The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-01
There'II be No Joyous New
Year for Chicago.
THE LIST OF THE DEAD
The Most Accurate Estimate Makes it
Five Hundred and Thirty. -four.
Others are Expected to Die
Of Injuries Received in
Theatre.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Chicago, Dec. 31.-For the first time
Since Chicago has possessed bells to peal.
whistles to shrek, and horns to blow, the
Old Year was allowed silently to take its
place in history and the New Year per-
mitted to come with no evidence of Joy
at it's birth.
In an official proclamation, issued this
afternoon by Mayor Carter H. Harrison,
he made the suggestion that the usual
New Years eve celebration this time be
omitted. The idea found ready response
in the hearts of the people and the may
or's words in fact only gave utterance to
the unexpressed thoughts that had filled
them all.
Ordinarily, on New Years eve the
streets of the city are filled with merry
makers, but tonight the only throngs to
be found were those around the morgues;
ordinarily, numbers of fashionable restau-
rants in the heart of the city are filled
with lght-hearted revelers who toast the
year that passed and hail the year that
comes. Tonight these places We're com
paratively deserted, and some OF them
closed entirely, with doors locked and cur
tains drawn. Usually among these gay
people are found many members of the
theatrical profession. Tonight not SIN
gle one of them was in evidence
The list of dead continues Us it was
given last night, in the neighborhooG OF
$50. 1t Is generally accepted at this time
that the most accurate estimate Is 56+.
This number will be increased somewha
as there are people in the hospitals who
cannot survive for any length of time. II
is believed, however, that the total num-
ber of dead will not in any event exceed
SIS. Including the missing, it IS esti-
mated that the total number OF casual
ties at the present time is approximately
LOCO.
There are among the missing the names
of many who are at their homes and OF
some who were not at theatre at all.
II the first excitement following the
calamity these people were reported by
their relatives as among the missing and
numbers of them have since returned 10
their homes and no report of this fact
has been made to police headquarters.
Their names however still swell the list
OF the missing. When the names OF the
dead who are still to be identified have
been subtracted from the list of the miss
ing, it is probable that the extent of the
catastrophe will be fully revealed
There was animated discussion today
among firemen employees of the theatre
and architects as to the cause of the
fire. Accounts differ today as widely as
they varied last night. The theatrical
people are practically unit in declaring
that the fire started with an exploso on.
and in this they are fatty contradictcd
by scores of people in the audience who
declare they saw the fire creeping along
the edge of the curtain for several min
utes before the explosion took place
These statements are substantlated by the
stories of number of people who left
their seats after seeing the blaze, and
were well on their way to the street wher
overtaken by the frightened rush of those
they had left behind them.
The best evidence obtainable is to the
effect that the fire was caused by. the
sparks from an arc light striking theedge
of the drop curtain, but the actual fact
however, will not be known until after the
conclusion of the coroner's inquest. There
are so many statements at present anC
they differ 40 widely that it is impossible
to ascertain the exact, truth of the mat
ter.
Although the Iroquois Theatre was un
doubtedly the safest theatre in Chicago
it became evident today that the city
building department had not strictly en-
forced one or two sections of the building
ordinances.
William Curran, building inspector
was in the theatre only few moments
before the catastrophe and went away
saying that everything was in good condi
tion. Deputy Building COMMISSIONS
Stanhope went to the theatre today tc
make an inspection. Upon his return tc
the city hall he said:
1.-The theatre and its management Were
strictly within the law. I will not go in
to details until have completed my re
port"
Section IS of the local building ordi
nance provides that in buildings of the
class to which the Iroquois Theatre be
longed, there shall be system of auto
matte sprinklers.
There were no sprinkiers in the theatre
and Mr.. Stanhope when this was called to
his attention replied:
"There was no sprinkler system in the
theatre, but the provision about the iron
doors made it unnecessary for the theatre
to have them"
Section 1S9 of the ordinance provides