Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1904-01-06
MANY THEATERS CONDEMNED.
Chicago Officials Trying to Avoid
FuR.sre Disasters.

DiodShCtc
Chicago, Special.-Mayor Carter II.
Harrison Friday took steps to pro
vide as far as possible against i repe-
tition OF Wednesdays horror at the
Iroquois Theatre. AS n result of an
investigation made at his orders and
lasting but few hours. 19 theatres
and museums Were closed, some or
them being among the leading and
most popular play-houseS of the city.
The act of the mayor was based on
single violation of the ordinances
which are intended TO protect the pa
irons of the theatres from just such
an occurrence as that which cost so
many lives on Wednesday. This was
that every one Of these places had
omitted to supply an asbestos curtain.
The theatres ordered closed are:
Towards, Alhambra. Avenue. Bijou,
Chicago Opera House, Columbus
Stock, Thiyty-frst Street, Criterion,
FieSenbaums. Milwaukee Avenue.
Garricl1 & Glickman's. In addition
to these the London Globe Museum
and the Clark Street Museum were
also compelled to close their doors.
The Chicago Opera House and the
Olympic Theatre are vaudeville
houses of the highest class and prob
ably do as much as business in point
in the city AT single performances.
They give. however. n matinee every
day in the week, and it is seldom that
| seats can he obtained for any per-
| formance after the time OF opening.
In addition to this they have been
accustomed to selling large numbers
of tickets for standing room, and as a
| general thing more people are within
| these places of amusement at an av-
erage performance than can be found
at any other PLAYHOUSE in the city.
The Garricll Theatre. which was or
, dered closed. is Il small playhouse on
the northwest side OF the city and
! should not be confounded with the
| larger theatre of the same name stu
ated on Randolph street, one block
| west of the IroQuoiS.
The inspection ordered by the may
or was carried out by Building Com
missioner Williams and Chief of Po-
lice O'Neill. The scope OF the inves-
/ tigation included no other feature
| than asbestos curtains. The mayor
/ instructed Commissioner Williams TO
report to him promptly at the con
! Clusion of his investigation, declaring
that it was his intention that no thea
/ tire should be allowed to open its
/ doors in Chicago hereafter unless il
/ was provided with an asbestos cur
! tain of standard quality that would
/ work at all times and under all con
/ ditions
1T NAV not be possible" said May
or HARRISON, ito prevent loss OF life
/ when audiences rush for the door
ways, but have determined to SEQ
| that every prcCautiOn is taken to pre-
vent such occurrences as will alarm
the people and start them on a rush
fnt laA nN-ffc IL l.. oil Ill
say that the loss of life in the Iro-
quois was due to the fact that the
people lost their heads and crowded
into the dCorways and aisles, like
maniacS, but the fact remains, and
It cannot be denied, that there would
have been no panic if the apparatus
in this theatre. which. judged by all
ordinary standards, was the best
equipped playhouse in the city. had
been in proper working condition.
There is no getting beyond that fact
From all the evidence now in hand
it is clear that if the asbestos cur
tain in this theatre had been in the
condition it should have been there
would have been no loss of life. com
paratively speaking"
The report of Building Commission
er Williams showed that the Academy
of Music, with q seating capacity of
1000, had n curtain Of burlap; the AL
hambra, with n seating capacity of
2.3O0. the Avenue COO. the Bijou 1900,
Clark Street Museum 270. Criterion
1,4OO. Fiegenbaum' 400. Howard's
900, Marlowe 1900. New American l.
400. all had curtains of linen The
curtain in the Chicago Opera House
was Of burlap covered with fire proof
paint. In the Columbus Stock Thea
tre, and in Sam T. Jacks it was oi
canvas. The Dl''mpic. with n seating
capacity of 1000. has a curtain Of
canvas.
There were other giaring defects,
said Commissioner Williams, which
were noticed in some of the houses.
but We were not pa"ing particular
attention to them, although noted
them and the theatrical managers will
be compelled to remedy them as soon
as possible