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There were three stages in the impact of the Iroquois Theater fire. The
first and most severe stage obviously was death, injury, and grieving
experienced by thousands of victims and their families. Most of this website is
focused on that stage. This page will attempt a summary of the other two
stages:
Stage 2 — The safety assessment of theaters and other structures where
large gatherings were held, conducted with the most intensity in Chicago
but taking place in cities around the world and in churches, schools,
hospitals, and stores, the question asked again and again: Could
the Iroquois happen again?
Stage 3 — A shift in attitudes about the public's right to safety,
resulting in lasting changes to statutes and safety. (Am postponing that one for the moment.)
While Chicago buried its dead, other Chicago Theaters continued to operate as usual. * Politicians on the city council formed a committee to draft the new theater ordinance they' had delayed for weeks before the fire. Given their failed prior performance, and correctly accessing that they would not do better now, Mayor Harrison put their feet to the fire by ordering the police department to close thirty-five Chicago theaters, as well as
300 dance and meeting halls that did not comply with the city's city's existing ordinances. Seventeen theaters were closed on on January 1, 1904, because
their fire curtains did not comply with the old theater ordinance, and
eighteen more were closed on January 2, 1904 for a variety of
code violations.
As a result, an estimated 3,000 theatrical
performers and workers were suddenly put out of work. Traveling companies such as The Bostonians who had been performing Serenade, were able to resume their road schedule but Chicago-based performers dealt with food and shelter
problems in a bitterly cold Chicago winter. Mr. Bluebeard cast members detained while awaiting questioning in the coroner's inquest found their clothing and
personal possessions locked up by landlords who confiscated
their trunks pending payment of lodging
fees. Benefit performances were held to raise money to help performers and a few theaters dispensed a week of pay to their performers and stage crews;
others made small loans to the most desperate. Philanthropists such as Lola Armour donated funds to help the performers. Unemployment benefits were thirty-one years off.
Violations and Chicago theater closings first week of January, 1904:
(Note
that in 1909 the street numbers were changed for
many of the theaters listed below.)
Theater
Location
Seating capacity
Violations
Date closed
Academy of Music
83 S. Halstead
1,950
Burlap curtain
(In Jan 1904 installed Installed the city's first steel curtain after the disaster. Made of corrugated sheet steel 1/25" thick, weighing 3,000 lbs, riveted onto steel bars. Cost $400; lowering time: eight seconds.)
1/1/1904
Alhambra Theater
1920 State
2,275
Linen curtain
1/1/1904
Auditorium Theater
Corner Wabash & Congress
4,579
Noncompliant flue
No sprinklers
Exit diagram not posted
1/2/1904
Avenue Theater
6327 Halstead
613
Linen curtain (30 buckets of water
on stage + two 2-inch hose reels)
1/1/1904
Bijou Theater
Halsted & Jackson
1,268
Linen curtain with fireproof paint
1/1/1904
Bush Temple Theater
249 Chicago
989
Faced on only two streets
No sprinklers
Insufficient qty fire extinguishers
No firemen on stage
1/2/1904
Calumet Theater
9605 S. Chicago
1,082
Not reported. Managed by John Conners.
1/2/1904
Chicago Opera House
Clark & Washington
1,600
Burlap curtain w/fireproof paint
Combustible fly galleys & loft
No sprinklers
Faces only two streets
1/1/1904
Clark Street Dime Museum
150 Clark
271
Linen curtain
1/1/1904
Cleveland Theater
875
Not reported
1/2/1904
Columbus Theater
Wabash
1,268
Not reported
1/2/1904
Columbus Stock Co.
77 31st
1,142
Burlap curtain
1/1/1904
Criterion Theater
272 Sedgwick
1,401
Linen curtain
1/1/1904
Felgenbaum's Metropolitan
56 Desplaines
400
Linen curtain
1/1/1904
Garrick Theater
Managed by C. A. Bird
575 Milwaukee
953
Faces only 2 streets
No sprinklers
Woodwork and scenery paint not fireproof
1/1/1904
Glickman's Theater
56 Desplaines
1,898
Canvas curtain
1/1/1904
Grand Opera Theater (closed voluntarily)
87 Clark
1,540
Faces only 2 streets
Rails & stairs combustible
No sprinklers
Structure not fireproof
1/2/1904
Great Northern Theater
20 Quincy
1,314
No sprinklers
Only 2 street facings
1/2/1904
Haymarket Theater
167 W. Madison
1,900
Only 2 street facings
No asbestos curtain
No sprinklers
Fly loft combustible
1/2/1904
Hopkins Theater
337 State
1,477
Not reported
1/2/1904
Howard Theater
Lincoln & Belmont
874
Linen curtain
1/1/1904
Illinois Theater†
20 Jackson
1,400
No sprinklers
1/2/1904
La Salle Theater
137 Madison
862
Only 2 street facings
Above ground floor
Combustible rigging & scenery
No sprinklers
1/2/1904
London Globe Dime Museum
317 State
175
Linen curtain
1/1/1904
Masonic Temple Theater
19th floor
Masonic Temple
608
Twentieth floor
No sprinklers
1/2/1904
McVicker's Theater
78-84 Madison
1,758
Combustible rails & stairs
No sprinklers
Structure not fireproof
1/2/1904
New American Theater
Kinzie & N. Clark
1,357
Linen curtain
1/1/1904
New Marlowe Theater
Stewart & 63rd
1,323
Linen curtain
(By 1/20/04 it was determined Calumet needed a steel curtain, sprinklers stage and scenery fireproofing, and reduce its gallery seats by fifty-five seats, at an estimated cost of $5,000.)
1/1/1904
Olympic Theater
51 Clark
1,500
No asbestos curtain
No sprinklers
Only 1 street facing
Combustible stage, rigging & woodwork
1/1/1904
Peoples Institute lecture hall/church‡ (managed by Millie W. Nelson who said her employees would rather burn than starve)
Leavitt & Van Buren
1,716
Not reported
1/2/1904
Powers Theater
149 Randolph
1,134
Structure not fireproof
No sprinklers
Railings & stairs combustible
1/2/1904
Sam T. Jack's Theater
83 Madison
988
Burlap curtain
1/1/1904
Studebaker Theater
203 Michigan
1,600
No sprinklers
1/2/1904
Trocadero Theater
294 State
957
Not reported
1/2/1904
* Charles B. Draper, manager of the Chicago Opera House was quoted, "We shall not close the theater. There is no reason why we should. It was a horrible affair, but one of those things which seemingly are impossible to avoid, even with every precaution." Note the list above for problems soon revealed at his theater.
† The Illinois Theater was on the 1/1/1904 list for
closings, but manager Will J. Davis, also manager of
the Iroquois, persuaded building commissioner George
Williams to test the Illinois fire curtain. The
curtain did not ignite after two tests so the
Illinois was removed from the list. Ever the
narcissist, Davis whined that his theater being on
the list constituted persecution. It was returned to
the closing list the following day. (Go
George!)
‡ A fire originating in the dressing rooms at
Peoples Theater six months prior to the Iroquois fire caused
$25,000 in damages, primarily to costumes.
Chicago Cleveland
Theater ordinance problems
Chicago mayor Carter
Harrison Jr. among Iroquois Theater arrestees
Chicago aldermen on fire
Other discussions you might find interesting
irqothertheaters Irqindustrysafety
Story 2892
A note about sourcing. When this
project began, I failed to anticipate the day might come when a
more scholarly approach would be called for. When my
mistake was recognized I faced a decision: go back and spend years creating source lists for every page, or go
forward and try to cover more of the people and circumstances
involved in the disaster. Were I twenty years younger, I'd
have gone back, but in recognition that this project will end when I do, I chose to go forward.
These pages will provide enough information, it is hoped, to
provide subsequent researchers with additional information.
I would like to
hear from you if you have additional info about an Iroquois victim, or find an error,
and you're invited to visit the
comments page to share stories and observations about the Iroquois Theater fire.
