The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-01-08
MIGHT HAVE
SAVED LIVES.
HAD PROPER PRECAUTIONS
BEEN TAKEN
At Burning Of Iroquois
Theatre.
MANY POINTS PROVEN
MANY POINTS PROVEN

That Show Criminal Negligence
Important Statement Made by At
.torney FuIkerson Of the Chicago
Fire Department-Fifty More Halls
and Theaters In the City Have Been
Closed.
Chicago, Jan. 6.-Evidence submitted
under oath proves conclusively that
had the skylights and ventilators over
the stage of the IroQuois theatre been
open and the openings over the audi
torium been closed, there would have
been no fire in the audience room of
the playhouse last Wednesday and no
lives need have been lost by panic.
This statement was officially made
public today by Attorney Munro Full
kerson of the fire department In sum-
ming up the result of the investigation
to date as conducted under his direc-
ton. M
Following are the points which Mr..
Fulkerson announced have been prov
ed conclusively by the verified testi-
mony of witnesses:
That the fire started from an over
heated floor light twenty feet above
the floor by which a linen curtain
which was nearer than usual to the
light was 'ignited.
That both skylights over the stage
and the ventilator, or fire fue, were
closed during the fire.
That both stage skylights were fas-
tened down from the outside as well as
from the inside, but that the ventila-
tor was in working order and was not
thrown open.
That the larger of the two ventila-
tors over the auditorium was open
and that the stage doors were open.
creating perfect draught for the
death laden fiames which swept over
the audience +s
That the drop of the asbestos or fire
curtain was obstructed by light or
light board fastened to the wall of the
theatre back of the proscenium arch
That there had been previous fire
at the theatre and that the same OBJ
struction at that time prevented the
fire curtain being thrown between the
stage and the audience.
That the skylights and ventilator, or
fire fue. over the stage were opened
by employees of the Fuller Construction
company the day following the fire,
when the property WAS. In the hands of
the coroner. s ~ 81
That with one, of two notable excep-
tions. the employees of the theatre de-
serted their posts, or did not UNDER
stand what should have been their du-
ties at such. time.
That there Is no evidence that there
had been any fire drill or systematic
organization of the theatre employees
for the protection OF the public In, an
emergency.
That there was no fire alarm box on
the stage, or in the theatre building.
Those are the main points brought
out by this investigation to date said
Attorney Fulkerson. Evidence show
ing responsibility. and in regard to
crowded aisles, locked doors and mad
equate and closed exits is still to be
produced. So far the evidence have
on these points is largely hearsay In
formation. They have not been proved
I'm the light OF the information
which is now matter of record, de-
sire to make this statement, without
the fear of successful contradiction.
Had the condition of the stage and
auditorium skylights been reversed ths
catastrophe would certainly have been
hverted."
Building Commissioner williams or.
dered the closing of fifty halls today
and many others are expected to bt
closed So far about $50 halls and thea.
tres have been closed.