Lest We Forget: Chicago's Awful Theater Horror

CHAPTER XVII.
EFFECT OF THE FIRE NEAR AND FAR

Many of the members of the "Mr. Bluebeard, Jr.," company were arrested and retained as witnesses in the trial, on a charge of manslaughter, of Messrs. Davis and Powers, Building Commissioner Williams and the stage manager, electricians and carpenters especially concerned in the manipulation of the lights and curtains. On the Saturday night succeeding the fire Mayor Harrison closed all the theaters in the city, numbering thirty-seven, for a period of two weeks, or until a thorough investigation could be made as to whether they were complying with the city ordinances in every detail.

People with seat checks were turned away from the doors of the theaters. Even the fireproof Auditorium was not permitted to remain open, and Theodore Thomas and his musicians returned to their homes without playing.

Theatrical people in the dressing-rooms of the theaters took off their makeup and left. Ushers turned out the lights and the managers locked the doors. It was a condition without precedent in any large city of this or any other country – every public place of theatrical amusement closed by command, as the result of a great disaster.

And not only did the terrible calamity close every theater in Chicago, but it sent the city authorities, fire inspectors, aldermen and all, scurrying through the city, examining the big department stores and their means of escape for their thousands of employees. The alarm and inspection also extended to the public schools of the city. Nor was the awful upheaval felt with startling force only at home, but like an earthquake its vibrations reached distant cities and countries. The monarchs of Europe, with the great public men of America, sent words of sympathy over the throbbing wires, those which came from Emperor William being:

"Neues Palais, Dec. 31. – To the President of the United States: Aghast at the terrible news of the catastrophe that has befallen the citizens of Chicago the empress and myself wish to convey to you how deeply we feel for the American people who have been so cruelly visited in this week of joy. Please convey expression of our sincerest sympathy to the city of Chicago. Many thanks for your kind letter. In coming years may Providence shield you and America from harm and such accidents.

"Wilhelm I. R."

Within a few days there was abundant evidence that profound sympathy had given place, in all the large cities of the world, to practical endeavors to avert like calamities.

NEW YORK THEATERS AND SCHOOLS

As his first official act, Nicholas J. Hayes, who on New Year's became fire commissioner of New York, ordered an investigation of all the theaters of that city. He declared that he intended to ascertain whether the New York playhouses were so constructed and equipped as to safeguard human life in case of fire or panic.

"The protection of human life is the first and most important duty of the fire commissioner," said Mr. Hayes. "In this work no one shall hinder me from doing my full duty."

In each battalion district where a theater was located the new fire commissioner designated a competent assistant foreman as theater inspector and provided for weekly inspection of theaters. These inspectors were under the supervision of a general theater inspector. One of the tests at once applied by Commissioner Hayes was to have the inspector pour gasoline on the asbestos curtain and then apply fire. Several houses were at once closed, as the curtains failed to stand the test.

City Superintendent of Schools Maxwell, of New York, also issued special fire instructions to the district superintendents and principals of schools, whom he directed to perfect fire drills and the rapid dismissal of school children under their care.

CRUSADE IN PITTSBURG

The Pittsburg department of public safety immediately began a crusade against the violation of the ordinances regarding theater construction and equipment. Managers were compelled to arrange their fire escapes, curtains and apparatus so that everything worked with facility. At the Nixon theater, at the close of a performance, the people were rapidly dismissed after a fire alarm, and ushered out into the alley exits and down fire escapes in two and one-half minutes. Other theaters were put through similar drills.

WASHINGTON THEATER OWNERS ARRESTED

Warrants were issued for the arrest of the proprietors of three of the seven Washington theaters. Failure to comply with building regulations in making improvements resulted in the withholding of the license of one theater. The two other proprietors were arrested for failure to provide proper exit lights, fire escapes and stage stairways.

MASSACHUSETTS THEATERS INVESTIGATED

As a result of the fire Chief Rufus R. Wade, of the Massachusetts state police, at once issued orders for his inspectors to make immediate and thorough inspection of every theater in the commonwealth outside of Boston. The statutes give no jurisdiction over Boston, but his orders meant that more than 100 theaters under his supervision would receive immediate attention.

The Chicago theater horror caused such a decreased attendance at Boston theaters as to mean comparatively empty houses for some time afterward. Huge areas of vacant seats were to be observed and the crowds at theater exits at 10:45 were prominent for their absence.

ACTION IN MILWAUKEE

Spurred to action by the theater horror in Chicago, the city officials of Milwaukee, Wis., closed four theaters. The orders to darken the houses followed an investigation by the chief of the fire department. In the Academy and the Bijou, popular-priced houses, and in the two vaudeville houses, the Star and the Crystal, the chief found the "fire" curtains were made of thin canvas.

PRECAUTIONS AT ST. LOUIS

In St. Louis the commissioner of public buildings and the chief of the fire department served notice on theater managers that the provisions of the city ordinances designed to prevent fire and panic must be rigidly carried out. A new ordinance revising the building laws was at once laid before the city council. One of its new features insists on a metal skylight or fire vent over the stage. This vent must be so constructed as to open instantly and automatically. Fire Chief Swingle sent notice to the managers that all aisles must be kept cleared.

ORDERS AFFECTING OMAHA THEATERS

Building Inspector Withnell ordered several radical changes in theaters and large department stores as a result of the fire. All the theaters were required to increase their exit facilities, and one theater was ordered to put in additional aisles and remove 150 rear seats in the parquet circle and balconies, which would interfere with a free exit in case of panic. Asbestos curtains were ordered into use at all the theaters.

EFFECT ABROAD

The news of the awful calamity shocked the great cities of Europe beyond expression, and its discussion excluded even such large agitating questions as the Eastern – possible war between Japan and Russia, which might involve the entire Old World. The so-called American colonies of London, Paris and Berlin were especially shocked, many members of whom sought for news of friends and relatives who might be among the list of dead or injured. As the complete list could not be cabled for several days thereafter their suspense was, in many cases, unbearable, and scores took the first steamers for America.

HORROR FELT IN LONDON

Upon the receipt of the first news all local and foreign topics of interest were forgotten in London in the universal horror over the tragedy. The extra editions of the newspapers giving the latest details were eagerly bought up and newspaper placards bore in flaring type the announcement of further news from Chicago. The flags over the American steamship offices were half-masted.

The accounts of the deadly panic were read by the English people with peculiar sympathy and horror, for the pantomime season was at its height and the London theaters were daily packed with women and children.

Yet certainly the first night after the news was generally known, which was Thursday, no appreciable effect was felt on the attendance of most of the London theaters. The usual number were waiting in line at the Drury Lane box office early in the evening. The vaudeville had "house full" boards prominently displayed. Still another playhouse in the Strand showed only a slight falling off in attendance, but when the actual list of dead, injured and missing was received by cable and posted in the newspaper offices, hotels and other public places, there was a very marked decrease in the number of theater goers. Later still came the detailed information called for by the fire committee of the London county council, which indicated that the Chicago theater offered better chances of escape than a number of houses in the very heart of London. This was the first step toward a thorough overhauling of the theaters of the world's metropolis.

LONDON THEATER PRECAUTIONS

With the story of the horror upon the pale lips of all, there was at the same time, in the minds of many of the theater goers of London, a feeling that the regulations of the lord chamberlain and the London county council reduced to a minimum the possibility of the occurrence of a similar tragedy in their midst. Nevertheless theatrical men of experience agree that, after all, the most elaborate precautions may be taken, and when the crucial moment arrives they may prove of not the slightest value.

PRESENT RULES FOR LONDON THEATERS

On the programme of every theater in London is printed the following extract from rules made by the lord chamberlain:

"The name of the actual responsible manager of the theater must be printed on every playbill. The public can leave the theater at the end of the performance by all exit entrance doors, which must open outward.

"Where there is a fireproof screen to the proscenium opening it must be lowered at least once during every performance, to insure it being in proper working order.

"All gangways, passages and staircases must be kept free from chairs or any other obstructions."

To guard against the possibility of a person in a moment of fright jumping from a balcony, the London county council insists on a brass railing being fixed on the tier in front of the upper circle.

CURTAIN OFTEN TESTED

His Majesty's Theater is one of the largest and best equipped theaters in London. The precautions taken there may be mentioned as representative of what many London theater managers do to protect their patrons. A big iron asbestos curtain is worked by a lever in the "prop" corner on the prompter's side. The curtain is lowered just after the audience has been seated, before the play begins, not only to test it, but to give the audience confidence. Thursday night following the Iroquois fire Beerbohm Tree, the proprietor, ordered the curtain to be lowered twice, the second time after the first act, and this will be done in the future.

CLOSE WATCH FOR FIRE

Two firemen belonging to the fire department, but paid by the theater, come on duty at 7 o'clock. Every light or naked torch carried on the stage it is their duty to watch. It is the custom here, as at all theaters, to keep blankets dripping wet hanging at certain points all round the stage. Cutting-away apparatus and buckets are kept in the flies.

"I have never heard of a great theater fire," said Mr. Dana, acting manager, "where trouble has been caused by flames in the front of the house. The exits in London theaters must be direct to the streets, not false exits, as I am afraid is too often the case in America. Nevertheless, when all is done, the fact remains that no one has ever invented a patent for stopping a panic."

TREE TELLS OF RUSE

"It is certainly the most terrible tragedy I ever heard of," said Mr. Tree, the proprietor. "It is quite easy at times to prevent a panic from the stage by a little presence of mind. I was playing once in Belfast when suddenly behind a transparency I saw a reddish blaze and guessed it was a fire, but went quietly on until a convenient pause. Then I announced to the audience that something was out of order and the curtain would descend quietly and remain down a few minutes. I assured them there was absolutely no danger. The curtain descended amid applause, and while the band played the fire was quickly smothered. The curtain rose and the play went on without a soul leaving the house.

"It is quite possible at such a time for a person to hypnotize an audience. In all cases of theater disasters it has been the panic, not the fire, that has caused the big loss of life.

"It is probable if the audience had known where the exits were the Iroquois theater might have been cleared in two minutes. I think that every night uniformed attendants should be stationed in all theaters, whose duty it should be to call out 'This way out' when the audience is leaving. I am surprised there appeared to be no outside balconies with stairways, as is the case in most American theaters, which is an advantage which we have not got here."

FORTUNE FOR SAFETY

Sidney Smith, business manager of the Drury Lane theater, where "Mr. Bluebeard, Jr.," was produced two years ago, said: "The kernel of the whole matter is that human beings will be human beings. There is no possible provision against a panic. Our theater is the only isolated one in London."

W. C. ZIMMERMAN ON EUROPEAN THEATERS

W. Carbys Zimmerman, of Chicago, the well-known architect, sailed for America on the Saturday succeeding the fire, with his wife, in a state of intense anxiety as to whether his children had been caught in the Iroquois disaster.

Mr. Zimmerman had just completed a tour of inspection of the theaters of Vienna, Paris and London. "My work in London," he said, "was interfered with by the appalling news from Chicago. I had seen only a few theaters here when I heard of the Iroquois fire. After that I had no heart to make further investigation. My observation leads me to think the Vienna theaters the safest in Europe. Many of them are quite detached from other buildings. They are splendidly furnished with exits and fire-fighting appliances. The theaters of Paris, except the best ones, are extremely dangerous.

"From what I saw in London I judge that fire in many theaters would result in great loss of life. The passages are often so narrow that two people can scarcely pass. The managers naturally put a rosy face on the matter. They pretend that the Chicago fire has not reduced their bookings, but intelligent observers know better. Immense improvements are certain to be effected in London theaters in the immediate future.

"Every theater should be isolated from other structures. It should have exits all round and these should be used regularly. There should be no emergency exits whatever. The fireproof curtain should be used constantly in place of the ordinary drop curtain. All passages should be straight and wide and all scenery noncombustible. Lastly, professional fire fighters should be properly posted throughout the performance. Europe recognizes that amateur firemen are useless in a crisis."

THE EFFECT ON GAY PARIS

Thousands of Parisians, both French and Americans, including all those who had friends and relatives in Chicago, eagerly scanned the list of the dead and injured in the Iroquois disaster, as it was posted at the newspaper offices and distributed throughout the hotels and public places in the city. This step greatly relieved the anxiety of many of the American colony, while at the same time it confirmed the fears of those whose friends or acquaintances were caught in the fire.

The theater managers complained at once that the Chicago catastrophe had a most damaging effect on receipts. All the popular matinees were comparatively deserted and the children's New Year pantomimes were complete failures. Cool heads pointed out that the Parisian theaters, as a rule, are better equipped against fire than those of Chicago, but without effect. The lesson of terror had seized the public.

UPHEAVAL OF BERLIN THEATER WORLD

The Berlin evening papers of the fateful day expressed horror and sympathy over the Chicago catastrophe, comparing the details with those of the Vienna and Paris theater fires. The fire department of the city announced that it would immediately make a fresh study of the protective arrangements of the local theaters, so as to prevent, if possible, a disaster similar to the one at Chicago.

Directors of all the Berlin theaters were promptly summoned to police headquarters and apprised of the kaiser's demand that fire protection be made more adequate. The directors of many houses came before their audiences and publicly stated their intention to install the new facilities ordered by the kaiser. These precautions included the lowering of the iron curtain five minutes before each performance and during the intermissions; an increase in the number of firemen on and off the stage, and illuminated exit signs, incapable of extinguishment by smoke or flame. Before each performance the firemen were also to make minute inspection of the building and furnish a formal report that all was right before the curtain was raised.

The greatest bomb, however, cast into the theater world of Berlin was Emperor Wilhelm's order summarily closing the Royal Opera House until certain alterations, necessary for protection from fire and possible panic, were made. The kaiser's action attracted the attention of the whole community, which concluded that if the largest and best-equipped playhouse in Prussia was unsafe many minor establishments must be positively dangerous. Berlin, without doubt, contained a dozen music halls and other places of amusement where a fire panic would be deadly, and they followed the fate of the Royal Opera House and were closed until safeguards approved by the proper authorities were provided. In the future proprietors of Berlin theaters will also station special policemen in their houses for the sole purpose of controlling audiences in case of fire, or panic, or both. Thus did the Chicago tragedy profoundly affect one of the great theater centers of the world.

MR. SHAVER ON BERLIN THEATERS

Cornelius H. Shaver, president of the Railroad News Company of Chicago, who was in Berlin at the time of the fire, said: "Many of the theaters in Germany strike me as firetraps. Several Berliners assure me that the ushers are the only ones sure of escaping with their lives from at least three of their best houses. The auditoriums in many German theaters are 150 feet back from the street and to reach them one must journey through a labyrinth of courts, corridors and sudden turnings. In the interior the precautions against fire are excellent, including iron curtains, automatic sprinklers and squads of city firemen; but German theaters and hotels are lacking in so essential an equipment as outside fire escapes."

VIENNA RECALLS A HORROR OF ITS OWN

The catastrophe at Chicago aroused the most painful interest and the utmost sympathy everywhere in Austria, the Viennese having a keen recollection of the disaster at the Ring theater in 1881, when 875 people lost their lives. Intense anxiety prevailed in the American colony, as many doctors and musical students who form the bulk of the colony come from the Middle West of the United States.

Herr Lueger, the burgomaster of Vienna, sent a cable message to Mayor Harrison, expressing sympathy and deep condolence over the terrible catastrophe.

THE NETHERLANDS AND SCANDINAVIA

Upon receipt of definite news of the Iroquois theater disaster the theaters and music halls in The Hague were overhauled by the authorities. Amsterdam and Rotterdam demanded strict enforcement of the regulations against fire and new legislation looking to that end was at once put in force.

In Copenhagen, Stockholm and Christiania the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian licensing authorities for public amusements caused a rigid inspection to be made of all playhouses with a view to better safeguards against fire, and that inspection is still progressing and will doubtless bear good results as in other European centers.

Enough has been said to indicate that virtually the entire hemisphere of the West has been stirred to practical action by the terrible calamity which this book records. It is not within the range of human possibility that theaters can be made absolutely perfect, any more than other human institutions, nor is it possible that the awful lesson furnished by the Iroquois theater disaster will have been forgotten before substantial improvements are made in the amusement houses of the world for the present and future protection of human life.