The Iroquois Theater Fire
By Editor
One of the saddest calamities in years occurred in Chicago on December 30, the burning of the Iroquois Theater, which was filled mostly with women and children. Five hundred and eighty-two persons are known to have lost their lives as a result of the conflagration, and a large number are missing. The fire started in the scenery on the stage, and in less than five minutes these lives were snuffed out, and hundreds of others were maimed or burned. This theater was supposed to be a fire-proof building, and a heavy asbestos curtain was so arranged as to drop between the stage and audience in case of fire. As often happens, when the emergency arose, the curtain did not work, and the fire from the stage swept out into the audience, climbed to the balconies, and drove the audience in a mad rush for the exits. Some of these were curtained so that the audience did not notice them. The fire escapes were not completed, and as some climbed out onto the platforms they were crowded off by those coming behind, and many fell to the ground below and were killed. Many were literally trodden to death, parts of their bodies being ground away under the feet of the frenzied multitude. In one of the passageways bodies were found piled ten feet high, burned and charred, or crushed by the weight above them. Perhaps the saddest part of the terrible affair was the crushing out of the lives of so many children. It was an afternoon matinee, which is usually attended most largely by women and children. The latter had no chance in the awful rush of their frightened elders, and their little lives were ground out in a moment. Chicago has received expressions of sympathy from all over the country, and from the rulers of some foreign countries. What a lesson to parents is this terrible catastrophe! The large donations of the year 1903 in the United States, by actual gift and by bequest, to charity, religious enterprises, educational institutions, libraries, etc., amounted to $76,934,978. These sums do not represent contributions to charity in a general sense, or church contributions, but only those individual donations and bequests which have been published as news announcements. Of the amount above stated $39,950,692 was given to educational institutions. Charity received $21,726,318, and $3,906,912 was given to religious purposes. Over twenty-one millions of this total amount was given by Mr. Andrew Carnegie, and the second largest contributor was Mr. J. D. Rockefeller. The latter's gifts were almost wholly for educational purposes. Charges that a large number of teachers in the public schools of New York are drawing two or three salaries from the city in direct violation of the city charter; that text-books are bought with reckless disregard of the city's interests; that text-books by new authors are bought, involving the purchase of a complete new supply without reason; that superintendents or principals have disposed of disused stocks of books in large quantities to second-hand dealers without turning over to the city any money from the sales; that janitors who have removed books by carloads have found it to their advantage to mention nothing of the facts,—all are supported by reports made by commissioner Owens to Mayor Low, following his investigation of the department of education. The investigation is only about half completed, and whether it will be aired to the bottom will rest with the incoming administration. This shows collusion between all concerned to rob the city, which was paying them for their services. It must have been going on for some time, and there is no reason to suppose New York is the only city in which such things are done. It is the intention of Congress to make another liberal contribution to the building up of the American navy, during the present session of Congress. Senator Hale, chairman of the committee on naval affairs, states that when the additions now contemplated have been made, the United States will have a more powerful navy than any other nation except Great Britain. Senator Hale's declaration that it is the settled policy to expand and enlarge the American navy on liberal lines, accords with the wishes of the President and the Secretary of the navy, and it is said that this attitude correctly represents the feelings of most of the influential leaders of both houses. The house committee has already begun its preparation of the naval bill. The annual estimates have been largely increased over what they were for last year. These estimates are for the regular establishment, and the increase was on account of new ships about to go into commission. The President and leaders in Congress believe that this policy is necessary "in view of America's new position as a world power." The world is still guessing at the question of whether Japan and Russia will go to war over their differences in regard to China and Korea. The air is full of rumors of war from that part of the world. Japan is maintaining a very firm attitude, and it is stated that if Russia refuses to make concessions, war is inevitable. We shall know in a few days the substance of Russia's reply, which Japan is now anxiously awaiting. Both powers are laying in supplies of provisions, ammunition, and implements of war. Japan has added to her fleet two new war vessels by purchase, has ordered large consignments of flour, and has established a strict censorship of the press. Russia is ordering large supplies of meat, and continues the sending of troops into Manchuria. The general consensus of opinion is that unless substantial concessions are made by Russia, there will be war. Pope Pius X. has taken a strong position against the long musical compositions that have been such a prominent part of the Catholic church service. He condemns the transforming of church services into concerts. His criticisms of this part of Catholic church services might as fittingly be applied to many of the Protestant churches that have followed Rome's leading in that matter. It is a great question, however, whether these will follow the pope's advice and curtail their musical programs. It has just come to light that a white missionary and eighteen of his followers have been killed by blacks in the interior of Liberia. The tribesman declared that they had no fight with the white man, but feared that if they did not kill him, he would bring his country to make war upon them. How essential that missionaries make it known that their mission is not national in any sense, that they are not the forerunners of aggressive and greedy nations. Pneumonia is now doing more deadly work in the city of New York than is the dread "white plague," consumption. The revised figures of the Health Department, just completed, show that there were 9,691 deaths from pneumonia in New York City during the past year. From the number of deaths, it is estimated that there must have been at least 64,600 cases of that disease in that city alone. Consumption stands second in the record of mortality. In the little republic of Santo Domingo three factions are now seeking power. There is the party which considers itself the government, tho it has been forced to relinquish its hold; and two provisional governments have been declared in different parts of the island. It is feared that in the fighting, which seems bound to ensue between these rival factions, the lives and property of foreigners will not be safe. To increase the price of shingles the great shingle trust of Washington will close practically all of its 460 mills in that State during the months of January and February. About half of these mills are already closed. Over 90 per cent of that State's shingle output is controlled by the trust, and the price will be increased by its manipulations of the market. A revolution has broken out in the republic of Uruguay, according to a recent despatch from Montevideo. The government has proclaimed a state of siege throughout the entire republic.