davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
GATHER UP VALUABuES
OF DEAD IN BASKETS

While scores were carrying out bodies,
others, fortunately few in numbers,
searched the isles and seats for yaluables
wo women were found who had provided
themselves with baskets and were filling
them with the property OF the dead.
They we're placed under arrest and the
theater uslers and stage hands given the
work OF collecting the yaluables on the
floor of the theater. During the even
ing the police arrested over dozen men
accused of being thieves and pickpockets.
Two of the down town theaters closed
their doors as a result of the fire These
were the Illinois and Powers, which were
owned by the propretors of the ill-fatcd
lroquos.
All other theaters remained open as
usual, and there was 10 perceptble falling
OIL in the attendance
Manager Davis CoIIapses.
VIII J. Davis, one Of the proprietors of
the Illinois, collapsed last night under the
worry and distress occasioned by the dis
aster
After the fire he and Mr. Powers made
their headquarters in the womans dressing
rooms, where they we're bcsicged by people
| who were franically seeking information
of their relatives.
The climax came with Mr.. Davis when
he was approached by George c. Sanborn,
prominent business man, who said
Il had IL children in two boxes; they
are missing. Are they in there"
MY God, that's what kills man." said
Mr.. Davis, as he turned away and the next
instant would have fallen to the floor. He
was assisted to carriage and driven
home. Later it was ascertaned that Mr..
Sanborn's son, Harold, 10 years old, had
taken the entire party in safety from the
| theater.
Morgues Besieeed.
All night long stricken people besieged
the morgues where the dead had been cat-
ried awaiting identification. Hundreds df
men waited in long lines for hours, to
| finally demand admittance. For every per-
son who was allowed to enter the death
rooms score were carried away.
Mourners Riotous.
After waiting for several hours in front
OF Jerome and company's establishment in
Madison street, the crowd of mourners,
consisting OF over 900. persons, became
impatient, and it took the united efforts of
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
THEATER COST S5OO,OOO

The lroquols theater was completed less
than two months ago at cost OF half
million dollars, and was the finest play
house in Chicago.
1t was opened to the public on the night
of November 23, with Mr. Blucbeard."
The style OF the structure architecture
ally is French Renaissance, which has a
strong suggestion of the classic. 1t has
total seating capacity Of 1874 chairs,
with plenty OF good standing room on
each floor. The balcony had seatings for
AIS persons. The records of the city
building department show that the thcater
was complete in every detail and that it
was absolutely fire proof, all requirements
having been complied with.
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
PLAN BENEFITS FOR
THE FIRE SUFFERERS
New York Theatrical Managers to
Devote Proceeds to Cause.

New York. Dec. 3r.-The news of the
Chicago disaster was followed in New
York by the announcement Of several
benefits for the sufferers. S. S. Shubcrt
immediately telegraphed his manager in
Chicago to devote the receipts of next
Wednesdays matinee OF "The Pit" TO the
sufferers, and announced that OF Wedncs-
days matinee Of 'Winsome Winnie" now
here, would be devoted to the same cause
The Red Feather" company will also
give benefit. A number of other man
ayers are considering similar liberal acts
Al Hayman. Maurice Klaw and Abram
Erlangcr, the leading members OF the the
atrical syndicate, who own large interests
in the lroquois theater, sat in their Of
fees in the New Amsterdam theater until
after midnight eagerly awaiting the tele-
grams from their Chicago representatives.
klaw < Erlanger own Mr. Bluebeard"
Their representative says il cost sos 900 to
produce il there. About 24o people were
with the production on the road tour.
The present Mr.. Bluebcard' began its
tour at Pitsburg. September 2s.
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31

The fireman and electrician then ordered
down the asbestos curtain. and the fire.
man threw the contents of another tube OF
kilhre upon the blaze, but with no better
result. The commotion thus caused ex-
cited the alarm of the audience which
at once started for the exits, OF which
there are rs, all of unusual width all
open and ready to the hand Of any one
reaching them.
"The draft thus caused before the cur
tain could be entirely opened produced a
bellying OF the asbestos curtain, causing a
pressure on the guides against the solid
brick wall of the proscenium, thus stop
ping its descent.
Every effort was made by those on the
stage TO pull il down, but the draft was so
great il seemed that the pressure against
the proscenium wall and the friction
caused thereby was 50 strong that it could
not he overcome.
THE audience became panic-strickcn IN
their efforts to reach the exits and trippcd
and fell over each other, blocking the way
The audience was promptly admonshed
and importuncd by persons on the stage
and in the auditorium to be calm and
avoid any rush that the exits and facli-
ties for cmptying the thcatcr would en-
able them to get ont without confusion.
No prccaution of expense was omitted
TO make the theatcr as hrcproof as it
could be, there being nothing combustibic
in the thcater except the trimmings and
furnishings of the stage and auditorium.
In building the theaer We sacrificed more
space to aislcs and exits than any thcater
in America
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
CORONER BELIEVES
CURTAIN CAUSED IT
SAYS IF DROP HAD WORKED, FIRE
WOULD NOT HAVE SPREAD.

Chicago Dec. 3I.-Coroner Treager
theater. lie says:
IF the asbestos curtain had been work.
ing believe the fire might have been pre-
vented from spreading into the audience
chamber. An iron railing whi,h seoarat d
each row Of seats from the adjoining tier
prevented many from reaching places of
safety. This circumstance, combined with
the steep incline. made it difficult for so
large an audience to escape without great
delay.
Modern and Fireproof.
This is a modern fre-proof theater.
furnished with all the appliances and
equipment that are supposed TO rreve,t
just such catastrophe as has now oc-
Cured.
'The plush on the seats OF the first
balcony was eharred, but still visible.
This does not look to me as though every
body could have gotten out of the theater
alive when YOU take into accoant the
speed with which the flames had spread.
My inspection showed that the seats
OH the main floor we're burned but little,
the balcoy had evidently shielded to a
large extent the seats in the parquet.
The path Of the flames was evident.
The stage and ceiling was bistcrcd and
backened. There was practically no dam
age 10 furniture on the first floor The
booth boxes on the second tier were de-
troyel by fire, while those on the FIRST
floor were burned only in spots. probably
by burning fragments from above
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
AUDIENCE FLED IN A
MAD PANIC
LOSS OF LIFE MIGHT EASILY HAVE
BEEN AVOIDED, SAYS MANAGER.

Chicago, ILL.,, Dec. 3I.-Will ]. Davis
and Harry J. Powers, proprieors of the
Iroquois theater, made the following
statement at 40 this (Thursday morn
ing:
$50 far as we have been able to ascer-
tain the cause Of causes of the unfortunate
accident Of the fire in the lroquois il an
pears that one Of the scenic draperies was
noticed to have ignited from some cause.
II was detached before it had reached an
sppreciable fame and the city fireman,
who is detailed and constantly on duty
when the theater is opened, noticed It
simultaneously with the electrician. The
fireman, who was only few feet away.
pulled a tube of kifire, of which there
were many hanging about the stage and
threw the contents upon the blaze, which
would have been more than enough, if
the kilfrc had been effectively used.
but for some reason, il hail ~ sEyst
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
MOST DISASTROUS FIRE
IN HISTORY OF STAGE

Chicago, Dec. 3I.-The Iroquois theater
disaster was vastly more destructive to
human life than any other play house fire
III the history OF the country.
The fire next to it in point OF lives
lost occurred December S. 1876, in Con-
ways Brooklyn theatcr, Brooklyn. N Y,
where aos OF the audience pershed in
the flames.
In the great Chicago fire of 1871, the
largest connagration OF modern times, in
which 2,I24 acres were devastated, but
200 lives were lost so far as the most
reliable information shows.
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
NURSES SENT TO SCENE
City Health Department Acted Promptly
in Emergency.

Chicago. Dec 3I.-It was cause of
wonder to many people round the thea
ter building how SO many physicians and
so many trained nurses should arrive on
the spot within SO short time. Dr. Her
man Spading. senior official in the city
health department, at the time the fire
broke out made all the arrangements for
medical attendance.
Il tclephoned TO all the physicians in
the down town district" he said. "and then
to the hospitals, nurses association 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
others telephoned to the nurses. There
were over 100 physicians whom | person-
ally knew at the fire and probably Iso
nurses
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31

20 policemen who were guarding the place
to quiet the dissatisfaction.
The aisles between the piles Of dead
were already filled with persons and it was
impossible for those outside to enter until
those already inside left to make room.
The policemen in charge of the line OF
waiting persons which extended west in
Madison street for several blocks, tried to
explain the situation, but the excited
fathers and husbands and mothers who
were anxious about relatives and friends,
refused to be. pacifed.
200 Awaiting Identification.
At Ralston's morgue, 2s Adams street,
where nearly 200 bodies lay awaiting
ident fcation, the scenes were equally as
dramatic. There were thousands. OF peo-
pie in the crowd in front of the place and
it was with the greatest difficulty that
the police were able to control the situa-
ton, SO anxious were the grief stricken
people to gain admit,ance to ascertain il
their loved ones had become victims TO
the awful disaster.
dozen OF other places in the city
where dead had been carried the scenes
were enacted.
Never was there buster night in Chi
cago than this one All nigh, long hun
drcds OF people were going between the
police station and the hospitals and the
morgue, first 10 one, thcr 10 the other,
then back again. seeking news of missing
friends and relatives and trying to idcn-
tify the dead
At the central police station, within one
aud half squares from the theater. doz-
en- policemen were kept busy all night
taking names and descriptions Of miss
ing people. In the squad room the names
Of injured received from hospitals and
from police stations were read 10 the
crowd. The crowd was quiet while the
names were read except for an occasional
outbreak OF sobbing. as some recognized
in the description a relative or friend. Z.
The hospitals were bcsegel by call
crs and eager aucstioncrs over the tcle-
phone. In spite OF all this. the work OF
ident fcation went on but slowly and at
O'Clock this morning apparently every
one Of the bodies lying in the rooms OF
the down town undertgkers had been
recognized By their friends.
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
NOT FAULT OF THE BUILDING
Architect Says Every Precaution Man
Could Devise Was Taken.

Chicago, Dec 3I.-W. A. Merriam,
western manager of the George II. Fuller
company, the concern which erected the
lroquois theater, when seen last night,
made the following statement concerning
the construction of the building:
THE theater was built with safety as
the first object. The building ordinances
were adhered to in every detail and more
than that there were additional safe
guards thrown about it until l do not
hesitate to say that there was no theater
building in the country that is freer from
danger.
THE exits were numerous, and all the
work which our company performed was
absolutely freproof. After making a very
critical examination of the building since
the fire find the strusture as erected still
stands intact"
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
ARCHITECT SAYS FIRE
IS SAD LESSON TO HIM
Will Never Allow Wood to Be Used in
Theater Building Again.

Pittsbure, Dec. 3I--Benjamin II. Mar
shall, the Chicago architect, who designed
the Iroquois theater, left for his home last
night, taking advantage Of the first oppor-
tunity to view the scene of horror.
Mr.. Marshall was overwhelmed by the
news of the disaster. 'I'll never allow an
other theater to be built with a stick of
wood in it," he declared, reading bulletins
handed to him. THE Iroquos was built
along the very latest lines and was pro-
vided with 27 double fire exits, but wood
was used and wooden stairways were en-
ployed.
"A freproof building will not be erected
as long as wood is used. In the thcater
there are SO many articles of infammable
material that when the fire once gets head
way, it spreads in the most alarming man
ner"
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
KNOWS IROQUOIS THEATEn
Snowman Says House Was as Near
Fireproof as Possible.
SPECIAL TO THE INTER MOUNTAIN.

SPECIAL TO THE INTER MOUNTAIN.
Great Falls, Dec. 3I.-F Miller Jr., ad-
vance agent for the Chinese Honeymoon"
company, owned by Nixon & Zimmerman,
the owners of the "Bluebcard" company
which was playing in the ill-fated Iro-
1uois theater at Chicago, was here today
and he expressed deep regret over the ter
rble calamity.
lie is quite familiar with the Chicago
playhouse, and he confirms the Associated
Press dispatches about it being as near
fireproof as such place can be made
He says there are 40 exits and in the
construction of the building an effort was
made to use little or no combustble ma
terial,
II am at loss to account for the ter
rible loss of life" said Mr.. Miller. "If
that theater was not fireproof, there never
was one"
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
DISTRACTED FATHER is
RUSHING ON TO SCENE
Charters Special Switch Engine After
Hearing Of Disaster BY Telephone.

Clinton. Ind. Dee. 5f.--N. +. Dee of
Chicago. a tile manufacturer, with fac
tory at Mecca, Ind. 10 miles from here,
heard OF the Chicago thcater disaster by
telephone last night. The list Of the miss
ing contained the names Of two members
OF his family.
He instantly started for Chicago, i35
miles away. Jumping into buggy, he
drove at top speed to Clinton, where he
chartered switch engine and dashed on
TO Banville. H.. so miles away. A special
train had been ordered by telegraph. which
was waiting Tor him, and at midnight he
started for Chicago. He expected to reach
there al o'clock this morning.
The list OF missing contains the names
OF Edward and Louise Dee.
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
COR0NER's JUROR COLLAPsEs
Sight Of the Dead Is Too Much for His
Nerves.

Chicago, Dec 3r.-Continued sight of
dead bodies lying huddlcd on the floors,
and tables of the various city morgues
proved too much this afternoon for some
of the jurors empanelled by Coroner Trea-
ger. Several members of the jury OBJ
jected to being forced to view the bodies
and one juror, Joseph Cummings, practi-
cally collapsed at Rolston's morgue, where
the jury was forced 10 step over the dead
bodies in their tour Of inspection.
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
BODY OF YOUNG GIRL
IMPALED ON RAIL ING

The body Of a dark haired girl, appar-
emily - years of age, was found on the
railing OF the first balcony. she apparently
having been thrown over from the second
balcony above
With all its clothing torn from it but
pair OF baby shoes, the body OF
child about year old was found in
far corner OF the second balcony It had
evidently been knocked from it's mothers
arms and was trampled beyond rccogni-
lion.
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
CALCIUMS STARTED BLAZE
Actor Caithorne Says He Is Certain of
Origin of Fire.

Chicago, Dec. 3I.-Herbert Caithorne,
a member of the cast, assisted many of
the chorus girls from the stage exits in
the panic.
Mr.. Caithornc says: 81 was in a po-
sition to see the origin of the fire and
| feel positive that it was an electric cal
cium light that started the blaze. Above
the stage, perhaps IL feet higher than the
top of the curtain, exposed to the audi
ence, was swinging platform from which
Ia calciums were operated. II appears
to me that one of the calciums had hared
up and the sparks gnited the lint OH the
curtain"
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
MANY ARE SAVED BY
THE HEROIC FIREMEN

Chicago, Dec, 3l.-About score of peo-
pie in the second balcony were saved by
iircmcn, who took them through the roof
and carried them down ladders in the
rear Of the building.
Two bodies locked tightly in each
others arms, young women, apparently
about Is years Of age. were found in
one end OF the orchestra pit. They
must have fallen there from the balcony
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
HUNDREDS OF DEAD
CLOG THE M0RGUE
TOTAL FATALITIES IN CHICAGO
FIRE ESTIMATED AT FROM
500 TO 700.
MANY AWAIT IDENTIFICATION
Maddened Mourners Besieee Under
taking Establishments, Seeking
Lost Ones Among Dead.

Chicago. Dec. 31-Today brought with
1t only the legacy OF yesterdays monu-
mental calamity and the prediction that
the list OF fatalities in the lroquos fire
will run over 600 when information is
complete.
The latest statement Of dead al the vari-
Gus morgues is 564, and it is stated at the
various hospitals and hotels to which the
injured were removed that Of the fs7
people injured probably onet third cannot
live.
The missing was estimated at 5id. but
it is expected that many of them would be
accounted for or probably large ma.
joriiy OF them.
City Is Stunned.
1t Is no extravaganza Of language 10 say
the city is stunned by the overwhelming
tragedy which was enacted when the the
ater which housed MIR. Blucbcard" bc.
came chamber Of horrors, indeed There
is the deepest Of VOC in hundreds oi houses
today, deep sorrow in thousand others
and pity beyond the potency OF words
to convey in all.
he first streak Of daylight which
shonc on the suow-eovcred streets found
the morgues still The w-hauntad cen.
ter Of many scatcaer. There were hus-
bands looking for their wives: wives
s,,l;aa ,h.;. ,I..,ir..
~, N'''','' w. >" many " ""'''
lost their lives and IN some instances wide.
eyed children sill dazed from the horror
Of thor c>pefic,ces ,rored d;.trsssadIv
abo,t in search ~ f,tber or ,,,o.,,r
poss;il,. ,n.t,,,,. Ill - ,,...... -,
a., t -,
= ~ ''"s'
WIZ S"t''e" "'Ic''E ny 'he ca'a'hitv ihah
the action OF the striking livery drivers.
By vote which Was without a dissent
irp voice. il was decided to ,s,ati;sb ,
,r,cc ~ 70 d,,s
p....,.. gu
o"'R' VI inc n'h'h'
1oHo"ihg the meeting ISSUED the following
decree which wa, distributed broadcast:
Owing 10 the great disaster IA tbc
public caused by the fire At the Iroo,,ois
theater, do hereby declare q tr,.cc !,
inc present Stflkt OF inIprtl and
livery drivers for 10 davs. and do further
request tha, every man now on strike rc.
mort -, onc. IA th,;r ro.,.c,;,o ,I,o,, ~
employment and do eycrytb;no il his
power TO assis, his employer in ca,ino for
The wants of the public Wages ~ have
no consideration.
"AIBERT yofrxG"
In return the EMPLOYERS issued call
to their striking employees 10 return IA
work Irrespective Of any previous anti,
,ions with any and ali org,n;,,,;nnsy
and PROMISING 10 nro,ect ,hcn, i, -, oa,,
,ing,ncies which NAV arise in fu,,rn
Lines OF moufners.
All night long the crowds came and
went around the morgues where the
bodies OF the victims OF the disaster lay
There were the heads OF families. broth
ers. sisters and men and women looking
for those from outside cities who had
been their guests. For hours they passed
up and down before the long rows OF the
dead. searching for the faces OF their
missing.
Sorrow reigned in the residence OF DIR.
Frank ". Gunsaulus. the noted divine
William Mclaughlin a nephew OF Mrs.
Gunsaulus. was one OF those severely
terian bocnita1 ,,her. the a,,o,1:
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
SMALL INSURANCE CARRIED
Damage to Interior Of the Theater 10
Estimated at $25O,OOO.

Chicago, Dec. 3r.--The monetary dam
age to the theater will amount to $25o, 900.
This loss is almost entirely sustained upon
the interior decorations and the dcstruc-
tion of glass and seats made by the crowd
in its rush for the doors.
To build and furnish the thcatcr cost
$4soooo, and the propretors believed it
to be so entirely safe from damage by FIRE
that they carried upon 1t insurance amount
ing only to $4,000.
<AdditiouAl Fir. Nsws on paes Tws!v.y
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31
DEAD LIE IN LONG
CHASTITY ROWS
ARE t39 BODIES IN ONE UNDER
TAKING ESTABLISHMENT.
nY ASSOCIATED pREss-


Chicago Dec. 3f.-At o'clock this
morning the men in the various undertake
ing establishments had managed to ar
range the bodies in something like order
and the work Of identification was greatly
facilitated and Is expected to move with
greater rapidity after daylight, when peo.
pie will be able to visit the morgucs.
At Raltsons place at - Adams street
is3 bodies we're laid upon tables and doors,
and when the police, at about o'clock,
opened their lines TO allow the throng to
enter it required all their strength to
stem the pressure that was brought 10 bear
upon them, as hundreds Of people, frantic
with anxiety III the search for missing
ones, strOyc 20 be first TO enter the grew
some undertaking rooms. Scores OF women
tainted before they had gone dozen
steps, while men wholly unstrung staggered
as they walked down the aisles and soon
had 10 be assisted from the place by the
police.
Long Lines Of Dead.
The blankets were all removed and the
bodies were hudllcd in long lines Oh the
floors thirty deep they lay in furrows.
their ghastiucss brought out by the glare
Of the electric light
here were dozens of bodies Of young
women and girls, IS TO = years old Many
Of them were elegantly dressed and their
clothing OF some trinkct found viii be the
only guide TO those who know them for
their faces have been literally tfampled
into an uhfccopnilable mass.
Some Of the bodies were stripped en-
tircly Of clothing aud with distorted limbs
aud mangled and ciarrcd features we're
seen IN AL their horror.
In one respect they were alike The
lett arm Of nearly every victim was held
slil and close to the side while the right
hand was out.trctched as if wardng of
peril.
13o in One House.
At lordlns on Madison street the dead
numbered r3o. They were stretched upon
The carpets Of the little chapel and on the
bare floors Of the morguc below.
AZ Sheldons on West Madison street
- dead were taken; at CAROLS. Wells
street. II al Gayins North Clark street.
80 at Rulfuns on Wabash avenue OF, and
at PcrTigos on State street. -. Other
morgucs scattered throughout the city re
ceivcd smaller numbers
At the county morgue 10 bodies had
been received Oi these two men and
three little girls were identified. Prepara-
tions were made At the morgues for the in
quests which will begin this morning.
Many days will be spent in the inquiry
into the fire and several jurics will he inn
panellcd in order TO expedite matters.
To Sift Disasters Cause.
We will make every effort to slit this
matter TO the bottom" said Coroner Trae-
ger last night
Some one must be TO blame and the
fault will be placed where it belongs
Al present We can do nothing, but ia
cilitatc the work OF idcntiica,ion."
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31

Chicago, H., Dec. Walters aud
cooks from lhompson's Icstauraut, which
adjoius the theater on the cast. rescued Is
people by raising a ladder rom the roof
Of she'd 10 window III the rear Of the
building, around which a mass OF scream
ing women aud children were cougregated.
c. +. Little. head cook. mounted 10 the
top Of the ladder and told them to jump
into hi, arms. Fifteen women and chill
dren did this and was passed by Little to
those below
The Butte inter mountain., 1903-12-31

<AdditienAl Fir. Nsws on rses Tws!v.J
Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1903-01-16

Educate Your Bowels with Canoaruts
Candy Cathartlc. cure CONSTIPATION forever.
lo1. 25e. no 10 iali, drusElsi5l lsiund mons5.