The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1904-01-08
ALL CHICAGO HALLS CLOSED
MUST OBEY CITY ORDINANCES
BEFORE OPENING.
iroquois Theater Had Many Defects
More Arrests Made-3oo0 Stage Peo-
pie IdIe-Losses Are Over $4,000 a
Day-City Council Passes More
Stringent Ordinances.

Stringent Ordinances.
Chicago, Jan. 5.-After tonight it
will, for some weeks at least, be prac-
tically impossible to hold a public
meeting of any kind in Chicago out
side of churches. Building Commits
sioner Williams has issued an order
closing all public halls, dance halls
and turnverein halls, and all similar
places of public assemblage, until in
spection has shown they are comply
ing with all provisions of the ordin-
ances. AS there are more than 5000
halls in Chicago, ranging in size from
those that will accommodate so per-
sons up to those with seeming capa-
city of 500, this order will effect prob
ably as many persons as the theater
closing order. Protests were numer-
GUS; but the building commissioner
was inflexible. He said:
| MANY of these halls are worse than
any theater in Chicago. Some of
them are put up with no restrictions
such as govern theaters, and many of
them are firetraps of the worst kind"
Will Take No Chances.
| Two years ago a general inspection
of halls was made, before the COM
mencement of Building Commissioner
Williams administration. Notwith-
standing this, he declares he will take
no chances, and that every hall must
satisfy the requirements. The sole
exemption is in favor of private lodge
halls, which do not fall in the scope
of the order.
Mr.. Williams was notified of the
election of Joseph Downey, promi-
nent contractor and trustee of the
board of education and excluding
commissioner, as chairman of the
joint committee, selected at Mayor
Harrison's request, by the various
architects and builders associations
to inspect all the downtown theaters.
Deputy Building Commissioner
Stanhope had another inspection Of
the theater ruins today to prepare
for questions which will be asked
by the coroner and jurors when the
inquest begins.
Must Remain Closed.
Mayor Harrison and several alder
men who have been appointed to con-
troll legislation in regard to theaters
met with the theater managers,
every playhouse in Chicago excepting
the Great Northern being represented.
The managers asked if they could not
lopen their houses and sell seats on
the lower floor only. 1t was declared
that all places must remain closed I'M
til the ordinance requirements had
been fully met. Attorneys for the
fire department have secured from five
witnesses confederation Of the charges
that a wrecking crew of the George
A. Fuller company employees had de
stroyed the stage skylights on the day
after the disaster.
Inspector Talks.
Fire Inspector Fulkerson says:
1T was the intention that these sky
. lights should open automatically tt
allow the escape Of heat and smoke
and create draft which draw then
; upward instead Of allowing them tt
. pass out over the audience. But from
u the information I have I am positive
/. that the opening of the skylights wal
impossible, because beneath each sec
I ton Of the lights had been place.
there until removed by employees o
the Fuller company on Thursday"
Little result followed the arrest o
seven men of the double octet whicl
. was on the stage when the fire brok
out. 1t was expected that the mer
., % who were arrested Immediately afte
= the fire, would have much information
u but the contrary was the case.
1--WE kept on singing and dancing
and did not even know that there wa
a fire until sparks fell upon the stag
d and two girls of the double octe
a tainted" said William Sleek, the frs
!, witness called.
D. "It is the rule of the stage that W
n are fined If we turn our faces 70
h an instant from the audience. All
IS know is that we stuck to our wor
until we had to run for our lives"
n Sleck's story was corroborated b
IS the six men who followed him.
The police have arrested Georg
M. Dusenberry, chief usher of the the
alter, on a charge of manslaughtel
Q Dusenberry declares that he tried t
;, hold back the rush OF spectators an
o later helped to save 80 women fror
: the jammed front exits. He is hel
~ to furnish evidence on the statement
r. made by many people in the theate
hat the ushers closed the doors an