The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-03

From the stage hands Coroner Traeger learned the cause of the mysterious ex- plosion, which occurred shortly after the fire was discovered It was caused by the falling of the big fan scene which con- tained eighty incandescent electric lights. This scene was not in use at the time of the fire but was set in the rear of the stage. The opening of the double doors in the rear of the stage created draft which caused the big fan scene to topple over and break the incandescent bulbs. This produced noise like an explosion. The stage hands deny that there was calcium tank on tho stage at the time of the fire.
 Coroner Traeger has learned also that each of the 1SO drop scenes in the the ater was hung with new, oily mania ropes.. 1t Is estimated that there were 75,OO0 lineal feet of this infiammable ma terial used in supporting the drop scenes and that 1t added fuel to the flames in the rigging loft
 Twenty men arrested in connection with the tragedy were arraigned before Jus tlce Cayerly in the Harrison Street Po- lice Court today on a charge of man slaughter. Five of the defendants were members of tie chorus of the MT. Blue Beard" Company and were defended Ey Attorney Thomas Hogan. No testimony was given and 1t was immediately agreed that a continuance be granted. The bonds in each case was reduced to s1,0O0, and the cases placed on the calendar for heai ing January II.
 Attorney Hogan told the magistrate that his clients had nothing to do with the management, construction or handling of the scenery.
 City Building Inspector William Curran today, in explaining his presence in the theatre only few minutes before the iie broke out, said:
 q just stepped In to see if they had. house"
 "And did you find that they had a house?'
 q am not going to talk about that un- til see Commissioner Williams. l re- fuse to talk now. I just happened to be passing by and dropped in. My orders have never been revoked
 Your orders have never been revok- ed?"
 NO they were issued under a former commissioner. But had nothing to do with the Iroquols."
 From this 1t appears that Curran may have had formerly orders to inspect cer- tain theaters in addition to working in his own district.
 Curran made a statement seldom heard from building inspector when he con tinued:
 "There was no work for me in my district, on the. West Side. The weather was cold and there was no building go- ing on except special work l had no l complaints to attend to. "I had just been around to the grand opera house. 1 had also stepped in the Garrick theater. I shall not say any thing. until I see Mir Williams. l, un- r l nd hat bn F1IG mo pxnlufn ff
 Curran recently was before the "gratt' committee in connection with the existence of q minor violation of the building ordinance in his district.
 The Aldermen, after a thorough cross-. examination. eXonorated him from blame, He is one of the oldest inspectors in the department and has ranked well.
 Building Inspector Jultus A. Lcnz, who was chiefly concerned In the inspection of tho theatres when Mr. Williams report ed on them to the Mayor, said today:
 If the ordinance Is amended with ref erence to curtains. it should demand that all theatrical curtains be roller steel, like that of the Auditorium Theatre.
 That is the only steel curtain in theatre in Chicago. It weighs tep tons and is operated by machine under the stage. l consider that, steel curtain gives the only proper protection
 Asbestos curtains are not tho best. Asbestos cemes-ip yard widths. ike cloth. and Is sewed together with tho edged overlapping like a carpet.
 ''The men behind the guns quit. That was the whole trouble at the Iroquois,'' said Inspector Lentz.
 Her mind weakened from poRdering OverA tlle- Iroquois fire. Mrs. Hary Eop-' kins seized her two children today threw them violently under a bed and securing