The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-31

flames to the auditorium was due to
the failure of the asbestos curtain to
work properly.
Early last summer a prominent trade
journal of Chicago criticized the con-
struction of the IroquoiS theater be-
cause it lacked a shaft or fue 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 Madi-
son Square garden and the MetropOl-
itan opera house in New York, and
similar provision is made at the Chi
cago Auditorium. The method of fire.
prOOfing the balcony and gallery was
also declared by this ma gazine to be
defective because metal lath was used
in what is known as exposed cOnStruc-
tion where heat would easily affect it.
In modern fireproof buildings this lath
is buried in concrete. 1t was the buck
ling 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.
Fire Chief Talks.
Chief Musham of the fire department
when asked today what would best
prevent a repetition of the horror, said !:
question until an investigation has
been made as to the causes of this
fire. On the whoIe 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 under
stand that New York has them. and
they are paid by the managements of
the theaters.
'"They had a man in the Iroouois who
member Of the ChiC3pO 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 [ can think of
at the present moment-that can save
lives when a thousand persons try to
pass through one doorway at one time
1t was the rushing, the crowding and
the trampliDg that was responsible
occurred. Anybody who views the
dead in the morgues can tell that at a
glance"
It was a cause of wonder to many
people around the theater building how
so many physicians and so many train
within SO short a time. DR.. Herman
Spalding, senior official in the city
health department, at the time the
fire broke out made all the arrange
ments for medical attend ance.
'I telephoned to all t e physicians
in the down town distriet,'' he said,
''and then to hospitals, nurse associa-
tionS and schools for persons to assist
in the care of the injured. Employees
telephoned to all the principal office
buildings and told the operators at the
switchboards to notify every physician
in the building, while I was telephoning
to the nurses. There were over 100
physicians whom 1 personally knew at
the fire and probably $50 nurses. There
has never been as far as I have been
aware a call for so many physicians
in Chicago at any one time since the
great fire. Within a few minutes physi-
clans three and five miles from the
down town district were offering their
services
Mayor Out of Town.
Mayor Harrison was on his way to
| the south for a hunting trip and Comp
II oller Mccain was acting mayor 1t
| happened that the finance committee
| of the city council was in session when
| the extent of the disaster became
known at .he city hall. Mr.. McGann
/ at once walked into the committee
room and was told by Chairman Mavor
marshal, the chief of police, and the
commissioner of public works to pro-
ceed in the emergency without any re-
striction of anv kind as to expenses.
/ He was told to do everything needful,
spend all the money necessary anG
/ look to the council for his warrant
I'VE will be your authority for ev-
erything you do said Alderman Ma
vor.
A telegram at once was sent to May
'or Harrison, informing him of the fire
and he returned to Chicago on the first
train, arriving here today.
| Because of the disaster the guberna-
! torial campaign of Colonel Frank O.
| Lowden, who aspires to be chief exec
utive of Illinois, was temporarily post
/ poned.
Arrangements had been made for q
| conference at which '.the organization
| leaders who favored LOwden'S candl-
dacy were to appear and declare them
! selves. The men gathered promptly
! but it was decided that no business
/ should be done in view of the great Ca
lamity which had overwhelmed Chi
cago and that the opening of the CAM
paign would be put off.
Garrick Audience Didn't Know.
! One of the largest audiences ever seen
| in the Garrick theater, which is on the
same street as the Iroquois less than
/ one block distant, sat in complete ignor-
! ance of the awful tragedy being enacted
/ 500 feet away
When the fire engines commenced to
patter past the Garrick, Manager Schu-
/ bert became fearful lest the impression