The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1904-01-07
MANY THEAIERS C0yDE EMNEp.
Chicago Officials Trying to Avoid
Future Disasters.

Chicago, Special.-Mayor Carter II.
Harrison Friday took steps to pro-
vide az far as possible against repe-
tition OF Wednesdays horror at the
Iroquois Theatre AS a result OF an
investigation made at his orders and
lasting but a few hours, 19 theatres
and museums we're closed, some OF
them being among the leading and
most popular play houses OF the city.
The act of the mayor was based on a
single violation Of the ordinances
which are intended to protect the pa
irons of the theatres from just such
an occurrence as that which cost SO
many lives On Wednesday. This was
that every one of these places had
omitted to supply an asbestos curtain.
The theatres ordered closed are:
Howards, Alhambra. Avenue, Bijou,
Chicago Opera House, Columbus
Stock, Thirty-first Street, Criterion,
Fiegenbaum's, Milwaukee Avenue,
Garrick & Glickman's. In addition
to these the London Globe Museum
and the Clark Street Museum were
also compelled to close their doors.
The Chicago Opera House and the
Olympic Theatre are vaudeville
houses of the highest class and prob
ably do as much as business in point
OF numbers as any one OF the theatres
in the city at single performances.
They give, however, a matinee every
day in the week, and it is seldom that
seats can be obtained for any per-
formance after the time of opening.
In addition to this they have been
accustomed to selling large numbers
of tickets for standing room, and as
general thing more people are within
these places of amusement at an av
erage performance than can be found
at any other playhouse in the city.
The Garrick Theatre, which was or
dered closed, is small playhouse on
the northwest side OF the city and
should not be confounded with the
larger theatre of the same name situ-
ated on Randolph street, one block
west Of the Iroquois.
The inspection ordered by the may
or was carried out by Building Com
missioner Williams and Chief of Po-
lice O'Neill. The scope of the inves-
tigation included no other feature
than asbestos curtains. The mayor
instructed Commissioner Williams to
report to him promptly at the con-
clusion of his investigation, declaring
that it was his intention that no thea
tre should be allowed to open its
doors in Chicago hereafter unless it
was provided with an asbestos cur
tain of standard quality that would
work at all times and under all con-
ditiOns.
1T may not be possible" said May
or HARRISON, Ito prevent loss of life
when audiences rush for the door
ways, but l have determined to see
that every precaution is taken to pre-
vent such occurrences as will alarm
the people and start them on a rush
for the exits 1t is all very we'll to
say that the loss of life in the Iro-
quois was due to the fact that the
people lost their heads and crowded
into the doorways and aisles, like
maniacs, but the fact remains, and
it cannot be denied, that there would
in this theatre, which, judged by all
equipped playhouse in the city, had
been in proper working condition.
There is no getting beyond that fact.
From all the evidence now in hand
it is clear that if the asbestos cur
tdlIl III lIllS liedIIO udu Dccu III luc
condition it should have been there
would have been no loss of life, COM
paratively speaking"
The report of Building Commission
er Williams showed that the Academy
of Music, with = seating capacity Of
1000, had a curtain of burlap; the AL
hambra, with a seating capacity Of
1900, the Avenue 600. the Bijou 1900,
Clark Street Museum 270. Criterion
1,4OO, Fiegenbaum's 400, Howard's
900, Marlowe 1900, New American l.
400, all had curtains of linen. The
curtain in the Chicago Opera House
was of burlap covered with fire proof
paint. In the Columbus Stock Thea
tre, and in Sam T. Jacks it was Of
canvas. The Olympic, with a seating
capacity of 1000, has a curtain of
canvas.
There were other glaring defects,'
said Commissioner Williams, (which
were noticed in some Of the houses,
but We were not paying particular
attention to them, although l noted
them and the theatrical managers will
be compelled to remedy them as soon
as possible"