. CH1,'A,M. I ' 31 - The Si"r tr.c.hy was to-day awarded to Iowa, the dtff rent State agricultural colleges competing --t tndiuK a follows: Iowa, nrst, 3T51 points, Ohk, second. 3514 points; Minnesota. third. 341 points, Kansas, fourth. iioints. In the students' contest ias Individuals), for th. J , f-S gg w - i ) , it, .; A. M 1. . .4 V H ralniI KK A t Ol. II i km; 1 IV

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