The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-01

1 -S fage entrance that they
 could the men, women and
 children " the company of per
 formers wer, ng helplessly and with
 agonized looks cir faces. The stage | door was closed.
 The massive stastN door of the Iro- | quois," said MT. Quinn today "is like many others of it's kind. The two main swinging doors are used when scenery is taken to or from the theatre, and built in the swinging structure itself is a small trap door used by the players in leaving or entering the stage. The trap door 1 opened inward. As I passed I heard a commotion and saw the door was slightly open and peering into the opening I curi- ously asked what was the trouble. Then for the first time I and others who had arrived outside about the same time learn- s~>~>~~~>>>>->-s- an employe of the theater or not. I do not Know, but he had evidently deter mined that no one should leave the the ater, and in doing so started a panic 1 was leaving quietly up to this time but when he refused to allow me to pass out peaceably, 1 determined to get out II l had to make all sorts of noise went along the balcony about ten feet to a glass partition, and smashed it in with the point of my umbrella 1 went out and down stairs. When l was about half way down l heard the roar of the crowd as it came after me, and 1 hur- ried with all the speed l had. They overlook me, however, knocked me down, and but for the fact that i was close to the door, I think my chance or lie would have been almost nothing. As it was, l think l must have walked the last ten feet of my passage to the exit on the bodies of those who had fall en-.
 Evidence About Origin.
 Tie befst, evidro..S obtainable, is 1o tfe effect that the fire was caused by the sparke from an arc light striking the | edge of the drop curtain, but the actual fact, however, will not be known until after the conclusion of the coroners s inquest.
 Although the Iroquois theater was un- doubtedly the safest theater in Chicago, it became evident today that the city building department had not strictly en- forced one or two sections of the build ing ordinances.
 William Curran, building inspector, was in the theater only a few moments before the catastrophe and went away saying that everything was in good con- dition. He reported this fact this morn- morning to Deputy Building Commits sioner Stanhope. The deputy commits sioner early this morning went to the theater to make an inspection. Upon his return to the city hall, he said: The theatre and it's mana agement were strictly within the law. l will not go into details until I have completed my re- port
 Section 1855 of the local building ordi- l nance provides that in buildings of the class 10 which the theatre belongs. there shall be system of automatic sprink- lers.
 Facts About Theatre.
 There were no such sprinlxlers in the theatre, but the provision about the iron doors made it unnecessary for the thea tre to have them.''
 Section 1S9 of the ordinance provides that theatres be equipped with fire alarms connected with the city fire alarm system. MT Stanhope said:
 "The Iroquois had fire alarm connec tions. I did not see the box, bat that is my information"
 City Electrician Hyland said:
 "The Iroquois had no fire alarm cSn- nection with the city alarm system. NJ application is on file for any such connec. tion."
 Ht III Ol iiit. ldtl, WAS lufItu III from box over half a block distant from the theatre.
 The law provides also that there shall be ventilating shaft at the rear of the stage which will conduct flames and smoke away from the auditorium in just such emergencies as arose yesterday. The Iroquois theatre possessed no such ven- tilating shaft
 May Close All Theatres.
 From the action of a committee of prominent architects of Chicago at a meeting tonight, may result a recom- mendation to Mayor Harrison to close every theatre in the city until its exits and construction have been examined. This idea was suggested to President Beau mont of the Chicago Architects associa- tion today by W. A. Pridemore, an archi- tect who lost some relatives in the fire. President eBaumont refused to personally make the recommen ndaton to Mayor Har- rson, but called an informal meeting of the association at which 1t was decided that a larger gathering of the members would be held tomorrow and action at that time would be decided upon.
 Mayor Harrison said tonight:
 q see no more reason for closing all the theatres than for stopring all railway trains after a disastrous wreck. There is no necessity of getting hysterical about lnlS HldlltT, dllHOu6l t1ls HOTflDle ulSdS- ter has taken place in probably tha saf- est theatre in Chicago"
 In this connection the mayor sent this letter 10 all theatrical proprietors in this city:
 Mayor Sends Letter.
 November 29. this year. transmitted to the icity council a report on the theatres of Chicago. calling the attention of the council to the failure of all theatres to comply fully with the terms of the build ing ordinances relative to places of amnse- -nent. The council gent the communication to the committee on judiciary for con- sideration, and pending report from that committee, directed the commissioner of buildings to suspend enforcement of the ordinance
 ''The city ordinance among other things, requires each theatre to employ tha1f1 look after the fire