Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1904-01-07
FIRE IN THEATER
GREAT THRONG BECOMES PANIC
STRICKEN AND 500 KILLED.
Scores TrampIsd Under Foot, Others
Burned to Death In Their Seats
Bodies BY the Score Lying II Under.
taking Paricrs With Little or Noth-
Ing Left to Aid In Identification.

Chicago. Dec 81 .--Ahont $50 people
we're killed in 10 minutes this afternoon
during fire in the Ircquois theater,
the newest. The largest. and. = lar -
human power cuold make 1t, the safest
theater in Chicago. Estimates Of the
dead and injured vary. The police
count is 536. The estimate Of the
newspapers is $50. There are IS peo-
pie missing at midnight, the majority
Of whom are probably among the dead
in the morgue and various undertaking
establishments. Eighty-six Of the dead
have been positively identified, and 90
others are known to be injured.
Some Of the people were burned to
death, many we're suffocated by gas,
and scores were trampled to death in
the panic that followed the mad plunge
Of the frightened audience for the exits.
There are bodies lying by dozens to-
night in the undertaking rooms, in the
police station and in the hospitals.
from which nearly everything that
could reveal their identity to those who
knew them best is gone. Their cloth
ing is torn to rags or burned to cinders
and their faces have been mashed into
an unacceptable pulp by the heels Of
the crowd that trampled them down as
they fled for safety.
The count Of the dead was practical.
ly completed at midnight, but 1t is not
yet accurate. and the exact number will
not be konwn before some time tomor-
row. Despite the utmost care, great
confusion marked the removal Of the
bodies.
In their haste the police transported
bodies to undertaking rooms, and in
many instances forgot to report the fact
to their station. This is evidenced by
the fact that in five different establish
ments bodies were received of which
the police had no record whatever.
Allowing for these discrepancies, the
lists made by the police and the news
papers practically agree.
The fire broke out during the second
act Of the play, ssNr BIue Beard ~
which was the first dramatic produc.
tion produced in the theater since its
erection. The company, which was
very large, escaped TO the street in ,saf-
ETY., nearly all Of them, however, being
compelled to flee into the snowY streets
with no clothing but their slight stage
costumes. A rev members of the COM
pany sustained minor injuries, but none
was seriously hurt.
With roar and bound the flames
shot through the opening over tie
heads of the people on the first floor
and, reaching clear up to those in the
first balcony, caught them and burned
them to death where they sat.
Immediately following this rush Of
flames there came an explosion which
lifted the entire roof of the theater
from its walls. shattering the great sky
light into fragments. As soon as the
flames appeared beyond the curtain
man in the rear of the hall shouted,
"Fire, fire. and the entire audience
rose as one person and made for the
doors. 1t is believed the explosion
was caused by the flames coming in
contact with the gas reservoirs of the
theater, causing them to burst.
The theater was completed less than
a month ago, at cost Of half million
dollars, and was the finest playhouse
in Chicago. 1t was opened to the pub
lie on the night Of November %. The
style of the structure, architecturally,
is French Renaissance, which has a
strong suggestion of the classic. It has
total seating capacity TO 1,724 chairs,
with plenty of good standing room on
each floor. The balcony had seatings
for AIS persons. The records of the
city building department show that
the theater was complete in every de-
tail and that it was absolutely fireproof,
all requirements of the law having
hoe .oouav1iiad With