The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1904-01-07

which the "spoot light" is operated.
The lamp seemed in good condition,
but in tue middle of the second act
lust as changed from white light to
a blue one. the arc between the ca.
bons spluttered and jumped. A spark
struck the frayed edge on the Inside OF
the border of the curtain drapery. A
fame which | should say was about
twelve inches long shot up. aban-
Toned the lamp and clapped by hand
upon the flames, but they spread In
spite of me. | called to have the nre
curtain lowered and yelled to the
house fireman TO help nae. He came
with patent FIRE extinguisher which
aad no effect on the flames. Finally
yuaped from the bridge to the stage.
A little child in one Of the front boxes
lad already been burned. | seized her
md carried her out and thea returned
o the theater. Here | worked, pulling
people out of the choked exits until II
was useless to stay any longer.
With the arrest of MeMallen the po-
lee believe they have the last lmpof-
tant witness among the theater enl-
ployes VINO are essential to COM
plete inquiry at the coronsr's Inquest.
Mayor Harrison investigates.
Moyor Harrison yesterday, In CON-
psny with Building Commissioners
Williams, Aid. Mavor and several
architects, visited the Iroquois theater
buildin. and went over it thoroughly.
At the first step in the building the
mayor accidentally trod on lock OF
human hair which had been torn from
the head of a victim Of the disaster.
He shuddersd, and, removing the hair
from his shoe. placed it on one side
of the hallway, and passed In. The
mayor went over everywhere except
into the cellar, went out on the IRE
escape, tried the exits and finally
mounted into the loft above the stage.
The dressing rooms were visited and
the
Whole Interior Explored.
B. H. Marshall, the architect Of the
building, accompanied the mayor
throughout the trip. When the gallery
was reached the mayor paid particular
attention to the exits and tried all the
handles by which the doors are
opened
The failure to comply with the ordi-
nance requirement that exits shall be
indicated by printed signs struck the
mayor, and when he noted that heavy
Damascus curtains hung before some
of the doors, he inquired OF Architect
Marshall why they had been placed
there. Mr.. Marshall said 1t had been
done to improve the appearance of
the house.
1t was also noted by the mayor that
the ordinance Requirement which in
sists that all galleries above the
ground flosr must have a separate
stairway leading to the street had been
disregarded.
Mayor Gives His Opinion.
Returning to his Office, the mayor
said:
81 think exactly as l thought yester-
day of the theater. l could not see
any explanation for the disaster ex-
cept the failure of the curtain to sSsae
down. tried a lot OF doors and they
seemed to open and shut readily. |
got into the rigging loft, which is of
solid metal, without a trace Of COM
bustible material about it. l think it
would have been better, however, IL
the management had not placed heavy
curtains In front of the exits. gained
better idea of the horror of the thing
to-day than had received before.
Just think of stepping upon wisp OF
human hair while walking about in the
theater."