The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-08
ceutYadicted By scores Of people in

c1HtFad1eted BY scores OF people In
the audience, who declare that they
saw the Are creeping along the edge
OF the curtain for several minutes be-
fore the explosion took place. A num-
Der Of people left their seats after
seeing the blaze and we're we'll on
their way to, the street when over
taken by the frightened rush OF those
they had left behind them.
The best evidence at present OBJ
tainable Is that the FIRE started by
sparks from an arc light striking the
edge Of the drop curtain, but this has
not been proved. There are so many
statements as to the cause at present
and they differ SO widely that it is
difficult to ascertain the truth Of the
matter. Although the %lroquois theater
was as safe as any theater in Cf'cago
1t became evident that the city build
ing department had not strictly en-
forced one or two sections OF the
building ordinance.
The Hobbies Of the downtown hotels
were scenes Of many happy meetings
as well as OF anxious inquiries IN the
part of fathers, mothers and more dis
tant relatives Of persons of whom
no trace could be found. Many OF
these people returned to the hotels
after either a fruitless search fol-
their loved ones. or after finding in a
charred and disfigured body lying in
a morguc all that remained of the
relative or friend for whom they had
searched.
Seek Their Loved Ones.
Policemen were detailed at all
places where the dead and injured
bad been carried to restrain the I'M
lous men and women who pressed In
at the doorways and inquired for lost
friends and relatives. In all the I'm
%dertaking rooms bodies we're placed
as far as possible, on cots, and wher
these were exhausted, stretched ii
long lines on the floor, and a constant
succession Of pale faced men an6
women passed slowly between the
bodies, lifting the coverings from the
charred and bruised faces and search
Ing for something by which their los1
one could be recognized. In many
instances women tainted when lift
ing the sheet from some face in which
they recognized the features Of {
dead child. While the crowds OF anx
1ous seekers for news besieged thu
different morsues, the telegraph ant
long-distance telephone Offices wera
almost swamped with the food of in
curing messages.
Coroner Traeger and his assistant
did all in their power to supply in
formation concerning the dead ant
wounded, but Eve times the number O
available men In the coroner's once
could act have accomplished the task
Crowds besieged the coroner's ONO.
all day and begged that arrangement,
might be made SO that they couk
view the bodies without delay. TIL,
applicants were promptly furnished
with permits, which they showed t.
tho police ana which admitted then
T. any Hersus.
Six Baskets ct Jeweis Found.
Six bushel baskets OF vaiuables ant
trinkets Of various kinds were gath
cred in the theater by policemen ant
hremen and turned over to the coro
nor. Among these were fully q doze1
watches and in every case the watcl
had stopped at $50 o'clock. The fir,
stared about S:15 o'clock.
Coroner Traeger conducted an in
formal inquiry in the cause of the fire
His first witness was William c. Sell
ers, q fireman employed at the Iro
Queis. Sellers did not know just how
the FIRE began, but saw it shortly afte1
1t started. He threw extinguishers OF
the blaze, but without effect. He triet
to pull down the drop curtain, or teal
loose that portion Of It which wa.
blazing, but without success. Til,
6re then spread so rapidly that he wa.
unable to do much. Eight other wit
nesses were heard and Assistan'
States Attorney Heer, who was pres
ent, sad:
ut seems agreed that the asbesto.
curtain was dropped. but went to only
within ten or fifteen feet of the stage
floor. People on the stage opened
tho door leading from the stage into
the street and this created a strong
draft, which blew the cutain out to
ward the audience. This held the
curtain so tightly that all attempts t.
lower it were fruitless. From all the
information we have been able tt
gather thus far it seems to me al
though the fault in creating the draft
which threw the audience into a panic
by forcing the flames out over theil
heads, was due far more to the actor
Of the theatrical people in openine
the door at the ear Of the theatel
than to the audience In opening the
doors in front"
Seven Employees Arrested.
Seven employees Of the Iroquois the
alter we're arrested ON orders issued
by Chief of Police O'Neill. The
charge against them is at present that
Of being accessory to granddaughter
They will be held pending the yer
dict Of the coroner'a jury. They are:
William Carlton, stage manager; Ed
ward Cummings, stage carpenter;
Frank Jandrew, r. M. Cummings, E
Engle. Thomas Mcqueen and s. J.
lazona. The last Ave are stage
hands ana ecene ehifters.
There have been numerous reports
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