New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-02
PLAYH0USES CLOSED.
CHICAGO'S MAJOR ACTS.
Nineteen Places Found To Bs
Without asbestos Curtains

Chicago. JAN Mayor Carter H. Harrison
to-day took steps 10 provide as far as noss,h,a
against repetition Of Wednesdays horror at
the Iroquois Theatre. As a result of an investi-
satlon made at his orders and lasting onIv a
iew hours. nineteen theatres and museums were
ordered closed. some Of them being among the
leading and most popular playhouses of the CITY.
The act of the Mayor was based on the violation.
OK one OF the ordinances intended to protect the
patrons of theatres from just such an occurrence
as that which cost sc many lives on Wednesday
Ihls was that every one of these places had
omitted to supply an asbestos curtain The
theatres ordered closed are Howards, Sam T.
Jacks. the Marlowe. the New American. the
Olympic. the Academy Of Music. the AIhambra
the Avenue, the Bijou. the Chicago Opera
House. the Columbus Stock, the Thirty-frst
Street the Criterion. Fiegenbaum's the Mil
waukee Avenue. the Garrick and Glsckmans.
In addition 10 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 vaudeville houses of the highest
class. and probably do as much business in
point OF numbers any Of the theatres in the
city at single performances. They give, how
ever. a matinee every day in the week. and it
is seldom that seats be obtained for any
performance at the time OF opening In add-
tion to this. they have been accustomed 10 SELL
ing large numbers OF tickets for standing room.
and general thing more people are within
these places OF amusement at an average per-
fornance than can be found at any other play
house in the city.
The Garrick Theatre. which was ordered
closed. is small playhouse on the northwest
side OF the city. and should not be cOnfoUnded
with the larger theatre OF the name in
Randolph-st. one block west of the Iroquois
The inspection ordered by the Mayor to-day
was carried out by Building Commissioner Will
iams and Chief Of Police O'Neill. The scope OF
the investigation included no other feature than
asbestos curtains. The Mayor instructed Com
missioner Williams TO report 10 him promptly
at the close OF his investigation. declaring that
il his intention that no theatre should be
allowed to open It's doors n Chicago hereafter
unless 1t was provided with asbestos cur
tain of standard quality. that would work at
all times and under all conditions.
PRECAUTIONS MUST BE TAKEN.
1T may not be possible" said Mayor HART
son. Ito prevent loss OF life when audiences
rush for the doorways but have determined
to see that every precaution is taken to prevent
such occurrences as will alarm the people and
start them a rush for the exits. II is all very
we'll to say that the great loss of life In the Iro-
QuOlS theatre Was uue 10 tne IaCC JnaJ the peO-
pie lost their heads and crowded into the door
ways and aisles like -raniacs but the fact re-
mains. and 1t cannot be denied. that there would
have been 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 il is clear that
if the asbestos curtain in this theatre had been
in the condition 1t should have been. there would
have been loss OF life, comparatively speak
ing"
CURTAINS OF BURI4AP OR LINEN.
The report of Building Commissioner Williams
showed that the Academy of Music with a seat
ing capacity OF two thousand had curtain OF
burlap. The Alhambra with a capacity of 2,3O0:
the Avenue. 500; the Bijou. 1900 Clark Street
Museum. go; Criterion, 1400; Fiegenbaun's.
400; Howards. 900: Marowe 1900, and New
American. 1.400. all had curtains OF linen The
curtain in the Chicago Opera House was of bur
lap, covered with freproof paint. In the Column
bus Stock Theatre and in Sam T. Jacks ehey
seating capacity of about sixteen hundred peo-
pie, has curtain OF canvas.
There are other glaring defects" said Build
ing Commissioner Williams. which were noticed
I'm some of the houses. but were not paying
particular attention to them to-day although
noted them. and the theatrical managers will be-
compelled to remedy them as possible"