New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-31
0 throw a stit4h Of clothing

About a score Of people in the second balcony
were saved BY hremen. who took them through
the roof and carried them down ladders in the
rear Of the building Two bodies tightly locked
IN each others arms. young ladies apparently
.,,r+ +,vantv-ave years OF age. found in
o,s end OF the orchestra pit They must have
fallen there from the balcony above.
The body Of dark haired girl. apparently
twelve wears ola. was found impaled on the
iron railing Of the hrst balcony. She evidently
had beer thrown over from the second balcony
above
with all Of fits clothing torn from It but
pair OF baby shoes. the body OF q child about
one year old was found in a far corner Of the
second balcony. II had evidently been knocked
from its mothers arms and was trampled be
yond all recognition
WILLIAM A BRADYs ACCOUNT.
William \ Brady the well known New-York
theatrical manager. who was in the audience
al The time the IRE started. said tonight:
7 had just got in from New-York and reached
the theatre not more than fifteen minutes be-
fore the fire broke out It was one OF the big
gest audiences that ever saw, and was un-
able 20 secure a seat I was standing near the
door when. looking I'D. saw that the calcium
light apparatus was out Of order. Some one
came on the stage and assured the audience
that there was no danger. and for them to keep
their seats. Then a ballet dancer came on and
performed. but IN another second the whole bal
oony seemed to De in flames. Every one down
stairs rushed for the doors. and. so far as
know. no one IN that part Of the house was
killed. II was upstairs. where the smoke was
blown by the strong draught that came IN
through the skyIights. where death was dealt
out TO hundreds before they realized what had
happened
such panic as followed the first cry of fire
] have never seen in all ny life The stairways
and exits became damned with lighting human
ity in a moment, and the shrleks and means OF
the poor people cut OF from all escape. was the
most awful thing imaginable. It only be
likened 20 Dante's Inferno With two compan-
ions I tried TO reach the balcony. but were
driven back by the sufrocating smoke. and were
unable 10 accomplish anything until the hre-
men had extinguIshed the flames Hundreds
joined the rescuers. and from one OF the en-
frances to the balcony we removed 80 bodies
by actual count They were damned and twist
ed together IN ali shapes. Many OF the women
and children had been stripped almost naked in
their mad efforts 10 escape from that living
tomb Il the audience had not become panic
stricken. I am sure not more than half hun
F-sT5
as all the bodies helped TO remove from the
place were those Of persons who had been killed
IN the terrible jam"
THE CoRONER'S STATEMENT.
Coroner Treager made as complete an inspec-
ton of the theatre as is possible in the condi-
tion in which if is tonight he said: IF the
asbestos curtain had been in working order
believe that the fire might have been prevented
from spreading into the audience chamber. An
iron railing which separated each row OF seats
from the adjoining tier prevented, think, many
from reaching places Of safety This circurn-
stance. combined with the steep incline. made it
oiflcult for so large an audience to escape
without great delay. The plush on the seats
OF the first balcony was charred. but still visi-
body would have got out OF the theatre alive.
when you take into account the speed with
which the flames had spread. Ny inspection
shows that the seats on the main floor were
burned but little. The balconies had evidently
shielded to q large extent the seats in the par
ouet The path OF the flames was evident
The stage and the ceiling Of the theatre were
bsstered and bIackened. There was practically
no damage 10 the furniture OF the first floor.
The boxes on the second tier were entirely de-
rfroves by FIRE. while those the frs. floor
we're burned only in spots, evidently by burn
ing fragments from above"
THOUGHT TO BE FIREPRooF
The Iroquois Theatre was completed less than
two months ago at a cost Of 100000 and was
the finest playhouse in Chicago. i was opened
a. he public or the night Of November % with
Mr.. Blue Beard The style Of the structure
1rchitecturaIIy is that of the French Rensis-
ssnoe. Il had = total seating capacity OF 1724
chairs. with plenty Of good standing room on
each floor. The balcony had seats for 475 per
sons The records Of the city Building Depart
srent show that the theatre was complete in
every detaI. and that it was absolutely hreproof
all requirements Of the law having been com
Piled with
FULLER COMPANY THOUGHT IT SAFE.
IS A. Merriam. Western manager Of the
George A Fuller Company. which erected the
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