Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-30
A CIRCUS CAR IN FLAMES.
SIXTY MEN IN 1T AND BOTH
DOORS BARRED BY BUNKS.

All Make a Mad Scramble for Life but
10 or IL Unable to Escape and Burned
to a Crisp-The Animals Catch the
Panic.
DENVER, COL, Aug. pa dispatch
from Greeley says that the burning of a
circus car nine miles north of Greeley
was attended with indescribable horror.
The burned car was next to the engine in
a train of II cars, containing Orton's
Anglo-American Circus, which left Fort
Collins about midnight last night for
Golden over the Greeley, Salt Lake and
Pacific Railroad. The train was nearing
Windsor, small station near Greeley.
and was running at the rate of
engineer discovered the car to
be on fire, and at once reversed his
engine and threw open the whistle valve
There were sixty men in the car, ar
ranged in three tiers of hunks on either
side. The forward side door was closed.
Seven men in hunks were sleeping
against it. The rear side door was also
closed, and men who awOke discovered
the lower unOccupied berth next to it con-
tanning rubbish on fire, filling the
car with smoke and cutting off escape in
that direction. The only means of egress
was through small window between the
car and the engine. John Pine EdgertOn,
of Wisconsin, and Elmer Millet, of Iowa.
crowded through this opening and tried
to pass in water from the engine. Owing
to the suffOcating gases it was difficult to
arouse the sleepers, and some were kicked
and bruised in a shocking manner and
pitched out of the window.
AN APPALLING SCENE.
The screams of those who were unable to
get through the blockade to the aperture,
were terrifying. The wild beasts in the
adjoining car became frantic with terror,
making the scene appalling. The engine
went TO Greeley for assistance, and return
ed with DR.. Jesse HOwes, President of the
State Medical Association. Many of the
rescued, on being pulled through the small
windows of the car, had their limbs broken
and joints dislOcated. At daylight fiat car
carried the charred bodies into Greeley tor
interment. The County Commissioners
buried the remains in a coffin seven feet
wide and ten feet long, in Greeley Gene
terry. Rev. Mr.. Reed, a Presbyterian
minister, conducted the funeral services.
The Coroner empanelled a jury. but
they were unable to learn the cause of
the fire Or any important facts, as the
managers, with the remainder of the
company, left Immediately for Golden to
I'LL an afternoon engagement. 1t is i'm
possible to get complete list of the dead,
as MANY were engaged but a day or two,
and their names are unknown.
THE VICTIMS.
The names of the dead as far as learned
are: Alexander McLead, of Marinette.
Wis; Thomas Kelly, New York city.
The others We're known only as "Silver
Thorn" candy" ''Frenchy," Prank
George and "Smithy.V One was un-
known entirely. The following is list
OF sufferers at st. Luke's Hospital in this
city: E. &. Fairbanks, aged %, arms, legs
and face badly burned; Albert Borden,
aged II, Of Logan, KS. arms
aged II, of Detroit, very badly
burned on the face and legs; n. J.
zimmerman, aged IS, Of St. Louis,
Mich, arms, face, legs and back fearfully
burned; Frank King, of MenOminee,
Mich, badly burned about the hands and
feet; Michael McGlenn, aged %, OF Hol-
ton, Mich, face and hands badly burned;
Hugh ODonnell, aged 56, of New Orleans,
badly burned about face, arms, hands and
back; will die.
A number Of the rescued agree that in
the cars were two barrels of gasoline.
which exploded either from sparks from
the engine or from a naked torch with
which the men were accustomed to light
themselves to bed.
FLAMES AT PORTLAND.
PORTLAND, OREGON, Aug. 29.-Fire
this morning destroyed Strowbridge's
block. The losses are: H. K. Edward,
furniture dealer, $4,000, insurance S15.-
600; kenon d McBeth, general merchan-
disc $4,000, insurance $4,000; and j.
StroWbridge 100000, insured.
AN OCEAN STEAMER ABLAZE.
HAVANA, Aug. 90, IL P M.-The steam
er City of Merida, Capt. Rettig, from Vera
Cruz Aug. p for New York, is in this
harbor on fire. She will probably be
total loss.
SALE WAREHOUSE BURNED.
NASHVILLE, Aug. 28.-The sale ware
house of Stainback, Hill 81 Co. was
burned to-day. The loss is $4,000, and
the insurance $4,000.
VALUABLE SHEDS DESTROYED.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. pa special
says a fire on Wednesday night DESTROYED
the sheds of the Northern Pacific air com
pressor pumps used in the construction
OF the Snake river bridge. The loss is
$4,000. t"s