Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1904-01-06
$50 Victims Dead and Many Others
Seriously Injured
MEN OVERCOME BY AWFUL SIGHT
Dead Found in Great PiIes-Terrif.c
Explosion Preccdes the Fire-The
lroquois Theatre Was the Scene
of Destruction.


in the Iroquois Theatre. the newest
and, as far IS human power could
make it, the safest theatre Chicago.
Estimates of tlc dead and injured
vary. The police account of the dead
is $40 The estimate of the newspa-
pers is SCI. Besides this there are SO
people missing at midnight. the ma
jorfty OF whom are very probably
among the dead in the morgue and
the various undertaking establish
ments. Eighty-six of the dead have
been positively identified and 80 9th
ers are known to be injured.
A few of the unfortunates we're
burned to death by fire. many were
suffocatcd by gas, and scores were
trampled to death in the panic that
followed the mad plunge of the
frightened audience for the exits.
1t Will he many hours before the num-
Der of dead is accurately known and
many days before all CT them Will be
identified. There are bodies lying by
the dozens in the undertaking rooms
in the police stations, and in the hos
pitfalls from which nearly everything
that could reveal their identity TO
those who knew them best is gone
Their clothing is torn to rags or burn
ed to cindcrs and their faces nave
been crushed into an unrecognizable
pulp by the heels Of the crowd that
trampled them down as they ned for
safety.
The fire broke out during the sec
ond act OF ''Mr Blue Beard, Jr." which
was the first dramatic production pre-
sented in the theatre since its erec-
ton. The company, which was very
large, escaped to the streets in safe
ty. nearly all Of them. however, being
compelled to fee into the snowy
streets with no clothing but their
stage costumes. A few members of
the company sustained minor injuries
but none were seriously hurt.
The accounts OF the origin of the
fire are conflicting, and none of them
are certain, but the best reason given
Part Of a piece of drop scenery sud
denly broke and was grounded. The
fire spread rapidly toward the front
Of the stage. causing the members
of the chorus, who were then engaged
in the performance, to flee to the
wings with screams of terror The
fire in itself up to this time was not
serious, and possibly could have been
checked, had not the asbestos curtain
failed to work As soon as the fire was
discovered, Eddie Foy, the chief com
edian CT the company shoutcdto to lower
the curtain, and this was Immediately
done. 1t descended about half way.
and then stuck. The fire thus was
given practically a ilue through which
n strong draft was setting in. With a
raor and n bound TIE flames shot
through the opening, over the heads
of the people Oh the first floor and.
reaching those in the first balcony,
caught thcm and burned them to
death where they sat Immeditely fol
lowing this rush OF flames. there
came an explosion. which lifted the
entire roof CT the theatre from its
walls. satterng tho great skylight in
to fragments.
AS soon as the flames first appeared
beyond the curtain. man in the rear
shouted Fire, Fret" and the entire
audience rose as ore person and made
for the doors. 1t is believed the ex-
plosion was caused by the flames com
ing in contact with the gas reservoir
Of the theotre. cousing them 10 BURST
Will j. avis. marocer of the theatre.
said, after the catastrophe. that If the
people had remained in their seats and
had not tccn excited by the crs of
FIRE. not a single life would have Teen
lost. This IS. however, ccntradicteh hy
the statements of the fremen. 'yho
found -nurrcrs of people sittin" in
their seats. their faces directed toy I'd
the staPe as If the performance We're
still going on. 1t was the opinion OF
the froTon that these people he'd been
suffocated at Cnce by the flow OF gas
which came from behind the asbestos
curtain.
AS near as can be estimated at the
present time. ato"t 1900 peoole we've
in the theatre. Three hundred of these
were on the first floor, the balance be-