Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1904-01-08
CHICAGO THEATRES CLOSED
MAYOR HARRISON SAYS OWNERS
MUST OBEY LAW.
Had No Asbestos Curtains, According
to City Ordinances Regulating The
aters--Manasers Protest, But Of Nc
Avail-Win Lose Big Money-Pre-
vent Repetition Of the Horror.

1
Chicago, Jan. Saturday night ev-
cry theatre in the city of Chicago was
dark and its doors locked. Not one
of them will be open to the public UNI
til their managers have complied in
the fullest manner with every section
of the ordinances regulating play
houses.
The order compelling the theaters
to close was issued by Mayor Harri-
son after a conference with City At
torney Tolman, who assured the may
or that ample legal ground existed for
his action.
Seventeen theaters and museums
closed the night before, and the sweep
ing order of the mayor shut the doors
of seven more. These last are the
leading theaters in the business Sec
J ton, and are the Studebaker. Grand
Opera house, McVickers. La Sale,
Garrick, Illinois and Powers. The last
two are owned and controlled by the
Messrs. Powers and Davis, the man.
ayers of the i'll fated Iroquois.
The seventeen places of amusement
|
they were not provided with an as
bestos curtain. The further action is
in consequence of violations of other
!, sections of the ordinances regulating
1 theaters.
a There was hasty rush of theatre
a cal managers to the Office of Mayor
e Harrison in the effort to secure the
/ withdrawal or at least postponment
a of the order, but their reception was
v of an exceedingly frosty nature. They
/, were informed by the mayor that the
/. inspectors had reported that every
one of the theater companies had vic
A lated the law, and he was determined
that it should not be said hereafte
that the city had neglected anything
e which could prevent repetition Of thu
u horror of last Wednesday afternoon.
u The fact that the asbestos curtain il
u the Iroquois was so badly wrecked
" by the fire that charred portions of
" have been carried away by the inves
a tigation committee caused the CON
&c mittee to decide that asbestos cul
v tains could not be relied upon to al
ford the most complete protection.
was announced that every theater
LII the city must hereafter comply wit
st the following provisions before the
will be allowed to open:
tyi Steel roll curtains, wide exits, n
We combustibles of any kind in the hous
furnishings, fireproof scenery, no ca
cium of "spot" lights to be used o
H. the stage, skylights above the stag
provided with automatic lids to pc
NIT the egress of smoke, fire and gas
tie separate stairways, each exit havin
re it's own stairs leading to the stree
2. After issuing his sweeping orde
IN Mayor Harrison said Il do not wis
on to assume responsibility for these tn
-Iaters The order was issued to mai
it certain that no precaution to i
sure the safety of audiences has bee
N neglected.
at is quite probable that the ow
ers of the theaters may sustain sci
Gus financial losses, but in view of Il
condition of the playhouses we can n
y take any risk, and if the law had bee
fully complied with in the first pla'
there would have been no question
closing them now. The Auditorium
which is the only theater left open
&c Chicago, has steel roll curtain, al
re as this seems to be the only curta
rs that affords certain protection again
v. fire, in view of the fact that the II
ii quois curtain was destroyed, l a
m determined to see that as far as pc
ed sible the other playhouses are sim
m arly provided"
at The name of the Auditorium is n
Of included in the theaters closed. I'll
"a hall is open occasionally and not re
ularly as are the other theaters. The
is no engagement there at present a.
}. none in the immediate future. VIII
'ak technically a theater, it is genera
lad considered hall for great and spec
us III. gatherings.
8.