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