Great Chicago Theater Disaster (1904)

The Great Chicago Theater Disaster (1904) is a historical account of one of the deadliest theater fires in American history, written by Marshall Everett. The book details the events leading up to the fire, which occurred on December 30, 1903, at the Iroquois Theater in downtown Chicago. The theater, which had only been open for a month, was packed with over 2,000 people, mostly women and children, who had come to see a matinee performance of the popular musical Mr. Bluebeard.The disaster began when a spark from a faulty stage light ignited a piece of scenery, quickly spreading to the highly flammable curtains and drapes. Panic ensued as the theater filled with smoke and flames, and the exits were blocked or locked. In the end, over 600 people died in the fire, making it one of the deadliest disasters in American history.Everett's book provides a detailed account of the tragedy, including eyewitness testimonies, photographs, and newspaper accounts of the time. He also explores the aftermath of the disaster, including the investigations and lawsuits that followed, as well as the changes in safety regulations and building codes that were implemented as a result.Overall, The Great Chicago Theater Disaster is a harrowing and informative read that sheds light on a tragic event in American history and its lasting impact on public safety.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.