Show 4 H H o 1 1 f 11 H I H H BEAUTIFUL BIND AND ILL FATED IROQUOIS WM Was the tho Pride or of or of the elt Now PIa Play From Observations aco by a oP of tho Iho Staff Who Wn Was It at its Is Brilant Brilliant Five Pho Weaks Ado ABo A ret News representative who happened to be in Chicago about five weeks ago attend attended ed the opening of the Iroquois theater which was the most important event in Chicago theatricals in man many years The opening had bad long been eagerly anticipated and the public appetite WitS was only whetted by the several postponements of the event forced by the inability of the m to complete the intricate and expensive decorations When Nhen finally it was positively announced that the Iroquois would be bc christened by a performance of Mr next this he bc heling ling ing Monday there Was vas a frantic rush for lor seats scats and the resul result was the greatest crush audience that ever attended a theatrical performance in Chicago except in one ne house the Auditorium which has a much larger seating capacity Had the tragedy of yesterday afternoon been heen enacted at the opening performance the death list would have been very much ankh heavier The Iroquois was the pride ol of theatrical public No theater in New York ex cx celled i it in magnificence I It partook of the Mosaic French and Roman styles of architecture is its I exterior presenting a view front from the distance not unlike a huge cathedral But Dut inside the lobby which by the way was wa a as wide and as long as the width of Maui Main visitor might image imag ire ine himself in a pillared Roman temple In other parts the theater was Colonial in appearance but there was as always a harmony refreshing to the eye The furnishings and decorations of the Iroquois baffled description To walk through the place was in iii itself worth the price of a ticket I The l he strangest part of al all was the strong belef belief that t the Iroquois wih with its many exits was ties the sa safest lest of al all theaters theater has always had as is its motto do safest theater in the world and the boast ol of Will Wi J Davis that he would yet make Jacob Lit Litt proprietor of drag in that sign n I 1 people wih with Davis and Harry Powers own the Iroquois as wel well as the I II and Powers theaters two other Chicago houses fie he old adage that trouble rev nev rever 1 1 er conies comes singly was illustrated when only three the Illinois was forced to close on ac f cose count of Jerome Sykes d ath and directly on top of that comes the Iroquois horror it i t 3 i scents crude to menton mention the financial loss in the same breath it is also a curious fact that Klaw Klaty and Erlanger Eranger wn the two attractions which cosed chosen the two houses and doubtless have lost the Mr production which cost not less than I It consisted veritably of acres eres of X t scenery and costumes people beng being on an the stage in one scene Rather an interesting point has arisen among nong theatrical men regarding the responsibility I 1 for the Chicago disaster I It is stated in the dispatches that the Iroquois was in an y conditIon inasmuch as the fre fire escape ladders had not been iut in and that the platforms were E Enot not and therefore escape hy by wa of the usual means wader under such sch appalling conditions was entirely cut of off If the case doubtless there wi hill he be damage suits against 1 the of the theater for the terrible loss of le leThe life The 1 he interesting poInt paint among professional people at least is here The inc Iroquois was owned t jointly by Klaw Erlanger Nixon and Zimmerman Vili i J Davis anti and Harry Powers tlc the lt lat latter ter two holding only smal small parcels of stock slack I If the usual thing happens tle the wealthiest owners wi will be compelled to satisfy the ind and certainly Klaw and Erlanger wi will he have to bear the greatest buden burden I K Eo E means the syndicate which is g generally unpopular in theatrical cir circles er 1 des cles aie One visiting manager l declared toda today I breaks Kia and Erlanger absolutely I It 1 would he be just retribution for far the planner manner il hi which they have drawn the cinches on the rest or of the profession for the past 15 years 0 11 1 II l H l H H I Ht HH H H H H H Hf H IH J H HH H H I 11 r rt |