The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1903-12-31
SPECTRE OF DEATH BROODS
SA AEM7z OVER CHICAGO

headed judgment OF W. A. e. Sellers, The
house fireman, that the actors and actress
es III the company escaped with their
nves. Sellers prevented any OF them
from taking their street clothes, but forced
ali TO get out on the street clothed in
tnelr tlnsel and SILK stage clothing.
Ine manager Oh the Lneater does not
beneve tnat the nre started from de-
Ieculve wires grounding, but from the ex-
ploslon OF Il gas TANK ON the stage. hls
rneory is shattered by the statements OF
those VINO Were IN the theater. lhey say
that they saw flames and heard the cry
OF hre before the explosion came
Inc scene was one that words are in-
adequate to describe. Hard hearted men
who had seen the worst side of life all
their hives were moved to tears when they
say the shapeless masses OF what had
once been human bodies carried from the
building. Bodies of little children and
strong men Were trampled under foot.
Some few women reached within a few
feet of the outer door when they lost
their strength and tainted, only to be
trampled to death by those who were just
a little stronger.
The citizens of Chicago are dazed by
the awful catastrophe. The speed with
which it came and went staggered
belief. The news spread with great rap
idlty and before the fire was out the
streets for blocks in either direction were
jammed with people. Some We're looking
ior wives, sweethearts or children. Others
were there from idle curiosity. All were
struggling to get near the theater and it
required every policeman who could be
spared to be on the spot.
The building stands ON Rudolph street
between State and Dearborn streets. No
one was allowed to enter the street on
which the theater is located for quarter
of a mile on either side of the theater
The fire itself was put out by the firemen
in a short time.
Eddie Foy, the comedian, says that the
sticking OF the curtain saved the lives of
the members of the company, although
their salvation was paid for with the lives
of those in the audience.
After | called for the fire curtain"
said Foy, 81 reused the members of the
company, some OF whom were almost suf-
located by the smoke. They all got out
into the alley The asbestos curtain re-
fused to come down and that is what
saved us all. If those tanks had exploded
when the curtain was down not one OF
us would have lived. There would have
been no escape from the fire, smoke and
gas, and all would have been doomed. Aa
it was the gas and FIRE escaped under
the curtain and did its terrible work in
the audience
II I.aIe esAet0. Ilecs 3i.--At O'Clock this
morning the police compiled a list Of the
bodies recovered from the Iroquois holo-
caust and found SOL, with prospect Of
discovering others in the debris 1t is al
most certain that the total number will
exceed 600.
The coroner still believes that the total
will reach 700, as the basement and upper
dressing rooms of the stage and part of
the upper galleries have not been thorough
ly searched.
At the citv hall lists of the victims and
descriptions of the unidentified dead were
being compiled. Sobbing men, women and
children throng the corridors. The death
list is being added to by reports from the
hospitals where the injured were taken.
The police believe that at least $50
persons were injured. Pumps are working
in the basement, which is flooded. At
every step in the building the police find
diamonds, jewels and furs. No one 10 per-
mitted to enter the building without a
special permit from the chief of police
and accompanied by special guard Thou
sands of dollars worth of wraps and jew
els nave DecH udulSu W pOllSC hSduduhl
tiers.
The rear and side walls of the stage
are in danger of falling. Architects today
warned the iremen that the rear of the
building might collapse at any moment and
crush to death all persons working in that
portion of it.
William Dee. wealthy contractor,
whose two children, Edward, aged 6, and
Louise, aged 8. and their nurse, were miss
ing, chartered special train from Mecca,
Ind, today. He found the nurse and
Louise. The latter was picked up cry
ing in the street in front of the theater.
The nurse, badly injured was found in
hospital The boy is missing.
Mayor Harrison this morning received
the following telegram from President
Roosevelt:
''In common with all our people through
out the land, | extend through you to the
people of Chicago my deepest sympathy
IN the catastrophe which has befallen
them"
LONDON, Dec. 3l.-The lord mayor to-
day sent to Ambassador Choate the fol-
lowing telegram:
"The citizens of London offer their deep
est sympathy and sincere condolences to
the American people for the awful loss
of life through the fire in Chicago"