The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-02
Mayor Determined to
Prevent Another Disaster

Prevent Another Disaster
The inspection ordered by the mayor to-
| day was carried out by Building Commits
sioner Williams and Chief Of Police O'Neill.
The scope of the investigation included no
other feature than asbestos curtains. The
mayor instructed Commissioner Williams to
report TO him promptly at the conclusion OF
the investigation, declaring that il was his
intention that no theater should be allowed
to open its doors in Chicago hereafter unless
it was provided with an asbestos curtain
OF standard quality that would work at all
times and under all conditions.
1T may not be possible" said Mayor
Harrison, Ito prevent loss Of life when
audiences rush for the doorways. but I
have determined to that every precau-
tion is taken TO prevent such occurrences
as will alarm the people and start them a
rush for the exits. 1t is all very well to
say that the great loss of life in the Iroquois
Theater was due to the fact that the people
lost their heads and crowded into the door
ways and aisles like maniacs, but the fact
remains. and IL cannot be denied that there
would have been no panic If the apparatus
in this theater, which, judged by all ordi-
nary standards was the best equipped play
house in the city, had been in proper work.
ing condition. There is no getting beyond
that fact From all the evidence now in
| hand 1t is clear that IL the asbestos curtain
in this theater had been in the condition
it should have been there would have been
no loss of life. comparatively speaking"
The report of Building Commissioners
Williams showed that the Academy OF
Music with a seating capacity OF 1000. had
a curtain of burlap. The Alhambra. with
capacity of $500; the Avenue 600; the Bijou.
1900; the Clark Street Museum. go: the
Criterion, LOO: Fiegenbaum' 100; How
ards. 800; the Marlowe. 1900; the New
American. 1.4OO, all had curtains OF linen.
The curtain in the Chicago Opera House was
Of burlap covered with freproof paint. In
| the Columbus Theater and I'm Sam 4.
Jacks. it was Of canvas. The Olympic
Theater. which holds at least $500 persons
at two performances every day it is open.
| had i curtain of canvas.
There were other glaring defects" said
Building Commissioner williams, which
were noticed in some of the houses. but
we were not paying particular attention to
them to-day. although 1 noted them. and
the theatrical managers will be compelled
10 remedy them soon as possible
Mayor and Aldermen
Visit the Theater Ruins
Mayor Harrison to-day. in company with
Building Commissioner Williams. Alderman
| Mayor and several architects, visited the
Iroquois Theater building and went over 1t
thoroughly. AS they stepped into the build
ing the mayor accidentally trod on a large
lock of human hair which had been torn
| from the head of some victim of the dis
aster. He shuddered. and removing the
hair from his SHOE placed il on one side
of the hallway and passed i'm.
The mayor went everywhere except into
| the cellar. went out on the fire escapes,
tried the exits and finally mounted into
! the rigging loft above the stage. The
dressing rooms were visited and the whole
interior explored. b. II. Marshall archi-
tect Of the building accompanied the
mayor throughout the trip. When I'm the
gallery the mayor paid particular atten-
tion to the exits and tried all the handles
of the doors.
The failure TO comply with the ordinance
requirement that exits shall be indicated
by printed signs struck the mayor and
when he noted that heavy damask curtains
hung before some OF these doors he in
quired OF Architect Marshall why they had
been placed there. Mr.. Marshall replied
that it was done to improve the appearance
of the house.
Separate Stairways Not
Provided for Each Gallery
It was also noted by the mayor that the
ordinance requirement. which insists that
where there are two or more galleries above
the ground floor each must have separate
stairway leading TO the street. had been
disregarded. This circumstance excited the