The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-01-05

Chicago, January 2.-Tonight every
theatre in the city of Chicago Is oarA
and with doors locked. Not one OIL
them will be opened to the puolic uli-
Til their managers have comDleo III
tho fullest manner with every secuoh
80 tho ordinances regulating play
houses.
THE order compelling the theatres
to close was issued this afternoon DS
Mayor Harrison after a conference
with Corporation Counsel Tolman'
who assured the mayor that ample
legal ground existed for his action.
Seventeen theatres and museums
were closed last night and the sweep
ing order of the mayor today smut
the doors OF sixteen more. These last
are the leading theatres in the busl-
ness section of the city and are the
Studebaker, Grand Opera House, BUSH
Temple, Calumet. Cleveland, Great
Northern, Hay Market, Hopkins Peo-
nle's Institute, Trocadero and Colum-
bus. McVickers, LaSalle, Garr1ck, iii
nofs. Powers. The last are owned anu
controlled by Messrs. Powers b. DAVIS,
the managers of the ilI-fated 1roQuo1s
The Garrick closed today Is not 10 De
confounded with the Garrick theatre
closed yesterday, it being one OF the
largest playhouses in the city, Wnlie
the one concerning which acuon was
taken yesterday is a much smaller al
the city.
The seventeen places of amusement
which were shut last night were
closed for the one reason that they
were not provided with an asbestos
curtain. The further action taken TO-
day is in consequence Of violations OF
ether sections of the ordinance regu-
lanng theatres.
There was a hasty rush of theatr1-
cal managers to the office of Mayor
Harrison in the effort to secure The
withdrawal, or at least postpone
ment of the order, but their recep-
nature.
They were informed by the mayor
that the inspectors had reported in
the case of every one OF the violations
of the law and he was determined
that it should not be said hereafter
the city had neglected anything which
GOULD prevent a repetition of the hor-
ror of last Wednesday afternoon.
The fact that the asbestos curtain
in the Iroquois theatre was so badly
wrecked by the fire that charred por-
tions of il have been carried away
by various investigating committees
caused the mayor to decide that as
bestos curtains could not be relied
upon to afford the most complete
protection. 1t was announced thai
every theatre in the city must here
after comply with the following pro-
visions before they will be allowed
to open:
Steel roll curtains, wide exits, NJ
combustibles of any kind in the house
furnishings, fire proofed scenery, NJ
calcium or spot lights to be useC
on the stage. skylights above the stage
provided with automatic lids to per
NIT the egreSS of smoke. fire and gas
separate stairways-eacn exit hav-nt
it's own stairs leading to the street.
After issuing his sweeping order
Mayor Harrison said:
Il do not wish TO assume respon
sibility for these theatres. My orde
was issued to make ii certain that NJ
precaution to insure the safety of au
dienceS had been neglected. 1t
quite probable that the owners of tn
theatres may sustain serious financfa
loss, but in view of the conditions o
the play houses we cannot take an
risk. and If the law had been full
complied with in the first place ther
would have been no question of clos
ing them now. The Auditorium, whic
is the only theatre left open in Chica
go. has a steel roll curtain, and =
this seems to be the only curtain tha
affords absolute protection agains
fire, in view of the fact that the Ire
ouois curtain was destroyed. I hav
determined as far as possible to Sc
that the other play houses are sim
iIarly provided"
Tt is a noteworthy fact that Build
ing Commissioner Williams who
now charged with manslaughter, !
connection with the greatest fire hol
ror the country has ever experiences
owes his appointment to a tragedy {
similar nature. but of much less e,
tent which occurred two years ag
Mr.. Williams predecessor vacated h
office after the burning of the
Luke's sanitarium at goth street an
Wabash avenue. This was the inst
tuition in which a score OF men su
fering from delirium trenene wei