Delta chief., 1884-09-03
A DREADFUL DEATH.
Ten ROustabOu uts Connected with the
AnglO-American Circus Per-
ish In the Flames.
CRIMINAL CARELESSNESS OF
THE MANAGERS.

On the morning of the Goth rs the
Anglo-Americau circus train, on the way from
Fort Collins to Greeley, reached point about
ten miles west OF Greeley, a sleeping car con
taining over sixty men, mostly canvas and
stock men, was discovered in flames, the result
of a gasoline explosion. The car was much
Ike common caboose, with a door at each
end and one window. One door was blockaded
by trunks and luggage, and the fire was at the
other end thus leaving only the small window
means Of exit. II was the custom OF the
managers to carry In this ear so crowded with
human life, two barrels of gasoline which were
used in lighting the circus grounds. 1t is sup.
posed that this caught fire from torch with
which the car was lighted.
The explosion awoke everybody in the train
The engineer, hearing the explosion and see
ing the bunk car sfamc, whistled for brakes
and the train was stopped as soon as possible.
The engine being next the bunk car, the first
thing the engineer did, after the train WAS
stopped, was to cut loose from the burning car
and pull of down the track. Then, seeing
that unless the bunk car was separated from
the others in the rear the whole train would
burn, the engineer, with the assistance ofother
train men, managed to cut the cars loose, and
the burning car was towed doSn the track aud
permitted to burn up, as there were no hopes
OF saving it,
By this time everybody on the train sas out
and willing 10 do what ever they could for the
unfortunate. There was no water In the vic
unity, and to carry water by the hucketful from
the engine tender would not have affected the
ravenous flames, which, fed by the two barrels
OF gasoline, soon had the car consumed.
The engineer sped away TO Greeley for mcdi
cal aid, and the other men at once lent their
assistance to the score OF men who lay injured
along the railway track, and who had Eiraeu-
lousy escaped from the car. Come were
found unconscious and were revived. Others
who suffered :cuts, bruises and broken limbs
were given the best OF care. All were placed
upon the carr. DIR. llaw.s, of Greeley, ar
rived on the engine and gave what assistance
he could 10 the wounded. Meantime Denver
had been telegrap phcd TO for medical assistance,
and Drs. Leman and Fisk proceeded to tho
scene OF the accident, where they remained
attending 10 the injured until the train
reached Denver.
hour. was sorro~ful In the extreme As soon
Il. the bunk car had burned out the clrcu,
performers AMI attaches forced their wsy into
the car, and body after body. burned ~ A. to
be unrecognizahie, were taken from The car
Then II was thought that IN. catastrophe ~s.
worse than II really Is. The car was thought
10 be the cremA,ory for fully tso'thirds OF the
sixty men known TO be In II. IL seemed i'm.
possible that majority OF the unfortunate
roustAhouts could have escaped. When the
car had been thoroughly searched and II VA
found that only the remains OF ten men had
been taken out, surprise was manifested that
the fatality had been 80 email.
Ab.ut daylight the remains o. the dead and
the bodlc. Of the wounded had all bccp placed
upon the train and the run into Greeley va.
made Here the dead were given over 70 the
car. Of the Coroner, and tn. train, with the
wounded on board. started FOR Denver, arriy-
ing there at 40 o'clock. The wounded men
were taken IN 81. Luke's Hospital and given
every Nttcut lon possible.
The blame for the sorruwful acclhsu: can
only be rested In onc place. The managers OF
the circu. we're criminally nccliEcn, 10 carry
ing such a high explosive ms gasoline In the
same car In which, TO save crp'nsc, they
crowded from sixty To eighty mon nightly
Some of the men objected Ia the gasoline
being in the car, knowing Its danger, but a.
circus employees are treated Ike 20 many cur
dogs, their complaints were never given a
ond thought. The men were forced TO sleep
In this car II they got any rect at all.
The loss To property Is not large. The burn.
ed car belonged to the circus compsnr. anil
the loss will hardly exceed 81 900. The loss ,o
the railway company was only nominal.
The names Of the dead, 80 far as learned at
the inquest, are a. follows; Alexander
McL-nd of Mnrrincllc, 1ilinois: Samuel Nor.
ri., OF Piqua, Ohio; Thomas McCarty. Of Tnde-
pcndcncc, Iowa; young man named Silver
thorn, and others named respectively ANDY
George, Frank, Frcnchy and smithy.