Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1904 — MAYOR’S COMMITTEE REPORTS ON CHICAGO THEATER FIRE. [ARTICLE]

MAYOR’S COMMITTEE REPORTS ON CHICAGO THEATER FIRE.

A technical report allowing the condition of the Iroquois Theater as far aa appliances for saving life and extinguishing fire were concerned, has been presented to Mayor Harrison by members of the five organizations of builders and architects appointed by him to examine into the cause and origin of the fire. The report follows: “Carter If. Harrison, Mayor of the City of Chicago—Sir: “In compliance with your request of the 81st ult., to make a thorough examination of the Iroquois Theater and of the causes leading up to the terrible disaster of Wednesday, Dec. 30, 1903, we have made a careful investigation; have examined: many witnesses, and bbg to submit herewith an outline of our conelusions and summary of the same, together with a copy of the testimony we have taken. “We find the primnry cause to have been sparks or heat from an electric arc, projector, spot or flood light, igniting drapery back of the proscenium arch some distance above the stage floor. “We further find that the fire extended on account of lack of inadequate means at hand to extinguish it, the kilryre proving ineffective, and there being provided no vertical standpipes containing water under pressure and connected with hose on hose racks at convenient locations on flies and bridges, ner automatic sprinkI lers, and no hooks which could have been used to tear down the burning portion of the scenery. “We further find that the fire spread to the auditorium in consequence of the fire curtain not operating effectively and because pf delay in attempting to operate the same until the fire had obtained some headway. It may have been obstructed by some projection or on account of defective oi>eratiug devices, or in consequence of friction against the brick proscenium wall, due to expansion of air or | gases resulting from burning scenery and [ from stnge doors being open, f “The gases produced by the fire being highly heated and thus made much lighter than the cold outer air, were forced upward by the inrush of the air through the stage door, and, finding no opening above the stage, were forced into the auditorium and compelled to find escape at the top of the house, following natural laws, the action being similar to large, open, oirl-fnsliioned fireplaces, with the flue closed, the proscenium arch corresponding to the fireplace opening and the space over the stage to the wails of the flue. “We further find that the loss of life was due: First, to panic, coupled with the fact that exits were not designated. Steps were found placed at door openings, and numerous doors were locked or bolted with devices not familiar to the I general public. All exits were not manI ned. Independent gallery stairs, required by law, were closed against exit by a I dead locked door at the foot of the top | flight. The arrangement of these stairs wns of faulty construction as to width, I pitch, turns and railings. The outer iron I alley shutters, not being opened and swung back against the wall before the performance, were opened later during the panic, and prevented people from continuing down the fire escape on account of the crossbars getting caught on the railing of the fire escape, thus effec- . tually blocking the passage. "Second cause was asphyxiation, due I to the first hot blast of smoke und gases from the stage. “Third cause wns on account of exits being blockaded as a result of people falling, and on account of the fact that fire escapes from upper exits passed lower exits out of which flames were bursting.”