The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-01
lRx Associated Press.

it-, = S6y ASSOCltiLoQH HI SsS'3 sllgat
CHICAGO, sILL,rDec. 31S-For the first
time since Chicago has possessed bells
to peal. whistles to shrek, and 4 /. horns 'r!
to blow. the old year was allowed silent !.
" to take Its place in history and 3D. the the
new, year permitted to come With ~ no
evidence OF, JOY at Its birth. t.l
N an official proclana ton, issued this
afternoon. by Mayor Carter H Harrison. 7t'
he made the suggestion that the usual
New Years eve celebration be for this
time omitted. The idea found q ready cad
response in the hearts OF the people and
tho mayors words, in fact, only. ;' eaye4 'lS'e4
5utterance to the unexpressed thoughss 70 y
that had filled them al. RI
Ordinarily, on New Years & eve the ne
streets Of the city are filled with m cry
maxsrs. but tonight the only thrtongs ;hlFt' g
to be found we're those g around the 1.
n,orgues; ordinarily, numbers OF & tash ash
jonahlo restaurants in the heart of the the
city are filled with light-hearted reyel- ''l
ers. who toast the year that passed
ana ball the year that comes To'n night '1lz 4
these places were comparatively desert
ed and some Of them closed entirely.
with doors locked and cure g drawn. ire VT
Usually among these gay people are
found many members of the theatrical
profession. Tonight not q single one
OF them was In evidence.
The Death List.
The list. dr dead continues as It was
given last night, In the neighborhood OF
J $50. II Is generally accepted at th!s
time that the most accurate estimate IS
Sd. This number will be increased some
what, as there are people In the hospitals
Eho cannot survive for any length OF
time 1t is believed, however, that !. the
total r lumber of dead iwillnotin IN any eYent {
exceed 575. Including the missing, y IS
estimated that total number OF casual
ties at tlvs present time 1s approximately f
4 CJO. y. ~
Z There are, among the missing the
names Of many who are at their homes
5and.of some. who were not at the thea
5t,eiot ali In the flrst excitement fol-
lowing the calamity cheese people were
repo,ted by their relatives ms among the
missing, aud numbers OF them have SINCE
leturred to their homes and no report
az This fact has been made TO ponce
Headquarters, TheT 5Halles, sAoMH,ss,
still swell, the list Of the miselng' When
tia rnmes OF the dead who are st'!l 70
he identified have been subtracted from
/ Ia list Of the missing, It Is probable, that
the extent OF the catastrophe VII 2 20
f fully revealed, 5n.
u. n Caisse of Fire.
,rhera was ,t,nated discussion to-day
among nnn firemt employees OF the. theatre
and architect rs to the cause OF me
flru. Account. differ to-day as Wldely
jns5t,,ey varied last night, The theatrlcal
peopl,s are practically unit In declaring
thnt the fire started with an explosion,
and and In this they are flatly conlrad|etea
( by sec res Of people In the audience, VINO
declare they saw the fire creeping along
tho edge of the curtain for several min
Mics , Ls fore the explosion took place,
JThese statements are substantlated py
tho stories OF a number Of people,, who
3,ert their seats after seeing the blaze
;aud and we're we'll on thelrs way 70 the street
mhen % ,oyertaken by the frightened rush
|. az AN those they had left behind 7 hem.
f1'The best evidence obtainabla y to the
4 effect that the fire was caused py tht
sparks from an arc light striking tht
{ 81 a. "a the drop curtain, but the ctua,