The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1904-01-08
BELLS. TOLL DIRGE.
Ali Chicago Mourns While Hundreds
Of Dead Are Laid Away.
Last Rites B.sid from Early Morning Untis
Night, with Three or Four Hearses
In Q Block-An Chicago The
aters Closed.

Chicago, Jan. 3.-Church bells tdl-
ing at nooa, business activity checked,
many celebrations postponed and long
lines Of funerals making their way to
the outlying districts where the GEM
eteries are situated-these circum-
| stances evidenced Chicago's outward
grief Saturday for the victims Of the
Iroquois theater disaster. Priests and
ministers Of the gospel went from
funeral to funeral, as they will Mon
lay. The unidentified dead will be kept
rs long as possible at the morgues.
II no one then comes to lay claim to
the bodies they will be buried at the
eity's expense. By common assent Of
the clergy Lead Kindly Light" the
hymn written by Cardinal Newman.
was sung at all the funerals.
The city hall, except absolutely nee
essary departments. was CLOSED. The
board Of trade closed an hot. earlier
than usual and a number of mercantile
and manufacturing establishments also
closed early.
From the large number OF complaints
received Of the loss Of personal effects
| from the bodies OF the fire victims,
coroner's Office clerks estimate that
| 800. 0o0 worth Of diamonds, watches.
iewelry, furs and other personal prop
erty was lost in the fire. Many of the
victims had money in their possession
which could not be found when the
| bodies were examined at the morgues.
Much of the property Of value was an
doubtedly lost, but large amount may
have been stolen by ghouls. Hundreds
of the bodies were carried away In
| trucks and express wagons, and there
| was no way OF preventing persons from
searching the victims and taking their
valuables.
A thorough analysis of the compost
Iroquois is being made by the city
chemist. The curtain was consumed
by the flames, alth ough the ordinance
requires a flre-proof curtain. such az
genuine asbestos material.
From the stage hands Coroner
Traeger has learned the cause of the
mysterious explosion which occurred
shortly after the fire was discovered.
1t was caused by the falling Of the big
fan scene which contained 80 mean
| descent 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 a draft
which caused the big fan scene to top
pie over and break the incandescent
bulbs This produced a noise like an
explosion. The stage hands deny that
there was calsium tank on the stage
at the time of the fire. Coroner Trae-
ger has learned that each Of the 1870
drop scenes in the theater was hung
on new. oily, Manila rope. 1t is esti-
mated that there were $50 lineal feet
of this infammable material used in
supporting the drop scenes and that
1t added fuel to the flames in the rig
ging loft.
Mayor Harrison has ordered the
closing Of every theater in Chicago
without exception until 1t has been
definitely ascertained that they are not
violating any city ordinance. This Is
supplementary to the mayors order Of
last night which closed II theaters,
about half the total number of play
houses In the city.