The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1903-12-31
of Opinion AS TO the
Cause of the Fire--AH Fire Pro-
fecfive Apparatus Proved Inef-
fCienf--The Work of Rescue

time. During the confusion ~ the res
cue work ami owing 60 the fact OF the
inadequate facilities fog Carius Tor the
dead and the injured. Il has hcen ian
paeaiole 70 locate the disposition - the
bodies - many ~ the victims The
iist % the Identified dead ~ small In
eompariasa with the total lna- u life
and IL ~ttI De- DAYS eefarv the name u
81 the victims can be ascsrtained,
Many 81 them are burned and
trAmpled beyond ans psss-ihle chane
Of re- ossnitiou4 the elethins tern from
the bodies and the oniy possible means
q ultimate tdsutiftcatton viii be q
engapa rs@on With the list II the missing
~he nthin .. completed Even then "
i probable that the names 81 many
af thoar will never be learned.
Tosi4y there u but ore thonEht
rvaitna tion 81 The Rxfnl mortality and
the fact that the fire WAS the usost Its
astrous in the ht.tor1- q this country.
that the majority q The victims were
youag wufnrn AID children that the
Distraction waa - swift ard - ter
rible that thsx had practically no
Chance 60 help themselves.
while tho accounts of the fire. is
cause and prOsTrres are sotnaWh hat cpn-
fiictinH THE afoFies tofd b the sur.
vivoss arv IN IN. main consistent The
fire statted durinx the p~eond act q
IN. play, Mr.. uigeiseafd. psute-
mime npsc taeie that vas originally
produced in London. According 70
members - ths company Oh tire stage
the blArs was caused ~ TIE xroana.
lnm q os,e of the myriad ~ sisrsrie
~fres whicG ar used In predicting the
spectacular effects u the play The
blaze was first discovered up staxr.
~ near the hack val % the thsates
Many 81 the company we're assemblies
on tho stage and the existence II the
firo x4n not knowu until an effort
had ben raAde u extiuEviHh u. The
city fireman. stnslonsd in the thestsr
during every performance wAs on the
stage At thu time ard shsn called 70
the assistance - the stage handa at
tempted o. sxtinEuinh what Vas thee
a mere tongue % fsm~ ~ith pateul
apparatus known ~ knfir~ Two ~
these tubs were used bat apparently
had no effect The Flames crypt ~
the filnsy scsusry and staEe paraphsr-
MALTA. ane tns aostienes vas first made
aware ~ it, danger N a ntrcns snnei,
% burning canvas Then a great puff
~ smoke shot ont frun under tbs
pfoecsriafu arch. frumesfta tsiv tfTs
stage wan thrown into confusion.
Members q the chorus and principals
most ~ Whnwn we're women. screamed
ard ran Into the winEa Eddie Foy.
the teadiug comedian - the company.
stepped TO the foothehta and told ihs
audience % leave the ;heAier quietly.
A. there waH no fu1msdiats danger. a
second cloud u smoke hair filled tins
auditorium, whsr be stepped back and
ordered the fire curtain dropped
The cry Of FIRE was raiseA and
the audience started from rs seats
The fir. curtain dcacsndrd half way
and then stopped In an inerssiibls
short space ~ time the smoke gave
~ay to flames. The hAh dropped cur
tain and this open doors Ia from, -
the theater created a natural fine for
the fire and with the rhpidity Of an
explosion the fire ieaped from the
opening over the heads % the people