The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-02-03
THEATRE FIRE AFTERMATH
Thirty-three Theatres and Twenty
Churches Closed in Chicago.
Tho Loss to Business Amounts to Over
100000 week-Over 5000 People
Out OF Employment.

Chicago,' Ill.-With thirty-three the.
atres and twenty churches closed by
the Building Department, Chicago is
put down as the dullest town on re.
cord. People remained at home and
intensified the wall from business men.
stranded actors and transportation
companies.
Some reports had it that the loss Of
business by department stores
amounts to 100000 week in some
cases. Country patrons won't come to
Chicago while there are no amuse-
ments. Matinee days always are big
shopping days, and the loss to these
is keenly felt. All branches Of stage
employees are circulating petitions call
ing upon the City Council to hasten the
opening of the playhouses.
The act Of closure has thrown 5000
persons out of employment. OF these
5000 are connected with the stage. 1t
is asserted that 500 chorus girls are
here out Of employment. In the vau-
deville, musical comedy and legitimate
lines the number aggregates 1000.
Stage hands, ushers and mechanics
number 1900. Walters, bill posters,
cabmen and bartenders laid off mum.
Der 1000. " 49,
An indication of the far-reaching ef-
feet Of the closure is shown in the ac-
tion Of the elevated roads and the IL
linois Central taking off half their
trains after s p. m. The restaurants
in the Auditorium Annex and Victor.
Ia Pullman Building are closed after
8p. m. Rector's and few others are
open, but without patrons.
Chorus girls have taken up work as
nursemaids and domestics and many
are behind counters in department
stores. .
Pawnshops are thriving. The stage
people are the heaviest sufferers. No
one knows when the playhouses will
open. Public opinion is unanimous in
demanding that the letter of the law
shall be complied with. ,..'s.
Many theatres will never open. In
others improvements requiring months
will have to. be made. Though the
new laws have not yet been passed
the temper of the City Council shows
the ordinances will be most stringent.
The remarkable change which has
come over the night life Of the town
has been widely, commented upon
Even the hold-up man has quit bust
ness. ,,y: 49,,
Philadelphia and st. Louis present
night scenes Of. stirring activity in
comparison with the present situa.
ton. The pressure upon the Council
to pass an order opening the theatres
under police and fire department con:
troll is enormous. When they are al.
lowed to open the upper balconies will
remain closed. ...
One-third of the State street trade,
according to one estimate. has been cut
off by the closing of places Of amuse'
ment, and local traction companie
note a marked falling of in amount OF
traffic, due to the same cause. ~
A man interested In the Union Trac'
ton Company said that the receipts
had fallen off $1,000 q night since the
closing order went into effect. Mem
bers Of the Union Loop Company esti.
mated that the elevated roads had
! suffered an average daily loss in pas
sengers of between 5000 and 1000
while the late suburban trains on the
Illinois Central have been leaving the
city with less than half the passengers
they usually carry when the theatres
are open. .,