PRICE FIVE CENTS.
"VOLUME XCV— XO. 32.
FALSE EXITS IN IROQUOIS THEATER
PLUNGE AUDIENCE INTO DEATH TRAP
Identified Dea'd.--485
Unidentified Dead 97
Injured y-180
Grand Total 762
GRIM RECORD
OF CHICAGO'S
CATASTROPHE
9 hoT.-n to be cf -aabMtcs. altfcw«h" tfca'
examln?r rron&unred It cf ? low srad?.
; ¦:fnh«y.- v/antcd a . cheap ¦ cortaja iaad -
they cot t V an ir.cautuaw eirrts re r
•fllJMfiwa^:H«jfriw Inttaatlrhtaattls^
• f>y '4 etmtot ? U»« :*memtjfi«iof Bih* rca»*^
pany. v.bo a'Wcd that -tfcpy <Ud .net
I yeUYt, tbf dlscdw the mitter ;jloa«WttVt
M,th>r-Iiaa k 5Ud-o»/ft>|iplsrtn9;j1^«Q9»^
tain to th« theater and the» Mtud
of , ; . the > law. , ; The investigation : of /the'
flre-;w^n^be^thbrbuBhVl/ ; \yb^wIHAieave
ho stone unturned in our efforts to flx"
the respdnslliility.". -• . '
The Cororier'a Jury Is as'-fbiibws':^ L^
H. Meyerv^ secretary of th« Kennedy
Furniture. .Company; .Petertr'Byrries,'
salesman "for: Lyoii & Healy ; Walter
Clingmapi- iBalesman - for " the : Tpbey.
FurnUiire';cbmpaiiy : Joseph; A^Oum-'
jni nK-s,' mitnnRer of, BrpwniniT, Klnft % ;
Co. ;; .Gebrjce W. Atklhs;fcr<?ait mhr^Uei
ManhalK Field & Co.: J ohn.-'WfZMmii
'salcpjnah:'ffliri:A. \ H. ; Reveti*»/«C«^M.;
¦•Cdrbner^ Trphger.;to-night/<ipnc1udcd'
an inforn^- inquiry lhtb^th^^au^.gt^
sentatii^^lpi^would;'' listen ;- to : all
the ¦ :^U<n^0r§p^^ingl the^flroi: wid
return 'a* sinKlevi-.*e^tt;'fdr^ : ;all^th'e
vi«Ums, Coronejr;f^!Treager.'.. to-day
prpriiptly^ e"mpa.n«iwi>")rijury- NaUbnal
Kr publican :'l(9nitsfttceninn Graeme
St«W»rt, memlH^of the firm of. Wlll
iam. H. Hoy t
\\CM told by tJ»» ".cntoner that the death;
Of rJHbyt's daughfljt, .; Mrs. : F.\ Morton
Fc.X,- and her;thrftV ; childrea would.-tie
taken fas' :a-- bajatitov; thevinvestigationi;
¦'¦: "If. Bny^peiMni:f^iresp«fth*M»ie tor
tU!» flre." raid .CorVjev Trmumii "they
%rlll be prosecuted to ibrfttlkat. extent
•Conaa^lpmP^;lii:Ci^§^M
Gprpnerjs : Jury Be^ih? Its Inquiry Inrto ; the
y Cause of the Holocaust.; 7 V:S
Xiti^jUycerine Is.; Used - toCBma:'
¦'•,¦ Strons Boxe#, but a rirm Lc^o»
v:;>'-.^";iV.^l^Ue.'3lbneTi'> ! ;.-^";^'^^
: ;^ ; LOS Decv;^tli-rtii^
crackers ? last - night entered
bf.t.he,Uclm;BottUnff.-TVork3.and.b!«w
open two safes, using nitro r Rlycer*&&
to -ad the; worfc^MottSpf
f unda had . been banked the preyfoua
evcnJns and ths craclMMen wcured
but & tri flirt*, sum. The safes, however,
were /badly v^teclccd.: 'one? .;of *:> theei
I *lr.x literally • b!o«rn to '. pieces. Tho
police'.-; 2ikv&'' Co clue ta th« perpe-
SAFE ;'CRACKERS^»EKntOr is« ?ri-
PROPERTY IN ; TIIE SOtTTH
ftrs^O the Board o* Public Works, the Bonnl of Fire' Commission- i
";¦• | rrs. the. Board of Police Commissioners, (lie Chief of the Fire j
X department and the Chief of .Police.: of the City and County j
/;y : \ ' ot San Francisco: ¦:,:'.-¦ .' ! j. - ¦'- '¦ ... ¦¦¦¦'.'¦.¦¦¦¦'¦¦¦-•':. ¦- ; ;.-:' . . 'A
. . . Gentlemen: TJic nnpallinz disaster tvhirh has- just come updn !
.the city or 'Chicago, the. frightful loss of life which" lias Tcstiltert
from the Iroquois Theater fire, appeals to us all to take. every prc
caution; in our po^vcr to prevent the possibility of n .similar fatality
'¦ hem : :V:^,>i.;v-. : ;-vf •::-¦'; '¦¦ '¦'¦. ;: ; ¦•¦;¦¦".'.;¦ O'.v"- ¦•-"¦ '- : '-.- : . :•¦.'.'• ; ':--¦.-; ,v; ¦••¦:;,¦¦.;.•'
; ¦ Care and attention now may avoid regret and sorrow hereafter.' -
' I therefore orgently 'request you nnd eacb ot you at once to in- 'V
snect and examine all ; our local tlieators and p'inecs.'of amiisc'mcnt,
. causing each to comply strictly avIUi A the : proVisIon^yOf our. existing ;
building ordbioncc Bovenilnc theaters iind other ivjers of amuse
ment.andralso^tb tcpart; to me immediately hnyilanscrons drfeot-
or^nnsafc 'construction or comlltlons which may exist nnd any. .
departure from the t»rdlnant^;'and'regulM ¦ force,, to- '
gcjlw \Wlth/a^
deem It. proper to make/ to Improve or render them more safe. V; ;
S-U : A i^t^ire^>onsmuy^l^npohr.tw
: iwty vnohe;of .w "eTer^fee'Valled upon to reproach, one another for'^"*
r «PT.r«Bch^^ caiiunliy: aV;h»sTjast brought grief nml mourning to our "
li&&z*&*ii%&*:&- : --'-\ : W^:- v ' : '" : ' E« K- SCHMITZ, Stnyor. " ; -
¦-¦• ' j>eccmbCT. ; 31,'..19O3. -'-'j-:'-} ••.- . • ;;¦;¦::.¦-¦ .. : - •¦ ..; /:¦ '•••?.-' ¦. '
WILL INSPECT THEATERS
•that ..theaterc.jbfi'v.teQUlp.ived .,- with : -. flrc
FIRK) A LA ipi^USEI^SS.
.vVThere/ was ' ro sprinkler system Vln
tb'e-!theater.|but;the ; nrtylslon"abr>ut.th.»
Iron? doors : madeTlt-^tinnccessary; for the
th"cater ; to:haveUh;e;m/:* : -.''.' , . ¦ • • . ;
..The.best evidence. at present obtain- '|
able: Is- that: the ' fire • was ..by
sparks from an arc light striking. 1 ; the
edge of the' drop curtain, but this has
not. been proved.' There are so many,
statements "as. to the cause at present
and they differ so '¦ widely that it is im
possible, toascertaii\ v thc exact truth..
. .Although' the : IrVjquols Theater was as;
safe as any theater in CJhicago,-. it be
came evident to-day .that .the.; city
building department had not strictly
enforced > one or... two : sections .of the
building ordinances.
.William Curran, :' a building inspector,
wan In the , theater a j few moments ' b«- ¦
fore? the':^catastrophe ". and- went; axviiy. .
sayhiK-Hhat eveo'thlngiwas ..In-: good :
condition. :4H« reported this? fact v thisVi
morninsii;to;.Deputy Building Cpmmisi
sloner Stanhope. ... The deputy; com r
mlpsloner. this, morning, in .'company
with; 'Inspectors Laughlln. Dalton^ and.
Jjenz. ; went ; to ,t he theater, to :make an
lnspectloh.-v.On his .return to the City i
Hall hiefsald: ,>. ,-'; ' - -• '; : ." V;.
« "Thejtheaterr and . its management
wcrc.::strlctly • the lawv)- 1 shall'
; riot Vpq'- into :'rtetailfl ;untii j; iiave^com*
pleted^my.; report^; vr^v.-.vviv '0^-':* i. ¦¦:¦:]¦'¦
.; Section 1E5 of- the :loeal buildins; f.rdi r *
hahee provides : buildings of ftikl
class t«> which' thclrpijupls ¦ *rjj ieato'r"; be ?;
Iqns^; there. shairb>%^sy«Jetti';bf -aiutpii
niatlc^;sprinklers. '¦- Th*f«-jti'«!re'' no - suqh<
sprinklers;, In * the^roquipl^Theater.' and-
Stanhope, .\whenC this: wap called ft) -hi* 1
attentionTsaid:: '> . . - ¦•'¦: ;-<:i!
sl6h;tb6k\piace^A'7number;p'f-':'persons
left I theirs seats ; Jaftef/'seelrig;. the.:; blaze
.when jpyeftaken-byi rthe ¦ frightened 'ruyh
•of those, ;they;;haii ; Ief^behindi^ehii^O
;;¦ iiiss; Ann^;Woi)dwartli- 'who ;'-sa't-.in-the.
second halcony, to-day' said:
.; ;: ':ivnlainJy:sawYtHeiflre.::.I;aml : iVIarge.
womanirwelghing • close -tbilSO: pounds;
anil ;I made up my -mind .if there.was to
be -a- panic" it would; be: wise Xafime. to
beat it • to :the^8treet; t;i lot t ; niy; iseatiiii
!the:''.baIcony^:!.Syent>vdowKv:th'e.? stairs N*to;
balcony and:from ; ,th'e"re.atarted
to »irt8s;;piit through the.' very ;dbor.' : .In
which so. •' many persons were .killed^ a
few minutes later. The door; was closed,
and a man-jitandinir on" the outside: re-;
fused to open It for me. Whether" he
.Svaaah employe" of 'the .theater L do hot
¦know,, but he evidently had determined
•that no .biie : should leave? the theater
and'lh so. ddihe- start a panic. I was
leaving quietly up to this time. \ but
when he "re'fuae'd .to allow me to pass
out peaceably I determined to get out
if I had; to make all sorts of noise.- I
went alone the balcony about teni. :'eet
¦to a glass.- partition • and siriashetV Jt
Svlth the point of my umbrella. ¦> I. whht
down the stairs. When about half-w»\y
down I heard the roar of the crowd as
It came after me. arid I hurried with,
air the" speeii I had. They overtook nie,
however, and knocked , me . dowu;\ "and
but. for the fact that I was 'close to the
door I -think my : chance of life .would
have been almost nothing. As It \vas.' I
think I ' must'.have walked the last ten
feet-of > my -passage, to the exit ..on. the
bodies of those, who had fallen." . '"¦
' BUIIiDIXG LAW /VIOLATED; ¦¦: •
u Alderman Frie3tedt-;dec!ared :tmCCm'
tbe second balcpnyXth«re -was nbt's^f
ileient: room ¦ whenv.th« ; ;«tcats : were;idoWn
to allow. M$y one'itblw|lkvte'twegn:'ttH>frt^
f'i'v\idef'nietf-^^huilyTand;«Aldorman;Con«.
¦ O£ &^X 8^1 wt^XOft Ct£iRH^9(&S^* -* *iIXC Cits Wtf Ffi
I r*; Aldernia n Jones then .remarked that
| the ordinance required: all exits to be
» marked. '.•¦¦;••.•' .¦: ; -/.;>:-v: : ; '< '.^ ; .-t.- ¦¦"¦ ¦¦ /.; :: ¦
i ."That will be looked into,". Stanhope
j.said. . '•Remember, . however, --that - the
|r lights were but. and that many of the
j peoplft; were kUIed In thfelr, seats." ,
[•; .; Po.intlng ,to-the .diagram of the thea
! ter.'.AldermahiHerman satd;-:
; :** Here. is i a passagewoy ' oh. the' igputh
side of :the-5rst : balcony which looks as
{ thoughit leads- to the- stairway, but in
the d ar kh ess; peopl e B'cra mblcd through
It and w*re"causht" like rats in a trap.
They could, -not' get? either- way. -The
cpnfuslpn of esits was. such that no one
could flrid his 'way In 'the, dark. If those
thing? arc .regarded as exits .1 do not
know .what constitutes an exit that
would be 6f;any use.!' V. :.;.:: : . : ¦ :
Stanhope told the Aldermen; that he
ha'd made an inspection of the building
and that It was good. :: V:^ .^ - : v
v "You : cannot convince nie,'*^ declared
Alderman .Herman, - "If you talk for a
hundred years, S that people: could- get
out of -tKat place. ; lido. not care what
they call the exits— they did hot work.
{ there-were, not enough of them open and
thepeople could not art out. These plans
show aisles at tho end of the first floor,
but we were over .there- and saw the
>?ats run bang up against the railing,
leaving no aisle: at- ; iaH.i;>NoTv; ".what I
| .want „ to know, is: I»Id . these •people,^ in
[building, this '.theater".'llve r lup:' to "the
plans they submittedvtp the City Build-
Iok \ Department ? • Here .there • «e>«m t&
be ample, exits on papar. bat a nombjr
;0f^frieh&:^f:nlne:^t^1»dl3r'iJM^b;ea
Wfaj*^ the.nrVt 'iSow^they;*goV.o\xV,"..saia'
;Stanhope. .. :; ':-<¦%¦£}££';) .' '¦, >:*" '¦':'&¦$
% : :*My v friends were ion/ the first flopiv
but* they' received burns . r on, their Backs
•Just:j the; same, 1 ;V; «M .-Alderman^ flcr*
man. ' ..-;V-;/fcv .'t-ZV?&
•'.••'The ;Iroquois has fii-e alarm connec
tions.. : I did .not see .the box. but that
isrny .Information." /.:/'?:• ; .-. •• '-.
:\. Cit>^ Electrician Hylahd said: ..:..¦ .
had.hb'flre alarm con
nection: with; the city; fire- alarm sys
tem:^; No application is on file for any
such;; connection." :,>:.: '¦/¦¦^^:.:-. /.';'• ¦ •- ¦•; • .-.
q'The alarm of fire. was turned in from
a i box.more..thana naif block, from the
theater. -.-- .v.-^:-:A; ¦:¦¦¦':•¦. '
la wv providesj that^there "•shall be
aXyehtilatiriff. shaft- at'the; rear .end of
the stage; to conduct jiflamea and .smoke
a\yay-froni;the ; ':audlto'rium'in Just' such
eniergehclesv as: arose-; yesterday. 1 -A: The
Iroquois possessed ho Isuch-* ventilating
shaft:- ¦ • -' • •'.'.-' •.•••¦¦ ..
the \ theater \ and : returned . to : the -City
Hall and caliedjuponAthei building de
partment. They; asked to see the plans
of . the theater, and Stanhope produced
them.
>Hq>y; about sprinklera??. demanded
Alderhian iories; ' ' " ' _•_• ¦ .; ";'••"¦> •>¦ - :; .•¦• ' '.
: "Th<»\ way t: th> theater' ia i 'buiit r they:
can b*»" lof t tout." Stanhope replied.
"And. -.anyway. . the flames - spread s>6
rapidly, that no sprinkler system >wrould
have : availed any thing." ¦¦.» : y - :; ¦••.-? J ; . ; .-;.
•?¦.': FAIiSE- teXITS- QX>FAEER.
WhUe *. thf ? crowds ; of ; anxious seek
*t*J- tor :.tteiws beslefcd Z, the d iff erent
• ' .-<.r&iM>. the telegraph and- long- dis
:iinee;teTephbne^offlcc8 <»-ere • almost
liwemi^J>y:»^fl6iffdVof;to>j B irlng mes
cart*.:*c* H«peafer;^i>py« for. u»e tele
n^tii- erKi<u;!fii v,tr* en the k<» all
4ay.v«Ba i ,|O*fttt*t:;tlio ; terrific rush of
tlggtCCfiivyatylrtn|^flO.V Private wjres
»jf^^;-8|to^JE^cfta^©;«^-J3fltard of
TdXnRAPH TS KEPT BUSV.
.Mr*..B. .1^. 8toddard.br- Minosk. III..
l*y..*U niornlns at a hotf J, in a. seml
conec!ou« condition. jrrievlnff\ over the
Itm* of h*r.- daughter/ and . 'so*. :- : Mr*.
Sto4«S«rd purChBs».«d tickets for herself,
dauirMer and:son for the matinee' but
later j brrxms: indisposed and dU-ixot
altfnd the .performance. Her Ron ac3
daughter vest) and both were burned
to <leath. Mr*. - Stoddard returned to
her home thfs afternoon,; takinar %«Ith
hrr the bodies of her children. A\ •
Frcm iarly in the morning uhtft. lite
at r.rrht crew<l» bcslc k< d the undertak
er rootcii and;: hospitals looking- for
dead and injered.. . r«.l!remen were" de
tailed .at all places trhr>r«> the dead aod
*rMre4 had been carried to restrain
i',« mil'iuj men and women,- who
urerted la at the doorways and. ln
fiuiced for lost frtendc and relatives. '•
In all the uncertaWnjc rooms bodies'
were placed as far as possible, on cots.
Arti. v?rh*n these . wrre exhausted, the
bsifliMi were stretched -In long lines un
the: floor, and «T constant succession of
. ¦ . ' f-f act d men . «nd > tearful women
: ,*red slowly bsttreen the bodies, tlf t
:rjc the coverings from the burned and
bruited' fates, and searching; In the
clelMtUB.cf the dead for something by
*hJfb;. their lost ones' could be recog
b!m!/";. 1» : many v. inrtanees women
faints *rfe»ttv lifting, the Bheet^ftom
ssn-d* : face ;n wh!(A they recornhwd
thA'titttfr? tit. .«;aead.chlld^^; :•¦"••:•¦•.'- -.
LOSES HER TWO CHXIiWlEN.
To-day . Freer, made inqulrien of the
police and "-'.-spent .: ; hftjrs examining
Dodles in- niorRues. Many of the
•corpses bore/R.rcsfcmblance to his wife
and daughter and 'more were clothed in
dresses Fimllar to those "tor which he
was looking, but after Investigating
i very; clew and 'xaminins - every body
in every me ri;uc ht» rcturn"4 to a hotel
to-night heartbroken and.ln'-despalr of
2cdfns his famliy. . ¦¦¦¦: ¦ •• ¦" -. / "\
C ICAGO. Dec. SI.— On every train
which arrived in Chicago to-day came
relatives of persons who are thought
to have been killed or injured in th-»
fire. The lobbies of the downtown
hotels were scenes of many happy
meetings, as well as of anxious in
quiries on the part of fathers, mothers
and more distant relatives of. persons
of whom no trace could be • found.
Many of these strangers returned to
the hotels late in the evening^ .after
either a fruitless search or 'after, find
ing in a charred and disfigured body
lying in a morgue all that remained -of
the relative or friend, for'. whom: they
had searched., - : •:''^ : v. .¦:.'¦' ¦'¦¦¦'
F. A. Fretr. postmaster of Oaiesburg;
111., arrives to.<lay ; .in:-, response
to a telegram -. • saying :
wife and dtttghter ;.v."-'- we're'. r - amonp
the missing. .V ¦. Mrs. .Freen ¦•.•¦' and
Miss Freer came.to Chicago on Wed
nesday morning txprt-sslj' to attend
the play at th* Xrb^jois .Theater. - Since
their arrival In Chicago Freer has had
no news of them..:.- ,\ •.. .' ¦ .
Crowds of Stricken
Relatives Throng
Morgues.
Chicago,Stunned by Playhouse Horror, Takes
Prompt Steps to Place the Blame and
Prevent Future Catastrophes.
! -fiiThere ';:\ya8^ahirnated • • to
tiaj*' ampn|f|{.flreihfth,;- employes , of '« the
; theater ;ns>(«j 'the cause
\i6tjt h e nrjS^AccQUnts differed! to-day - as
r^iaely;as"«jiey^iyo^Jed^ast^night.^The.|
7 peppTe .lire a' ,Un J tZIn%declar;
j« JneUnTl^thp.'nreiS ta'r ted if tvl th ' an fexplo
1-this i'thtf J' ' aje; tlatly , cont ra:-*
• Mprea of : perti<)hn iri^theTaiidl^
-ih^iftinf*
VrcevJn'f nlAtg the edge of the.carttin
.Including the dead, missing 'and- in
jured, the total number, of ; casualties
is approximately 1000. .">."•; ¦
".vTherc: were abotft, 2500 Rp'eetators and
actors In'ithe ; t heater! at the'tlme pf v thp
flrc. v :&iri; : the* excitement . fallowing ; t.he
calamity ..:. many; persons were? reported
mlBslni;.:.>ho have; since -/returned ' to
•the.fr. homes. * No report -bf>.thei^e returns
;ha.8' iJeeh made to the- ypllccV^ahd; their
'hanibsi'stlll swell the Hst.of^hcirnlsslhj.'
When % the^noineB/ ot^ the dead ;. who are
8tllls.; : td : ,be •;; idenUfled ": ; bave>; b'e'eii;'sub
tracted ; 'f r«mith«?; ; llstv of the : riil*slhff ' it
Is probable: that t H c • extent of; the ;-catos-;
trophe will^ifully^r^vdaletKjv:;: \ ;;; ?: ¦::'¦
[ Th<V )ipi 'of.- dond''o<mtinue«,:os.it'w^iV
Styon {last* night,' in ;the neighborhood
of 600.- A widely accepted estimate is 564
dead. This, number will be. 'increased, as
.there a re persons In hospitals who;\vill
die/ ltisbelievdd." however, .that, the
total number. of - dead- will not 'exceed
C00.-,: Vv ¦"¦¦¦^.¦¦::.. :^--'v..- ' ¦/.-;.;,; ;:•;¦.;.: v:. {
; .tlK r : : sQconil'tinie-v^hi6afi;o-; has
bf>»:n :'»ttrto.kcn • tn th<s ;hV.irt.v_. Not only
have ihaqy.' .*>f • h»f sohh 'sinVi'-daiighte.rs
met ;0catli- *H- a .variety ¦ 6f jhorribleainl
tortuiri nis'iioxm^- but c tlic~bi6^ Ii'as f alu;
eh ' sis i heavily; on^ fitrhnisers within ;Ker
'gates; • .^Thpr/??is^hay(lly- a :; village
town; ".iivitMn'/avraflius of ; .i0ti .imilcB^of
ChlPaR'oV-wliose.'ipeonle are', not;4Jtectlr
or indirectly ."interJ&isleir Jn the piles, of
dead.-or-'iji- the)" liijiirefl •which fill ;thc
hospitals, or. in ; th<» fato "of "thqae who
are ¦''inlssinp'.^i probably J deadi'!; .likely
¦biirned \hr, trant^letl beyond- recbghition.
'Cities far distant in America :. ; are
.mourners : and'., sympathy, his . -comb
;frnrn-iieross-tha'.nea!?.:: ¦¦:¦..¦ : /:;:.¦:¦;** }
MOUHNlNCi INv^IAXV; CITIES.
Ordinarily on vNev.-. Tear's. .^evCi/ the
streets ar? filler? ;mcrry-mak*er.V,
but: to-night the -only Uhrongs.TAv.ere
thoi-e nr«,ujj^5ho. morgues.',-; 'prdlria;
rlJy • fr-shumablV restauraritsvare ifllled
with Hght-heftrtcd '•revelers. V who ; •toast
the- year, that paBsesranfl r'hail>;the year
thai.comesr: To-nlgh't- those" plftces >yere
dopirtcd. 1 . while. :••• in ' »btn»;:' ;; 'dopr* : were
looked and curtains'-dfawhVH"! ¦ ; v ¦ f :
¦• CHICAGO. Dec'.' 31.^F ; or, the ¦-.¦first
time sincfi .Chic-agoXhas. possessed. ;bel!s
to-peal. : xhistles?to .shriek;': and^horns
to; blow, ;'. the old '¦. yea r / ; was; : ajlbweil,
silehtiy; : to : v take .Its ;iSa<;e^ih^hlst6ry ;
and .the New Year !>«• rm itted : V .t6. coma
with no evldcnve of joy at :: its?vbirthi
AH Chicago mourned for ..the) <»Wr perr|'
sons who.' died -yesterdayj- ia^ihe vflr?^
panic and suffocation at-.the- Ivoiiuois
Theater. •¦ ;
in an oRldal proclamatiorvV'issueil
this afternoon' lia yor Carter = Harrison
suggested that the usual New Year's
eve celebratioti -be omitted; Tlie : idea
found ready response in; the. hearts' of
the .people, and the Mayor's • woroa
seemed only to jjive utterance ';• tOv'geif
oral desire; ¦¦%'-':S : - "¦ - : . '•..;:'. ¦'^¦¦¦r-i ¦':
The calamity • of. ;thpjlrdquola.TheJater
has caot Chicago jnt(i glooftv
to-duy was ' aerfornii'-d WHh -a view to
necessity. -' '¦¦¦ '¦'[' -¦'.. "\ . '; '' : ' ¦'•.¦'.•'.'¦ -; : ¦'':'i-'C':''' : i
TYPICAL HOm»I^S£E^ FIRE, STATESMAN WHO HASTAKEN.THE LEAD
IM.THK KES<;n;Mdt^IxiTHi?^ftE5P.bNSlI3lLlf V ~.\2ii> SAN FRANCISCO- FJRE CHIEF WHO WJI.L r{IX->
:\ f : >¦:-. \=< ; rX:.'£A'i 'ff "MitTp'ii^^C&K i ; i'S"i> : I'ftoCrJJtArAYidx-' con- tcxijA L I- '¦'. \ nuts ts. .
»-. -j* **\*ztf~J r * f i£-1!y r ~- ¦ **<¦** ,:¦¦¦¦'•-¦--•.-.' ¦-,'¦¦, ,..'.*
Thrilling Escapes and
Sad Incidents of
Disaster.
:; &-y£:-i?/>F. l*rqclaxnatlan. : : \ • .."•¦"¦
, ¦qmc AGO.' peel '31..— Following is the
text /-of aiplea; issued^ -by;; Mayor Harri
son: '
r^'On r ;.oach/ • recurring-; New iYeaW^ve
:ainpyanw-:Has\be'en\cauaeil"-\tqi\ttie;aIclc
and 'infirm- v by, •=? -the /^-indulgence -:•¦; vt
thoughtless person is > in no'l»y. ealebrn-.
tiohs bf ;the : passage -of. the old year.
The ; city -authorities have at ail times
discouraged : thia practice, v but : - now.-
Avheh^CKIcastt-.Ues. :In;the shadow of
thc'Sreatest .disaster- ln:.her ; h!»t6»y for
¦a generation; noise? .makfnc, whether by
bell?, whistle*, cannon," horns, or. any,
other means; is particularly objection
able..* -•¦.:¦:.• ¦¦:>x. .v;-v- : V" . : ;---^.'.;
'L\s Mayor of Chicago, X. would there
fore request all persons to refrain from
this indulgence, and ; I /would particu
larly ask all railway officials and . Hi
persons in control, of factories and rail; ',$
to their' employes sot to btow
whistles between the hours of 12 and 1
o'clock to-ntsht. ¦:'¦ 7J^'--* :i
' "CARTER H.HABRISO2?. Slayer^ '
¦In addition to this proclamation lliy
or Harrison to-night announcea tint ail
departments of the city would be. closed
on Saturday. January 2. on account of
the calamity of .the Iro<r«Jois Theater.
He made the request that alt business
houses throughout Chlea go also closa on
that day. making it a day of general
mourning^::- •: : -.- 7 :::v:-. ;: vv:;':^--:;;.,-.;.; ; :-' ; : : ; : :;
Y'suni i>lriis Prevented by this Mayor's
MLEXT, OX, N*E\V YEAIVS EVE.
:«J<5awir:an.who w»s killed. In, tha Iro
quoJn TJbeater, was a former resident
of ; thls city. His parents still live here,
residing at 727 Shotwell street.
Studley was born and reared in this
city. In the younger years of his life
he was a clerk. Later, in 1893. he
was assistant secretary of the Twen
tieth street branch of the Youns
Men's Christian Association. In 1895
Studley was transferred to the posi
tion of department secretary of the
Young . Men's Christian Association.
He was studying for the ministry
while holding these positions and in
1896 married the daughter of William
Wolff, a real estate man residing at
1059 Brush street, Oakland.
Two years ago he went to Chicasro.
Although a minister of the Methodist
faith he assumed the pastorship of
the All Strangers' Church in that city,
a non»sectarian house of worship. He
was still connected with that church
at th«*. time of- his death.
¦ • Keverend Mr. Studley was well
knoivn in religious circles in this city
an<* his death, so terrible and sudden.
came . as a great . shock to his ' many
friends here: -He leaves a father.
George W; Studley.. a printer: a moth
er, and a sister. Miss Ruby VT. Studley.
a. teacher.at th& Irvin* Institute. They
reside. at 727 Shotwell street.: v. •
Persinger, on receipt of the sad tid
ings, at once wired to Chicago, but
until a late hour last night had re
ceived no particulars. He will start
for the East this morning.
Reverend Wil'iam II. Stuclley, "the
F. M. Persinger, a merchant tailor
in the Phelan building, received a tel
egram at 8 o'clock yesterday morning
announcing the death of his wife and
10-year-old son in the Chicago theater
catastrophe. The message was sent
by his bortheY, H. R. Persinger, and
announced that both mother and 'son
were, without doubt, lost.
In 18 as Mrs. Persinger, her two
daughters, Irma and Gladys, and her
infant son left San Franci3co for Chi
cago. Miss Irma went for the pur
pose of cultivating her voice. Since
then the young lady has completed
her musical education and plans were
being made by which the family could
be reunited.
Mrs. F. M. Peasinger Is
Among the Dead
in Chicago.
San Franciscans Per
ish in the Theater
Holocaust.
CHICAGO, Dec.
31. — Coroner Trea
ger's inquiry into the
Iroquois Theater dis
aster has already be
gun. A jury com
posed of business
men, which visited the
charnel house this
evening, found that
the protection against
fire had been inade
quate. The fact that
bodies were piled ten
feet high before the
doors of minor exits
bears out the charge
made by survivors
that these doors were
locked. Some of the
exits led to false pas
sage ways from which
retreat was impossible.
LOCKED DOORS
BAR THE WAY
TO THE EXITS
Alcatm t »*Bla« - J •ana/"
I Col tf onifa— M Ax« Tern » UwBt"
O«3rt«a—^-Th* OalirhO'"
IlietaCi- "I- O. tT/»
Oxmad— rrt» Mtai*t«r> PCS."
Orpi«nm — Vmn&tvW*. *
Tt» Clwtw Taudrin*.
ttvoh Optra-atom * "Ixlon.*
Oolnmt^— - T£» Gtrt Witi tts.»
Oreen. Tre*."
MTMtiw •« AD Tieat«r» To
. Bar*. ¦
¦¦-¦ A. x \'
TSU WEATIIX.V
*', fBlWUK'
Forecart ma4« a* Saa Traja
cl*co for ttlrty hours «adlas* «4
miOalxltt J&nnuT 1> 1904:
Sxn Fncciico tad vicinity^—
Clonly rrlfiay. probably cloar
lar fluxing- til* day; light aortb
erly wlsdi, changing to west
erly. A. Q. McASXS.
Dlitrict roreoutar.
The San Francisco Call
SAN FRANCiSCO;g£Rl#AY, * JANUARY 1, " 1904;