Chicago’s Awful Theatre Horror – by the Survivor and Rescuers.
Sold by Colophon Books, Salt Lake City, UT, U.S.A.
AbeBooks Seller since 15 January 2026
Used - Hardcover
Condition: Used - Good
Ships within U.S.A.
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketSold by Colophon Books, Salt Lake City, UT, U.S.A.
AbeBooks Seller since 15 January 2026
Condition: Used - Good
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketChicago?s Awful Theater Horror was published in 1904 by Memorial Publishing Co. and is presented as an account ?by the survivors and rescuers,? with an introduction by Bishop Samuel Fallows. Its full title page describes the book as a ?vivid picture, both by pen and camera? of one of the greatest fire horrors of modern times, including survivor narratives, rescue work, expert reports on responsibility, and earlier notable fires.
The book concerns the Iroquois Theatre fire of December 30, 1903, which occurred during a holiday matinee performance of Mr. Bluebeard in Chicago. The book describes the audience as heavily composed of women and children, and it presents the event as a sudden transformation of a festive theatrical performance into a catastrophic fire and panic.
Modern summaries generally identify the Iroquois Theatre fire as causing 602 deaths and about 250 non-fatal injuries, making it the deadliest theatre fire in U.S. history; the book itself, written immediately after the event, repeatedly refers to ?nearly 600? lives lost.
A memorial and investigative account, combining eyewitness narratives, rescue stories, photographs, funeral scenes, official testimony, safety criticism, religious reflection, and a list of victims. Its central argument is that the disaster was not an act of fate but the result of preventable human negligence: failed fireproofing, inadequate exits, poor enforcement, defective equipment, lack of training, and civic complacency.
Hardcover; 368 pages with 27 photographs following the text and pages 161 - 176 consisting of illustrations and photographs depicting the fire and its aftermath. Condition: About VG minus; binding is sound but front board is scuffed and stained. Text block VG.
*Please note: this volume will ship from Canada. Shipping costs have increased dramatically recently. DO NOT rely on the shipping quotes in my listing. I will obtain a quote if you are interested. However, generally shipping outside Canada is now too expensive except for books of high value.
Seller Inventory # ABE-1787100165695
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Colophon Books, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A., +1 385 222 8020, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
| Order quantity | 5 to 14 business days | 3 to 6 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 7.05 | £ 11.14 |
Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.