The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1905-01-07

oct the seat ana cOulo not leuye nef
there. All could see were the backs
Of the people lighting like mad NJ the
doors. The flames seemed 10 be every.
where. and when saw where | was
got sick. Then reached Lester. re-
member dragging her up the aisle.
Through the smoke saw a door where
the crowd was not very big. We got
through between the seats. They were
hot and burned us | fell down when
we got outside"
Eddie Toy leading comedian In "Mr.
Bluebeard." said OF the tire horror:
/ tried 20 get passes for my whole
family 10 the matinee at the Iroquols
on Wednesday, Dec 80. 1903. The
house was sold ont, but they promised
10 save some seats II possible took
my boy Bryan with me and left Mrs.
Foy with the others at the hotel.
thought maybe the management would
send over "A few seats for them.
/ was on IN the first net and saw that
OF the great crowd-thore must have
been ., loo persons IN the house nearly
NIL were young people or children.
was IN my dressing room preparing 90
go on In the elephant speciality In the
second act when | heard noise. |
thought there was fight on the stage
and, remembering my boy. took him
from his seat IN a box on TO the stage.
BY that time. ten seconds, the whole
top Of the stage was mass OF whirl-
Ing flame. | took my boy in my arms
and ran 10 the stage door. People were
lighting 10 get out OF there. Then
thought OF those crowds Of children In
the balcony and gallery. and | thought
TO myself. "Foy, you're very selfsh@
l thought or my own babies al home,
fearing one or two OF them might, after
all, hive come 10 the show. l threw
Bryan into the arms OF stage hand
and yelled 20 him. take out my boyl"
Then turned and ran back across the
stage and down 10 the front
looked into the balcony saw
those hundreds OF terror stricken chill.
dren. ! saw the flames sweeping across.
l thought again OF my babies, and
said TO myself You poor little ones!
There Is not one chance In a million for
you" Then | thought again OF Bryan.
Maybe the man had thrown him down
or been unable To get through the mass
at the door. half determined 20 run
back, but | went on 10 the front OF the
stage
l was desperately cool. / spoke slow
ly. / realized that 10 have any effect
on that panic stricken mass | had 10
speak slowly. God. how l wished for
an education then that could have
been able 20 hurl words al them and
stop theml l stood perfectly still.
Fire was falling all around me.
kept talking out OF the corner OF my
mouth TO the orchestra and swearing Mt
the stage hands. who had almost all
telling them 20 get down
that curtain. stu kept talking slow.
ly. talked slowly. as comedian does
when he's working up 10 n laugh. but
In half minute talking and acting
were usclcss-the whole thing was
afro Herbert Dillea, who had kept
on leading the orchestra. and that No.
Tie fat man at the fiddle were still
there when all the rest had fed. Dill
lea kept beating time. the fat man
kept adding.
| tried 10 talk once | thought the
rush would stop. The people on the
orchestra floor thinned out and some
stopped fighting. Everybody did the
BEST they could / blame no one. But
women 20 crazy az fire. They'll run |
straight into flames | saw them do a. |
looked up The asbcstus curtain was !
burning thought "Will | jump over
DE orchestra or try 10 get out az the |
jacky' | guess / went crazy about |
hat time. | remember jumping up aud !
away at the buttons that con.
ro the machinery hoping by luck |
night bring that curtain down. Then |
AN on out found all the Kids safe
II home