The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-01-08
TREATERS in DARKNESS
Nineteen Playhousss in Chicago Con.
demned and Closed by the
Aufhorities

Chicago, Jan. 2.-At midnight only
tWenty-one unidentified dead remained
III the several morgues. The total num-
Der ofsbodies that have been accounted
for Is 5S2. Offhese SCI have been iden-.
titled. Szs5 5@s.
, Chicago, Jan. 2.-Mayor Carter Har.
rison took steps to provide as far as
possible against a repetition OF
Wednesdays horror at the %Iroquois
'theater. AS a result of an investiga-
ltion made at his orders and lasting but
"a few hours, nineteen theaters and mu-
iseuns were ordered closed. Some Of
them are among the leading and most
popular play houses Of the city. The
faction of the mayor was based on n
single violation of h ordinances,
(which are intended to. protect the pa
irons Of theaters from just such an
occurrence as that which cost SO many
lives on Wednesday. This was tina
every n of these places had omitted
ito supply an asbestos curtain. The
%theaters ordered closed are: Howard's,
Sam T. Jacks, Marlowe, New Ameri-
can, Olympic, Academy of Music, AL
harnbra, Avenue, Bijou, Chicago opera
house, Columbus Stock, Thirty-Hrst
street, Criterion, Fiegenbaum's, Mil
waukee avenue, Garrick and Click
mans. In addition to these, the Lon
don Globe museum and the Clark street
ulluSCQlI1L WSie dlSO SOlllHCllCQ ~ IC1OSG
their doors.
The Chicago opera house n the
Olympic theater are vaudeville houses Of
the highest class and probably do as
much business In point of numbers as any
of the theaters in the city at single per-
~fornlances. They give, however, a NATL
nee every day in the week and 1t is sell
| dom hat seats can he obtained at any
performance at the time Of opening. In
addition to this they have been accus-
toned to selling a large number OF tick
cts for standing room, and as a general
thing more people are within these places
of amusement at an average performance
than can be found at any other playhouse
in the city.
The Garrick theater which was ordered
closed is a small playhouse on the north
west side of the city. and should not be
COMPOUNDED with the larger theater Of the
same name situated on Randolp street.
one block west Of the %Ir0quois.
The inspection ordered by the mayor
was carried out by Building Commits
sioner Williams and Chief Of Police
osNeill. The scope Of the investigation
Included no other feature than asbestos
curtains. The mayor instructed Com
missioner Williams to report to him
promptly at the conclusion Of his inves-
tigatlon, declaring that 1t was his inten-
ton that no theatef shout be allowed to
open it's doors in Chicago hereafter un-
! less 1t Wa provided with an asbestos
curtain of standard quality that would
work at all times and under all condi-
tions.
1T may not be possible. said Mayor
Harrison, ito prevent loss Of life when
audiences rush for the doorways, but I
have determined to see that every pre-
caution Is taken to prevent such occur
rences as will alarm the people and start
them on a rush for the exits. 1t is all very
Well to say that the great loss of life in
the lroquois theater was due to the fact
that#the people lost their heads and crowd
ed into the doorWays and aisles like ma
MACS. but the fact remains, and 1t can
, not be denied, that there would have been
aao panic if the apparatus in this theater,
which, judged by all ordinary standards
was the best equipped playhouse in the
city, had been in proper working condition.
There is no getting beyond that fact. From
all the evidence now in and it is clear
that If the asbestos curtain in this, theater
had been in the condition 1t should have
been there would have been no loss of
life comparatively speaking"
The report Of Building Commissions
Williams showed that the Academy Of
Music, with.a seating capacity of 2,ooo, had
a curtain Of burlap. The Alhambra, with
a capacity of 1900; the Avenue, 600; the
Bijou, 1880; Clark Street Museum, e27O;
Criterion, 400; Fiegenbaum's; 400; How-
ards, 800; Marlowe, 1900; New American,
400, all had curtains o~fQlinen. The cur
tain in the@ Chicago opera house was Of
burlap, covered with %fireproof paint. In
the Columbus Stock theater and in Sam
Il. Jacks 1t was of canvas. The Olympic
| theater, with a seating capacity of about
t,G00, had a curtain of canyas