The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-01-07

L
The most appalling disaster that ever i
fell on Chicago was the burning OF the
new Iroquois theatre in that city last
Wednesday afternoon in which nearly
600 people lost their lives in few
minutes. The Iroquois was opened only
about three weeks ago with the MIR.
Bluebeard Co., which has played con-
tinuously ever since the opening, and
was supposed to be the finest theatre in
America, and advertised extensively as
absolutely fire proof. While there were
mo Leon people in the list of victims it
is little short of miracle that Miss
Ella Finley of this city was not among
the victims. She is employed in the
office of G. II. Simmons, in Chicago, and
had intended attending the Wednesday
matinee, but business in the office was
rushing that day, and Mr.. Simmons told
her if she would wait until the next day
he would secure seats for her and his
little daughter. She agreed to wait and
Mr.. Simmons had purchased the tickets
for the Thursday matinee. But for this
change Miss Finley would probably
have been numbered among the victims,
for nearly half of the audience are now
among the dead. Mr.. Joe r. Nugent,
manager Of Swift & Company in this
city, was in Chicago that day, but could
not get through his business in time to
attend the theatre. He visited the
scene short time afterwards and saw
the police and firemen removing hum
sdreds of dead bodies. He says it was
the most heartrending scene he ever
witnessed. The streets were filled with
frantic relatives searching for friends
and everything was pandemonium. He
says the faces of many of the victims
were trampled and crushed so that the
only way they could be identified was
by their clothing.
AS the result of the terrible fire
Mayor Harrison has closed every theatre
in the city, not even emitting the Audi
forum, as it is claimed every theatre
in Chicago is violating the city ordi-
nance by not having proper exits, fire
proof curtains, water sprinklers on the
stage, firemen in attendance and other
precautions for the safety of the public.
The following is a telegraphic des-
cription of the appalling disaster.
The theatre was crowded by a mat
inee audience, mostly of women and
children. In the midst of the perform
ance, while the stage was alight with
beauty and color, the first alarm of fire
was given and the next instant a great
wave of flame shot out over the theatre.
The resulting scenes were indescrib-
able. Hundreds were trampled to
death in the mad rush to escape from
that blazing furnace. Many bodies
were scorched and blackened by the
flames after the life had already been
trampled out. Several people were
burned to death, others were suffocated
by gas thrown into the auditorium by
the explosion of a gas tank, but by far
the large majority persisted in the wild
stampede for safety.
1t will be many days before the
number of dead is accurately known
and many days before all of them will
be identified. There are bodies lying by
the dozens in the undertaker's rooms,
in police stations and in hospitals, from
which nearly everything that could re-
veal their identity has been torn or
burned away. Their clothing is torn to
rags or burned to cinders and their
faces have been trampled into an un-
recognizable pulp by the heels Of the
crowd that trampled them down as they
fled for safety.
The fire broke out during the second
act of "Mr. Blue Beard" which was the
first dramatic production produced in
the theatre after it's opening. The
theatrical company, which was large
escaped, nearly all Of them, however,
being compelled to flee into the snowy
streets with no clothing but stage cos.
TUNES. A few members Of the company
sustained injuries, but none were