Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-01-07
DAY AFTER THE DISASTER.
Chicago Stunned BY thu Enormii5
of the Calamity.

chicago, Jan. Drought
only the legacy of Wednesdays monu-
mental calamity, and the prediction
that the list of fatalities in the 1ro-
quois fire will run over 600 when in
formation is complete. The latest
statement of dead at various morgues
is 5E6, and it is stated at The various
hospitals and hotels to which the in
jured were removed, that of the 157
people who were injured, probably one
third can not live. The missing are
estimated at 314, but it is expected
that many of these will be accounted
for, probably a large majority of them.
Fhe City Stunned.
1t is no extravaganza of language to
say that the city is stunned by the
overwhelming tragedy which was
enacted when the theater which housed
"Mr. Bluebeard" became & chamber of
horrors, indeed. There is the deepest
woe in hundreds of homes, deep sor-
row in thousands of others. And a pity
beyond the potency Of words to on
vey, in all.
The first streak of daylight which
shone on the snow-covered streets
found the morgues still the sorrow
haunted center of many g searcher.
There were husbands searching for
their wives, wives searching for hus-
bands, frenzied parents seeking their
children, so many of whom lost their
Jiyoc apd in cora ipctor1 ac uyida-avod
children, still dazed from the horror
of their experience, CROPPED distressedly
about in search of father and mother.
The Depth of Sympathy.
Possibly nothing could better typify
the depth of sympathy which is felt
by those directly affected by the disas-
ter than the action of the livery driv-
ers. BY a vote that was without a dis
senting voice it IA decided to estab-
fish a truce of ten days. President AL
bert Young, of the union, following the
meeting, issued the following decree,
which was distributed broadcast:
lowing to the great disaster to the
public caused by the fire at the Iro-
quois theater, I do hereby declare a
truce in the present strike of under
takers and livery drivers for ten days,
and do further request that every man
now on strike report at one to their
respective places of employment, and
do everything in his power to assist his
employer in caring for the wants of
the public. Wages are to have no con-
sideration.
= [Signed.1 "ALBERT YOUNG"
Employers Not to BE Outdone.
In their turn the employers issued a
call to their striking employees to re-
turn to work" irrespective of any pre-
vious affiliations with any and all Or
CARNATIONS" and promising to protect
them in all contingencies which may
arise in the future.
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,
brothers, 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 dead, searching for the
faces of their missing.
Opinions of Theatrical Men.
Among many of the theatrical men
employed in the other Chicago theaters,
the responsibility for the fire is as
cribed to the careless placing of cleo
trio arc light apparatus too close to
one Of the hanging borders of the
scenery. The electrician Of a leading
Chicago theater expressed great sur
prise on hearing that this was consid-
cred a possible cause of the fire.
"There never would have been any
fire." he said, IF proper care had been
exercised in handling the lights. The
electric plant of the theater was in
stalled, as | happen to know from per-
sonal observation, in accordance with
every modern requirement for safety.
The plant was not to blame. II the
facts I have been given are correct, the
whole blame rests on the person who
placed, or was operating a light SO
closely to the curtain"
Trouble with the Curtain.
The failure OF the expected fire pro-
lection is attributed by insurance men
to trouble with the asbestos curtain.
The stage always is recognized as
the danger point in q tn eater and the
desire ID to have 1t cut off from the