Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1904-01-08

they passed mp and down before the
long rows of dead. searching for the
faces of their missing.
Opinions of theatrical Men.
Among many of the theatrical men
employed in the other Chicago theaters,
the responsibility for the fire Is as
cribed to the careless placing of cleo
tric arc light apparatus too close to
one OF the hanging borders of the
scenery. The electrician of a leading
Chicago theater expressed great sur
prise on hearing that this was consid-
cred a possible cause of the fire.
There never would have been any
fire. he said. "if proper care had been
exercised in handling the lights. The
electric plant of the theatcr was in
stalled, ~ ! happen to know from per-
5onal observation, in accordance with
every modern requirement for safety.
The plant was not to blame. If the
facts | have been given are correct, the
whole blame rests on the person who
placed, or was operating "a light 80
closely to the curtain"
Trouble with the Curtain.
The failure of the expected fire pro-
lection is attributed by insurance men
to trouble with the asbestos curtain.
The stage always is recognized as
the danger point in a theater. and the
desire is TO have it cut off from the
auditorium as thoroughly as possible.
The insurance mel declare that the
curtain at the lroquois never had
worked perfectly and that the mechan-
ism had not been repaired.
Fire Loss Hot H"nvy.
T., r. Wctmorc, Of the insurance firm
which placed the insurance on the lro-
quois theater, declared that the loss
would not exceed $50 600. He also as
serted that the spread of the flames to
the auditorium was due to the failure
of the asbestos curtain to work proper
~.
trjti"ism On Construction.
Early last summer u prominent trade
journal Of Chicago criticised the con-
stru,'inn al the Iroquois thcatcr, be-
cause it. lacked a shaft or iiue at the
back Of the stage for carrying the
Ilill'p hllI 'llpl' u i III away
from the auditorium in the event Of
fire. Such shafts were built in Madi-
son Square garden and the Metropolitan
opera house in New York, and a SINH
lar provision Is made AT the Chicago
Auditorium.
The method of ~fircprOOling the bal
cOny and gallery was also declared by
this magazine to be defective, because
metal lath was used in what Is known
as exposed constructions, where heat
would easily affect it. In modern fire
proof buildings this lath Is buried in
concrete. II was the buckIing out OF
this metal lath and iron rods. giving
tho Impressions that the galleries
themselves were f~alling,that is believed
by some contractors to have been part
ly responsible for the panic. There
was no criticism OF the gallery and
balcony arches, which were built in the
usual manner
Fire chief ~ ~ IoSs.
Chief Musham, Of the Are depart
mcnt, when asked what would best
prevent a repetition of the horror,
said:
Il don't know as can answer that
question" until an Investigation has
been made as TO the causes OF this fire.
On the whole, | suppose it would be a
good thing for the department to have
active uniformed men, prepared TO act,
stationed in every theatcr throughout
every performance. understand
that New York has them, and that
they are paid by the ~managcments OF
the thcatcrs. They had Il man in the
lroquOis who Was al cX-membcr of the
Chicago fire department. He was old,
but he should have known what TO do
f. seems to me that there Is nothing in
the world, at least nothing that ! can
think Of al the present moment, that
can save lives when a thousand per
sons try To pass through doorway
at one time. IT was the rushing, the
CrOwding and the trampling that was
responsible for the majority of the
deaths that have occurred. Anybody
who views the dead in the morguet
can tell that al "A glance"
CAUSE Of WONDER.