Show I The Iroquois Fiery Chain of Death eath Study of oC the Iroquois theater disaster Is II necessary to understand hl U I Imp hap happened After Ater comparing the tho statements of or I survivors who on the tho stage and In various parts part of ot the house of oC per persons sons who were werl at the doors on the tha out at tho time UIe antI and of oC firemen who ho entered the building while It I was Wil hurn tho arc lre found to bo ho these Tho matinee of oC Mr Ir Bluebeard was wasa a 1 Icene with which theater goers familiar and which a dK to the enjoy enjoyment ment of oC a 1 show sho namely a house sold out and with wih standing loom only The fhe splendid UI Jammed to the doors The Tho back bac of oC the main or ground floor was tilled with men me stand standIng Ing Tho ho places of vintage In tho bal bul balcony cony called In the east the tho dress cir ch circle chIc cle Ic were also crowded with wih persons standing The fhe gallery galery was Wa packed The Tho seating capacity of or the noblest I templo of ot In Chicago was waH In the parquet 24 2 box seats lealH m In Inthe Inthe the balcony with wih 16 box ox Feat 45 In the III told 1700 liO Hut lut fully Cully 2100 persons hod passed the doors About 30 men women and POO 0 dran were cre enjoying the beautiful scene In tho Palo Moonlight at nt All Al theater th Hoers goers have hao been bee In such audiences sat or 01 crowded I check by b death In Its I most ghostly ghastly form I When chlo social orga Dilations give HIo when grand bazars balls are held for tor which persons not nol In the theatrical business arc responsible It I Is usual to unload the tho burden burdel of or risk on the 11 department ger bod has hII seen Reel the lira company In thc tho Hide street on oc occasions when thousands of oC women and children were out Hut lut theatrical men are used to 10 th rl k which alarms others when they realize what a n crush they will have them to tho Ore fire department for tor relief releC from rom anxiety As IS this study of ot the Chicago o disaster will wi presently e a 1 lire Iro company nt tho stage ta o entrance would have re the death list to those trampled In tha th always possible panle Of OC course a request r from n a theatrical manager whose IhMe house hou e Is crowded c with children for a n company and ald n 1 pla pia platoon ton toon of or police polee would bo 0 regarded an no In ri cheeky f Tho first lut link In the chain of or Icum Blanco that Imprisoned hundred N persons In a I glided Iron oven was when I the tho house watt WM darkened for COI the thu moon loon light Ih ht song SOlg Whether r Ih ho next lel link was WU the spot light or ur the group tUp of ur aldum the moonbeams mot mat ter Anyway caused by b one fine or Ir the oth other cr er a n wisp of or Ilme appeared in II the th overhead Many in Ies 11 persons reading tho stories thought of or the tho Iles an 11 the H The lire Irl did not nol begin on tha tho singe but bu t over the stage It I holli be bl remembered that the scenery celery In 11 modern theaters Is let down and hauled haul d up and high above the door Is I the tho rigging rIK loft lort where landscapes and 1111 and canvas walls and uld curtains and gauzes await their cue cuel Tor l or a l few Cel heart beats bea tA only a 1 few of or the tho people on 01 tho stage FILI the th wisp of name The fhe audience observed Home Hore of at them falter In the tho song ald tha evolutions and ant look up to the tho moon They Were verc looking anxiously for Cor the stage taSe hands hun s In II thu Hies Ies to smother the lire Ih But like a devil tho yellow ellow wisp wip eluded tho the perhaps tream trell ling Ihu hands of oC the man 1111 dose closest t to it every old player tn tho I cast casl had seen seel such urh accidents moni of oC them never to tho audience moments tho people un UI the stage tried to go 10 mi on i the lalm escaped from the man mal in II the Ies overhead who wlm gave guIe It up and In those seconds WI the time when Iwo wo or three lire Ill men 1111 a line Ihlo of ot hose hoso would drowned the names lumes Panic there might have been heel but It would woul not havo been a n scampering In a white gold gohl oven oen Many have wondered how hol tho 3 0 people on the thc stage could cull every one CM escape COO GO of oC the audience ph lulled when It was 11 the stage that burning The reason was WIH that the tho was WIS overhead The proscenium wall 11 of oC the was feet high At this point thi chief actor Ictor In the tragedy wax nl that lie lend ml all theatrical men lel fear above ahoe anything n else llIe the lend panic The one ole thought of oC every ery bravo man connected with Mr II or the theater was 11 to stop the panic In their desperate zeal to pre prevent vent a they the another link In the red rIll chain of oC death for Cor hun Was Wil not tho house fireproof It perfectly safe lafe If I tho people would not trample each ench other to death The Tho ushers believed that the fire would bo bl extinguished At least lea l only the tie rigging loft really a 1 separate building would burn There Ther wore were plenty pent of o bold holl fellows on the to run a line lne of ur ho wal va no hose There Therl were plenty of IC ensor builds to turn tur on a sprinkler apparatus to tu deluge delu e the scenery but there was la no sprinkler Only the tho tried to hit hll thu 11 burning with a bund ado Ille Bomi lout lot their heads hend tome but hit tho e who 11 It were rc tilled with the zeal of holding the au IU tn panic The man lal who ran to tl give Ie a I lire Irl alarm turned turnell In II a n tor the not nol that It was too late Into for even evena a general alarm to brenk the chain ur disaster dl nut Hut the Ingrained training of ot the theatrical men I I to tu avoid nold panic to the thu alarm of fire engines el thundering tn the door to t avoid lold the Irl ht of IC rushing across the tho stage Inge undoubtedly held hack back thru Ore fire alarm The Tho lack oC IC on 01 the stage to roach ruch tho fire Ile WIH a IL circumstance that could coull not be ho Eddlo Foy Fn called for UI the lire curtain All they th rould do was to let down the asbestos shield and lice lee foi UI their lives IrI Hut alas Ilas that not one of ot the elec electricians elect t had the lH Inspiration to open Urn tl closed Io ed switches and give HIe the tho audience tl the boon of or friendly electric lights Tho fire curtain jammed i the play players IlIa ers and the stage staff gave way wa to their next Impulse of or saving the women and on the Mage Tho he audience jud JI t been leIll tho thought of oC every tery man behind tho footlights but bul the lire lre curtain WOH hopelessly stuck The fhe fact that every oler woman and ev every ery lr child many of oC them thel In the dress dres ing looms unconscious of ot danger I ninny of them In the tho lofty rooms from Crom which they thc could escape only by b the noiseless e tho fact that all Hot got out that thero ni olt prom was Im no lack of or gallant fellows elos behind tho foot Coot lights Ight The Iho lad lal who tho women WOIn down In the elevator from trl the tho fifth and III seventh tier of oC dressing ter Ion 1 I they said sahl was iw WI a I sheet sheH and trem tr bling he was n pitifully JI mul scared but tho l hid lut went after thorn t h 1 A scared boy I Iwho who cnn can do ra that Ii h a 1 her If IC somebody only thought to turn tum on the lights tn II tho house housel i Meantime the great Hrent audience which had been hold In II check by h tho appeals from Crol tho stage slatted for tho heie whelo It tt 1 tho daylight In the tho grand foyer COI Not only were many persons thinking of oC the tho warning to keep kl ep cool and avoid I old a panic but the fact that tho flames licked the tho In lur in arch high up reassured them ther it Jt I Ilku the man In 11 a I hold who cell relieved when h n h he sees eel that t hlL t tiro tre li h on 01 the tho foor above him not below helow him hll The many exits Hut But Porno them ther were draped with cur lUI curtains for rOl beautys sake In II Urn tho gloom that tha t was WI horribly with wih tho yellow ellow of the tho 1110 that seemed to under the aich and nt look at Its 18 mockery mocker the emergency exits exit became n The h efforts of or the th theater attaches to stop were heroic but bu t foolish like thi sentinel who stood his post at Pompeii while en engulfed 11 gulfed him Koine of oC them refused to open the emergency exits They The knew knol that In III case of oC lire on the taie n a strong draught would louM be he the tho death of or orni nil ni They Ih hold holl the doors and down Walt until tho fro curtain IH II sent At this moment of or the tho oC a I of circumstances perhaps ten tell minutes had elapsed from the tho time the wisp lISI of or Hume escaped from the men In the 11 Hies over the stage The people were rl excited struggling gling but bUl the of oC fear hat not lot yet et fallen alel upon them In tho doors to tho big white foyer rorer tho thC unborn and one ulle or two policemen fought savagely with the to hold It back Tha ho row IW of swinging doors was not opened Now 01 cornea lomes tho worst of or It I nil all Tho balcony and III gallery Kaller 11 lelo not fifty feet from tho burning who previous to this time tle had hurried down tho stairs to tha forer escaped e Hut Jut tho hugest number re 1 the tw Injunction against pan panic ic I and waiting for CO thu tho lights to bi turned tUrell up UI remained In II their seats Tho fhe sucked b falp by a draught gome sOle say Sl from the tho open some HOllie say A the ventilators In III the dome now leaped I from under tho partly part red tire lr curtain upon tho women arid 11 the tho children In 11 the ll balcony and allt the gallery Instantly the was on them and the rush In III th gloom and the thc of nC the lire WI the Inevitable catastrophe of or tho human cataract on 01 the t hI stairs In u IL few CO sec seconds ollis the tho 1111 exits of or both hoth the thc balcony and nd tho th gallery a 10 n ele nil with vUth unfortunates whoso who bodies ulc two living and dying from which those still behind recoiled tho falling of ot tho mass of or burning scenery to tho stage sta shot out OUI what hat seemed nn ni ava avalanche lanche of ot by b tho Iho mur murderous mi derous heat and Ind burned by I sparks those who ho were cut off or by II the human barricade sought other exits They hunted for Cor thu tho doors coors that thul led to tho tiro lra HK threefoot doom were thero theo opening upon six threefoot Iron Iroll stairs on the of oC the th building These Thoe doors door were wert hasped or they the what tho were WIO Is not clear and for Cor a n while women aull children were piled up In a I suffocating mass At t least I one of or the doors was wal nl n by b men mOi from Crom the who mounted the lire IN escapes l The fhe rush of oC tho released victims hurl hurled ed ld tome ome of o them thel from the landings la 1 dl Others fell In from Crom the thc Cel a stream un UI ends of oC the The explosions lonA of oC gas J or tho thun thundering dering fall tul of or the mass of or scenery Reener drove cOe those who remained In II the til theater be he Hide themselves With the th reaching for them th l tho c who wIre were still trying tr to tu net get out Ot through the ground floor emer emergency Nn r gency exits rushed BO eo madly as to wedge o the doors Persons who ho outside saw i IOp cople wedged Immovably In the dor like the of oC an In atch They The got JOL out by hy spurts as fast Cast ns al the outsiders pullet 1 a I human keystone out of oC tho Jinn That Ta t was In III the parquet If 1 that happened nt the tho emergency exits on the street level It I was M un unspeakably WOW In II the threefoot lire Iro escapes of ot tho balcony balou and gallery gust gURl where of ot thc were licked by b the Una Inal By IW this time some ROle firemen Iremel hru W ac actually 1 I battled their way AY through tho thomad mad mob nt the main entrance with tho lire lre at ut Its 18 heels As the lat Ins lator of or the audience tn In the shot on out the Iremel went In In JI the light o otho or orthe the tho llames that rose roe from the tho stage and towered over I upon the tho gallery aier and bal balcony cony COI the tho firemen saw the tho shrilled re remains reo mains of oC that hat grand audience Imprison Imprisoned ed II between l twel the barricade of ot dead ni the thu main exits nd the barrier of bod bo boat ies at the tire Iro escapes Tho firemen i heard their cries for Cor Home were ere Jumping Into the tho parquet The fhe dropped tho hose hOI which they the about to direct the on 01 stage and managed God only known how hol holthe they the managed to run tun two or three lad nt dors to the gallery r and alli balcony and tako down n few Col blistered victims of oC mans man carelessness about man Hut BUt even en while the tho firemen In the deserted parquet were lighting to run more ladders to the Im victims their cries 9 censed am In only olly tho thump of or the fire tr engines am the th shouts of oC the crowd In tho the hiss of or water flames on tho Oi Mape Itne heard Paul Ii In Denver nener Post ost |