Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-01-07

The lamp seemed in good condition.
but in tne middle of the second act
irst az I changed from a white light to
a blue one, the arc between the car
bons spluttered and jumped. "A sparh
struck the frayed edge on the inside OF
he border of the curtain drapery. "A
dame which | should say was ABOUT
twelve inches long shot up. aoan-
lened the lamp and clapped by hand
mon the flames, but they spread IN
spite of me. | called to have the hre
curtain lowered and yelled 10 lhe
house fireman to help me. he came
with a patent fire extinguisher which
5ad no effect on the flames. Finally
jumped from the bridge to the stage.
A little child in one Of the front oxe
5ad already been burned. seized her
md carried her out and then returned
10 the theater. Here | worked, puillng
nsople out of the choked exits until 1t
was useless to stay any longer.
with the arrest Of McMullen the po-
lice believe they have the last impor-
ant witness among the theater en-
Moves who are essential to a com
plete inquiry at the coroner's inquest.
Mayor Harrison investigates.
Moyor Harrison yesterday, in COM
pany with Building Commissioner
williams, Aid. Mavor and several
architects, visited the Iroquois theater
building and went over 1t thoroughly
At the first step in the building the
MAYOR accidentally trod on a lock OF
human hair which had been torn from
the head of a victim OF the disaster.
He s%huddered, and, removing the mar
from his shoe, placed it on one SIDE
of the hallway, and passed in. Inc
mayor went over everywhere except
into the cellar, went out on the fire
escape, tried the exits and finally
mounted into the loft above the stage.
The dressing rooms were visited and
the
Whole Interior Explored.
B. II. Marshall, the architect OF the
building, accompanied the mayor
throughout the trip. When the gallery
was reached the mayor paid particular
attention to the exits and tried all the
handles by which the doors are
opened.
The failure to comply with the ordi-
nance requirement that exits shall be
indicated by printed signs struck the
mayor, and when he noted that heavy
Damascus curtains hung before some
| OF the doors, he inquired OF Architect
Marshall why they had been placed
there. Mr.. Marshall said it had beer
done to improve the appearance OF
the house.
1t was also noted by the mayor that
the ordinance Requirement which in
sists that all galleries above the
ground floor must have a separate
| stairway leading to the street had been
~disregarded.
Mayor Gives His Opinion.
Returning to his Office, the mayor
said:
81 think exactly as | thought yester
day of the theater. l could not sec
any explanation for the disaster ex
cept the failure OF the curtain to come
down. / tried a lot Of doors and they
seemed to open and shut readily.
got into the rigging loft, which is o
solid metal, without a trace Of com
bustible material about it. think l
would have been better, however, /
the management had not placed heavy
curtains In front Of the exits. | gained
a better idea of the horror of the thing
to-day than I had received before
Just think Of stepping upon a wisp o
human hair while walking about in the
theater."