The San Francisco call., 1903-12-31
Hideous Catastrophe Over
Whelms a Chicago Mat
inee Audience.
Harvest Of Death Is Com
plete 10 Minutes After
Cry of 'Fire!'
Special Dispatch to The Call.

CHICAGO, Dec. 3o-Chcago is stunned tonight by
heater catastrophe in the history of the country
than SIX hundred men, and children according the
ooa report OF the police met death by fire. sc e and panic
during the matinee performance of Mr. Buebeard
beautiful Iroquois Theater Most the dead are women
and children Scores incineated while hundreds were
sOcaed by smoke and gas and crushed death by
other while struggling to escape Still other hundreds
islhg Tonight between life and DEATH limbs broken
burned their homes and in hospitals Every undertaking
Enlistment in the c is filled with bodies, many of which
probably will be identified
TINY TONGUE OF FLAME
From pit to dome the house packed. Mothers and
their little had laughed themselves hoase the antics of
Eddie FOy, comedian 1t in the middle of the play
the chorus smiling and frocsome Just the
singing of the Moonlight Song"
There is the moon now" cried little chap in the front
curl Of smoke and tiny tongue of fame shot
the wings the right OF the stage Children capped their
hands gee Mothers laughed and the whole audience was
in fine humor.
tongue of fame reached out and caught bit of in
fammabe scenery which hung the of the stage In
stanty there larger ribbon of fame and moment
everything back of the ootgh broad wave of fire. which
lighted the haf-iluminaed house with weird effects.
GAS TANKS EXPLODE
FOy, chief comedian OF the company stood from the
paccen group on the stage to assure the audience that there
danger Even he spoke the great asbestos curtain was
let down. but it caught side and failed to work
another smoke burst from the top arch of the stage
and from under the bottom of the curtain Before the audience
realized the danger the whole roof of the auditorium was abaze
black choking fumes beat down cloud death from every
wal.
This all Fear, uncomfortable and terrible reened
Men and fought like wild beasts filled only with desire
for seproteon Little babies slipped from their mothers arms
and instant their lives crushed by the crowd Girls
threw themselves from the balconies and lay and dying
till sufocaton ended their mseres
FIERCE BATTLE FOR LIFE
More than thousand persons in the orchestra seats
with easy the DOORS gradually their way to
safety but OF them threw aside wraps pocketbooks hats
and everything that seemed impede in the rush for life
and the open air
But in the balcony and gallery the destruction wrought
fIghul work The fame and smoke gathering these up
per floors caught the victims before they realized the full extent
Of their danger.
1t seemed incredible that the little tongue of fire could lap
the walls quickly and reach after them like stroke of
lightning Then when the full meaning of the disaster came
the helpless they fought and battled one another
for saebatted like stampeded animals with the smoke curl
ing about them Everything plunged into absolute dark
friendly lantern showing them the way oft
OF this house of death.
THEATER BECOMES MORGUE.
The classic outlines OF the heaer the beautiful plush
hangng the ached windows with their glass the state