Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-04-05
AKentuoky Sensation.

The Louisville FotWisr-Jo,irnal gives !
the following particulars Of a disaster
already alluded 10 in our telegraphic
dispatches;
Tie exhibition of the Great Eastern
circus, which was given last uiEh', was
attended with dreadful manifestation,
which will for years harrow the memo
ries of those who were present on the
occasion. When the performance com
menced the sky was clear and the weather
seemed in every respect proptlcus bul
as the entertainment progressed the nam
tent, which was Aled to It's almost ca
paclty, was agitated from time to lime by
ntful gusts of wind that were OF increas-
ing violence. No fear, however, was en-
tertained of serious damage to the mar
quee, until about quarter 10 ten O'Clock,
when blast of greater fury than any
that had preceded il caused the main
pole supporting the tent to snap in twain
at abont one third Of the distance from
the top. The lower part Of the pole for
time retained Its upright position, while
the upper pirt, which was secured by us
fastenings TO the canvas, swung back
wards and forwards along the front row
of seats in the western part of the space
/ devoted to spectators, where il was Oh
served to lay PROSTATE several lads VINO
occupied the bench nearest to the ring.
The employees of the circus, a. soon as
the tent-pole broke, called londly to the
assembled multitude TO consult the gen-
eral safety by retaining their places so
that u gradual aud systematic order OF
egress might be arranged but, regardless
Of the eXhortations addressed to them,
the cougregated mass Immediately broke
into general stampede, and the action
of all was from that time governed by
the one principle Of sdHgs qui pet. An
iudiscriminnte rush over benches aud
prostrate mea and women was made by
the mure powerful of those present, aud
the canvas was slashes with knives in
every part of the tent.
The battle for life had not continued
long when the part Of the pole which had
, hitherto remained upright came to thl
! ground, and the whole structure fell
PROSTATE. Up to this time the uproar oi
the men and the screams of the women
and children had been most narrowing
but their effect was as nothing compared
with the shrek Of despair which pierced
J the heavens when the mass OF beings eK
! perienced the Hndehnable terror whlcl
{ seized them when buried in the heav.
r folds of the saturated canvas, aud not
raw of light was left whereby they nigh
g gain a knowledge Of the natHre or exten
= Of the catastrophe for, mOst fortunately
d every one of the lamps was extiuguishe
d in the fall.
u The police, as well as the men belong
v ing to the circus, were iniefatigable l
i rescuing. with every possible haste, lhos
who were unable To extricate themsely'
It from the fallen tent. Owing to the COZ
/. fusion and terror which prevailed, 1t is
S, present impossible to learn the particular
Of all the injuries which resulted frol
l. the accident. But, although the disaste
le has been attended with fatal consequence
)r 10 two lads, It is most gratifying TO be ab
N to believe that the injury to life and lin
vt has been much less than could have bee
10 expected. A boy of thirteen years
lie age, named Frank Sparks, the son
I'd Samuel Sparks, a teamster, who lives
e. Market street near Woodland Garden, hi
10 the upper part Of his skull fracture
ig probably by a blow from the tent pol
and was carried 10 an insenslble state
ds the carpenters shop adjoining the he
a pital grounds, where he died about ha
nd past ten O'Clock. A young mau II or
Years old, who also had his skull tractur
he was taken to the city hospital the phy
. clans in charge of which at once pi
Ily nOunceu MS choe 0nhANelg hOPoANoos
i'm The animals connected with the M
agerie Were in cages 10 the tent Join
te, tde circus, and thistent was unlnjured
is- the sudden torndo but, when the ae
YER dent happened in the circus tent, :
cir great crowd near the entrance TO I
he menagerie made rush for that mode
IN, egress. IN the rush several of the cas-
on, were overturned by the thronging, su
AN ing mass, but most fortunately none
,ns the animals were liberated. The ho'
and yells of the frightened beasts len
md new terror to the scene, but we heal
ue- no casualties in the neighDorhood'
his overturned cages were soon placed
rly, right again by the circus men but
one dreadful to think what might have b.
Of the result had the storm blown over
lme tent and the cages with 1t. II Is stat
the however, that even then the amin
aud would themselves have been 50 frlghte
in that they would have crouched ur
his their cages and could easily be sect
red. by their sef-possessed keepers. Ba
All would not have been a pleasant thin
80 have risked,