Chicago's Awful Theater Horror

weight against the mass ahead. Not many died on the first floor, proof of

ost at this point, however, were rescued by the determined rush of th

adway, but some had to be forced opened. Only one door at the Randolph street

he fire broke out-by theater employes, according to one report, by the van of the f

in one or more instances, are declared by those who escaped to have been eith

erformers to get out. The aerialists owed their lives to the boy in charge of the fly elevator. They were aloft, in readiness for their fli

r doorway the stage loft collapsed an

flame rose and swished along the ceiling of the theater. Then this awful illumination also was swallowed up. None m

cture the light of life went out

enough to shorten pain. This at least was true of those who died in

, not packed in layers but jumbled and

om in the Northwestern University building (the old Tremont house)

. Out on the iron stairway came a man, pushed by a power behind, himself crazy with fear. He would have run do

THE FIREMEN UPON

ath was met showed how t

bodies had to be taken out together. A woman had thrown her arms around a

ttle form after form was brought out the tears ran down the faces of policemen, firemen and bystanders. S

hey fell beneath their taller companions. The flames reached them, but they were fa

d from the exits at the first balcony, the first to death and injury, the ones behind to comparative safety on the thick cushion of the bodies of those who prec

black, and in the gloom they could not be seen. They sav

theater, as at other theaters. A stage hand ran down the alley to South Water street and by word of mouth turned in a "st

irst and second balconies few if a

which hundreds of lives were sacrificed that the ve

ape that they tore away the iron railings of

heater were closed, the charred, torn, and blistered bodies were carried from the bu

ragments of human bodies we

s charred beyond recognition. Under pretense of serving as rescuers ghouls gaine

xits. In their fear the crowds forgot the many side exits, and rushed for the doors at which they h

in this manner were picked up from the m

t rush was made for the foyer entrance to the balconies

escaped by falling or being thrown down

hose behind them. There in the narrow aisle at the balcony e

the slanting aisles to the level aisles above, they fought their way. Those at the bottom of the

er control that the building could be entered. The firemen were forced to wor

LLERY

ough the locked door, smashed with his fist a glass transom and climbed through it. Three members of his family, who followed

hundreds of persons could have

trance to the gallery. Strong had been unable to secure seats and was standing in the rear of the gallery with his mother, Mrs. B

wn a short flight of steps, was a door. It was locked. In desperation I threw myself against it. I couldn't budge it. The

uldn't. The key was not there. I ran down a stairway to the floor below, where I found a carpenter. I asked him to give me something

lone, or with the assistance of the carpenter, I at last found myself at the bottom of the stairway opening i

IRACULOU

about and trampled upon and having her clothing torn from her she managed to climb over the seats and reach the street in safety. What few pieces of wearing apparel she had on at the time were in ribbons and a messen

NT FROM

en who were being entertained by Mrs. Rollin A. Keyes of Evanston, in honor of her young

nd in the galleries. It was about a quarter to 3 when one of the young women in the party asked Mrs. Keyes if she did not smell something burning and an instant afterward a great cloud of smoke spread across the stage and into the body of the house. Immedi

t in vain. Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Keyes commanded us to keep together by all means and just as we were leaving the boxes the theater became darkened, which, I suppose, was caused by the burning out of the electric light, and thus made our escape the harder. We plodded through the aisles until we came within about ten feet of the main entrance without encountering any violence f

floor escaped through them without serious injury. Miss Charlotte Plamondon, who was bruised about the face and hands, and I were the only on

of fire then spread to the draperies over the boxes. The people were wonderfully calm, it seemed to me, for so crucial a moment and it was not until the smoke filled the house that they became frantic and screamed for help. We could hardly br

irs point upward at the slowly moving line of flame. As the fire spread the people in the balcony and on the first floor arose to their feet as if to rush out of the place. Then Eddie Foy hurried to the front of the stage and commanded the people to be quiet, sa

hildren were present. I could see their faces filled with intere

ept for the one through which we entered the theater, were closed and apparently fastened. Up in the balcony

ople to be seated. But just then the shrill cry of a woman caused the women and

and the scene changed from mimicry to tragedy. A confused, rumbling noise filled the theater from the pit to the dome. I knew it was the sound of a thousand people preparing to leave the

before they could stir a step. They fell to the floor and I saw the men in the cast and the stage hands lift

ON AFTER

th three inspectors made a thorough exam

r were. The steel structure is not injured except that portion which supported the stage. The heat has twisted some of the supports but they can be replaced at little cost. Except the backs

NG HE

, Helen; Mrs. Greenwald of 536 Byron street and her young son Leroy. In the rush for the door Miss Verma caught her young sister's hand and pulled her o

ROW E

, Florence Marie, 5 years of age, and Barba

d up and saw the curtain ablaze. Then came the stampede. I picked up my children and ran toward the door. I was caught in the jam and it seemed that I would fail to reach it. Som

IFE IN

er rescue. A score or more suffered death on every side as she crept over the ladder. They were thrown aside and knocked down, but she clung to the ladder and escaped. She was taken to the Michael Reese hospi

as her husband, who at that moment was being ushered into the room. Their eyes m

AND UNCONSC

Miss Winifred Cardona. She was one of a party of four and wit

ked the audience to keep their seats, assuring them that the theater was thoroughly fireproof. We obeyed, but when we saw the seething mass behind struggling for the door we rushed from our seats. I became separated from the other girls and had not gone far before I stumbled over the pros

L'S MARVEL

Ruth, aged 7. Sister got almost to the door with both of them. Then Ruthie disappeared. She told me she knew the child must be safe, but I was like a maniac.

little girl no

ome to her mo

chestnut-haired girl who "w

RATIONS R

Wis., daughter of Benjamin Moore; Benjamin Moore, 72 years old, Chicago; Roland Mackay, 6 years old, Chicago, grandson of Mrs. Joseph Bezenek and great grandson of Benjamin Moore; Mrs. Benjamin Moore, 47 years old, wife of Benjamin Moore; Joseph Bezenek, 38 years old, West Superior, Wis., husband of Mrs. Bezenek and son

ND GRANDCHI

e. The daughters were Miss S. Eger, who was a teacher in the Mosely school; Mrs. Marion Rice, wife of A. Rice, and Mrs. Rose Bl

ues of the city the bodies were all ide