The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-01-02

exits until it was useless to stay an,
longer"
With the arrest of McNrullin the polio,
believe they have the last important wit
ness among the theater employees who are
essential to complete inquiry at the
| Coroner's inquest.
MANAGER w. j. DAVIS
BEFORE CHIEF OF POLICE.
Chief OF Police oNein to-day sent de-
tecuves to summon Manager VIII J. Davis
Of the Iroquois Theater to police head
| quarters II want to question him." Chief
| O'Neill said. when asked the reason for
| the summons.
'T am not arresting him II I thought
that Managers VIII ]. Davis and Harry L
Powers would leave Chicago 1 would lock
them up Immediately. But they Will re-
main. Both are citizens OF Chicago. mer.
ness interests.
'I am only summoning Mr.. Davis now
to ask him about the fire in a general way
and to get his guarantee that the members
Of the moonlight double octet will not
leave Chicago before the Inquest. Other
wise, It may be necessary to tale the en-
tire company into custody"
MAYOR PERSONALLY
VISITS THE THEATER.
Mayor Harrison to-day. IN company with
Building Commissioner Williams. Alder
man Mayer and several architects. visited
the Iroauois Theater building and went
over It thoroughly.
AS they stepped into 1t the Mayor &c
cidentally trod on large lock Of human
nair, which had been torn from the head
Of some victim OF the disaster. He shud-
dered and removing the hair from his shoe
placed it on one side Of the hallway and
passed In.
The Mayor went every where except In
the cellar, went out on the fire escapes.
tried the exits. and finally mounted the
rigging loft above tie stage The dressing
rooms were visited and the whole interior
explored.
B. H. Marshall. the architect of the
building. accompanied the Mayor through
out the trip. When In the gallery the
Mayor paid particular attention to the
exits and tried all the handles by which
the doors are opened.
hn fefI
nance requirement that exits shall be in
dicated by printed signs struck the Mayor,
and when h. noted that the heavy dam
ask curtains hung before some Of these
doors he inquired of Architect Marshall |
why they had been placed there Mr.. /,
Marshall replied that it was done to i'm |
prove the appearance Of the house
ORDINANCE
WAS DISREGARDED.
It was also noted by the Mayor thar the |
ordinance requirement. which insists that
galleries above the ground floor must each
have q separate stairway leading to the
street. had been disregarded. This cir
excited the Indication OF the
Mayor. who said:
''This theater should never have been
allowed to open. because the ordinance
IN gallery stairways was disobeyed. The
Of the second balcony were
compelled to use the Same exits as those
IF the first balcony. The exits should
have been separate, and II they had been
so think more people would have es-
,aped."
Explaining the lack of separate stair
way for second balcony. Architect Mar
hall said:
There was more total space for the
'eople to get out Of the gallery than If
eparate stairs had been provided The
aw requires eight inches Of stair and door
pace for each 100 persons, and We had
learly three feet Of such space"
To this Mayor Harrison said nothing.
'ut commented again on the fact that the
amask curtains had covered the doors
nd that there were no signs Indicating the
kits
THOUGHT EXIT SIGNS
IARRED BEAUTY OF PLACE.
Tho signs were being made ready" Mr..
Iarshau said. ''but temporary signs were I
OF being used because it was not desired
) mar the beauty of tho interior with
lem."
To this Alderman Mayor re1oined:
This thcatsr was opened on November /