Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-05
THE CHICAGO HORROR.

The moro the causes Of the terrible
Chicago tragedy are investigated, the
more evident It becomes that the man
agamcnt ',as guilty Of gross neglect.
Chicago, Ike every large city, has It's
ordinances for the protection Of the
public while gathered In public build
ings, but though half a million dollars
had been sTcnt ON the building. 1t was
ycrl,oblc fire trap, The Chicago or
dinauces call for automatic sprInklcrs,
FIRE escapes, and other means Of safe
ty, but the Inflated thoater had nelth-
or Many Of the fire escapes, that Is
were rot completed People who OPEN
cd the doors leading TO them we're
pushed ont upon the platforms by the
crowd behind, and from the platforms
fell TO the stones Of the alley below
The thea.cr was without connection
with the clty's fire alarm system. TIE
asbestos curtain would not 20 down,
But even II IL had worked. It might
have proved inadequate to Conine the
fire, for il was almost wholly destroyed
by the flames on the stage, A large
number Of the deaths would have been
avoided II the side exits from the thea
ter had not been locked or otherwise
ohstructcd, The draft might have been
Of a character which would have con.
fined the flame and heat Of the fire TO
the stage end OF the thcater, II a flue
above the stage had been provided, as
an ordinance requires, but this precau-
ton also was neglected 1t Is almost
incredible that so much carelessness
should have been exhibited, aud per-
mlttcd to exist In a public building.
All over the country demands are
now made for the inspection of theaters,
with view Of rendering them as safe
as such places can be made, 1t Is asked
that they be built Of iireproof material.
Even the wood and the mat.
crial used for scenery can be made
proof against flames, as was proved,
years ago, at Wallacks Theatcr, when
properly treated scene was placed
In the center Of the stage, and a gas
flame, ten or fifteen feet In length, pro-
ceeding from the nozzle of an ordinary
hose, was directed against It. The
scenery gradually became red hot
where the flame touched It, but only
at that point. Presently the red hot
part crumbled away and the flame
passed through the hole to the other
side without doing any further harm,
Then there is no reason why there
should not be sufficient number Of
exits, and wide enough aIsies, to ac-
commodate the audience, Nor is there
any reason why al the exits should
not be opened at the end Of each per-
formance, so that the theater-gocrs may
become acquainted with them, Then,
IL the ushers were drilled, each one
knowing just exactly what to do in an
emergency, as the crew OF a ship is
drilled, panic might be ayerted and
the greatest danger removed,
But when every precaution is by or
dinance prescribed, It will be neces-
sary to prohibit the distribution Of free
passes to those whose business 1t Is to
see that the ordinances are respected.
Without some such measure all 9th.
or measures are likely to be ineffective,
Official sight Is often blinded to de-
fccts, by means Of passes. They are
offered, and accepted, ms brides, and
It is well understood that one "cour.
tosy' calls for another IL Is beyond
belief that the Iroquois horror would
have occurred, had the inspectors of
public buildings done their duty, and
closed the thcater, until every ordln.
aucc had been complied with. Who is
to blame? It is necessary to consiier
all the facts IN the case, so as to draw
the !ull LESSON from It with regard 10
the safety of other theatcrs in the
country