Chicago's Awful Theater Horror Part 35

Ruth Michel, school girl, 698 North Robey street, Chicago:

"I was sitting in the top balcony in the second row near the north or alley wall when the fire broke out. There were four in our party, all girls, and we reached our seats about five minutes before the performance began. The curtain went up for the second act and there was, I think, about twelve actresses on the stage. There was a green light thrown over the stage, to represent the moonlight, a greenish blue. I saw a man at the side of the stage making motions with his hands; I didn't know whether he was coming in at the wrong time or not, and then I saw a spark come from above the stage. Then a spark fell down, and one of the women in our party said, 'We will get out of here,' and a man rose and said he would knock our heads off if we got out, so we sat there. Then they tried to drop a curtain and it didn't come down very far.

"Then they dropped another curtain. It came down beyond the one that got stuck, came down all the way, I think. That one caught fire right away, even before it reached the stage. Then an awful draft came and it blew the flames right out over the audience. We got out of our seats, got out of an exit all right and went out on the fire escape. I got down two or three steps and we were driven back by the flames below us. The heat came up just like a furnace and I went up two or three steps and then I got under the railing and dropped to the alley. I lit on my toes and a man caught me at the same time, so I was not hurt. The distance was the same as from the fourth story window of the building across the alley. Men in the alley called to me not to jump, but I knew I had to jump or else burn up, because the flames were coming up so right behind me."

"I am only surprised that you escaped alive to tell of it," softly commented the coroner.

CHAPTER XX.

LACK OF FIRE SAFEGUARDS.

Examination of Robert E. Murray, engineer of the theater, and through that fact, the man in charge of its machinery and mechanical equipment, revealed in a startling way the absolute unpreparation for fire or emergency that characterized the palatial opera house. Coroner, jury and spectators alike were stirred by the confession of absolute disregard for life evinced by the management and the certainty that no thought had been given to the possibility of a fire.

The entire fire equipment of the Iroquois as described by Murray consisted of two kilfyre tubes on the stage and one below the stage; a two inch stand pipe on the stage, two under the stage, and one near the coatroom in the front of the house. Only one of these, that in the front of the house, was equipped with hose. The kilfyre tubes were two inches in diameter and eighteen inches long. Incidentally Murray said that the ferrule along the bottom of the "asbestos" curtain was of wood, and not iron.

Questions and answers touching on these conditions, as given under oath, follow:

Q. Do you know whether the employees of the theater were at any time instructed by anybody to use these kilfyres or hose in case of fire?

A. No, sir.

Q. Was there anything on the reel of hose in the coatroom to indicate what it was there for?

A. No, there was no sign on it.

Q. Was there anything there to tell you or anybody else how to use the hose in case of fire?

A. No, sir. The hose was on the reel and all you would have to do----

Q. Never mind what you would have to do. Was there anything there for anybody to know what to do?

A. No, sir.

The witness testified that when he reached the stage after attending to his engines, the "asbestos" curtain was caught part way down.

Q. No signs saying "Exits" or "This way out" or any-thing?

A. No, sir.

Q. Any fire alarm boxes that you know of in case of fire?

A. No, sir.

Q. No bells to ring in case of fire?

A. No.

Q. No appliance to call the fire department in case of fire?

A. No, not that I know of.

Q. What would you have to do in case of a fire, go out in the street for a fire alarm or fire box?

A. If I could not put it out I would run to the box or to the telephone.

Q. Do you know where the wires were that worked the ventilators, where they were located?

A. On the north side of the stage, on the proscenium wall.

Q. Who had charge of working them?

A. The people on the stage.

Q. What do you know about the skylights, how were they opened?

A. I never noticed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HARRY J. POWERS, One of the Theater Managers Arrested for Manslaughter.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MONROE FULKERSON, Attorney for the Fire Department.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: EDDIE FOY, Leading Actor, who told the audience to go out slowly.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SCENE ON THE STAGE WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. The star shows where the fire started.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: PROMENADE IN FRONT PART OF IROQUOIS THEATER.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: RELATIVES TRYING TO FIND THEIR DEAD.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: WAITING THEIR TURN TO GET INTO THE MORGUE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: POLICE MAKING LIST OF UNIDENTIFIED BODIES.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CARTING AWAY THE DEAD.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAIN EXIT FROM FIRST BALCONY, WHERE OCCURRED THE GREATEST LOSS OF LIFE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MANAGERS DAVIS AND POWERS GIVING $10,000 BONDS AFTER THEIR ARREST.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MISS MINNIE H. SCHAFFNER, 578 45TH PLACE, CHICAGO.

Miss Schaffner, 25 years of age, had been a teacher for a number of years, and at the time she met her death was connected with the Forrestville school. She attended the matinee with two friends, one of whom was among the victims.]