Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-05
A RIGID ORDER
Closes Almost Every Public
Hall in Chicago.
Churches and Ledge Rooms Only
Places Left Free for Use.
hncthor Death Brings Theatre Dead
List Up to ESQ.

Chicago, Jan. 4.--As IL result Of the
iT"Cuo:s theatre fire ana fa!iic in
r.hi' 4 800 persons Lost their livos.
i:li!,iinl; Commissioner Williams, to-
night, issued an ord, closing All the
rr'D T. halls. dance halls. and all SINH
lll' place. Of public asscmbla~c UNTIL
"n Inspection has shown that thcy are
CON: lying wiki I'll rroVi:iuls q: the
building ordinance. AZ the theatres
nay" already been ciostG. This leaves
Chicago churches ana lodge halls alone
crnn fo.' public gatherings
As there arc upwards Of 800 halls IL
Chicago. ranging in sizn from IL use
th:,t will accommodate - persons to
TICS with Il seating capacity Of $50.
mss orier ill affect r.0bnhly as many
i'rs"i$ us the theatre closing order.
Protests; Were ral1p""us. hut the build
i'm ,ai:1,.l!saiorer wa; ir.icxlhl2
AZ. Williams was advised. tonight or
tn election o. Joseph D0i.ney. y coll
tractor ;;nd Il trustee OF the board Of
"'!i,: tion ana Formerly building COM
rlisSiorc". rs chairman o. u JOINT COM
,oit; " ;eiat I'd 1T Mayor IIarrisrn's re-
quest ny the vdrinus architects. an
luiijors associations. to inspcc; all
th.atr,s.
It u"s pointed ont t. the building
c"n n'issinncrs, to.ny. rs indicating
tia, thn lTotuo5 theatre Wa4 otan"d
i.erm@turcly. that the $1,000 bonds Sled
WIKI the street department ~ the. Full
~. Constru' ton 60. On April 70. to
@;..i.rt, use CT The street. ana to insure
Tho city against damage to the frontage
~ ini IN, 4
i','.i, med.
Mayor Harrison and seven aldermen.
who have been appoint ted members %
IL" city council committee to control
Hesitation in relation to theatres, met.
this Afternoon, with theatre manag gers
every playhouse excepting the Great
Northern hcnI:r represented.
The managers asked If they could
not c3cf their houses and sell seat.; on
The lower floor only, but it was de-
c'arcl that al the places must remain
Closed until The ordinance requirement
had been fully met.
This afternoon. attorneys for :hc ?ilc
department secured from five witnesses
oorroboTation Of the charges that 4
Hrncfing crew o. the Fuller ConstrjIc-
ton Co had destroyed tho stage Sky
lights on tho day after the disaster
Witacses VINO appeared before Fire
Inspector FuIkerson. To-Day, testified
that the sl;ylights over the stage were
fastened down frcm the roof and were
opened the un- aft"r the holocaust
when the property was in the hands
or Tho corCncr Fire Inspector :'ull.er-
son made personal investigation Of
the roof vents and upon resuming he
Investigation declared that all he Rad
seen on The roof Of the playhouse con-
i;iGed the statements of the witness.
Mr. I'ulkcrSOn minated that ne
might take action against Superintend-
cnt Jones, who. it is alleged. was in
charge Of the wrecling crew.
Little result followed the examina-
ton by the fire inspector Of seven men
Of the GOui2Ic octette. which was on i,
tho stage when the fire broke out. !
we kept on singing and dancing and 4
did not even know that there was q :
fire until the sparks fell on the stage :
and two girls fainted.'' said William
%trcck. 1T is the rule Of the stage that
we are fined if we turn our faces for an
instant from the audience. All know I,
is that we stuck to our work until we +
had 10 run for our lives.
Stracli's story was corroborated by /
the other six men.
The police arrested George Duscnber-
~. today. chief usher of the theatre on
I charge CT nans!aughter. Dusenberry
declares that he tried to hold back The
rush Of the spectators and helpM to
save 80 women from the jammed font
exits. He is held to furnish evidence
on the statements made by many peo-
pie in the theatre that the ushers clos
ed the doors and that they at first re- |
fused to let people pass out. !
Coroner 'frGcEcr Is lGnI1ing for the
chief scrubwo.Iap Of the theatre, who,