Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-17
EQUINE BuTcHERY.
Five Of Forepaugh's Stock
Cars are Wrecked
And Twenty-Seven Valuable Horses
Killed.
One Man Narrowly Escapes a
Wretched Death.
Loss Estimated at Fifteen Thousand
Dollars.

The stretch of railroad along the river
bank in Vassalboro bravely maintains its rep
utation for railroad accidents, and yesterday
added one more to the long list of disasters
with which trains along thi. section of the
road have met At 2 So A VI. Forepaugh's
circus train, No. l, carrying the chariot and
band horses and wagons. left this city for
Waterville where it was to exhibit yesterday
The car with the menagerie, truck horses ETC.,
following behind. All went we'll until
point
Mile Beyond Riverside
was reached. Here i, forest known as
Halls woods. On the river side of the track
is steep embankment. some thirty feet in
height, falling directly to the river. Above
the track is an abrupt and high hill. The
train arrived here at 800 A. NJ, and was
moving quite slowly, about sixteen miles an
hour, although Mr.. Forepaugh says it was
moving much faster. Suddenly the forward
part of the
secoad Car from the Locomotive
left the irons aud reared in the air, the four
cars back following suit. The re-
suit was shocking. There was crash
and the beams and irons were wrenched and
broken and piled up in the greatest confu-
the unfortunate animals were thrown forward
off their feet and crushed in the debris.
Those that were alive began kicking and
struggling to escape, while those that were
groaned and
Vvrithed I'm gony.
1t was heart rending sight to see the poor
creatures.
The first car was thrown across the track
and broke in two, one end containing eight
dun colored horses, seven of which were
killed, fell above the track. In the other end
were six dark Qravs and four bays. OF these
two bays were killed, and the horses and end
of the car rolled down the embanknent
tow ards the river. The second car lay OBJ
liquely across the track, two horses breaking
VIZ iNEo, WV pc"e h'p"hSN ohu q hith
instantly killed, that loss being five in all.
In the third car twelve horses were killed and
in the fourth and fifth but one was killed, the
remainder of the
Horses Breaking Away
and escaping wiiEuut serious injury. The
third car lay acr.s. ti,, track. while the other
f,yn lad ,.,, bny ha bar oh q
the tracks. The horses killed were among
the best of the lot and were valued at from
5000 to 800 each. One handsome dun stall
lion and Mr.. Forepaugh's bay driving horse,
accident. There was an average of twenty
horses in each of the five cars. Twenty-three
of those saved were badly cut and bruised.
The total number killed was twent seven.
1t was Just at the dawn of day. Cit-
zens residing in the vicinity were
aroused for miles around, and came
to the rescue, aiding Forepaugh's men
who were with the train. A Sidney
opposite the scene of the disaster arose, and
said from appearances he thought the whole
Forepaugh menagerie was in the wreck. He
hurried across the river to help. Every eff
fort was made to
Rescue the Horses
which had survived, from the trap in
which they had been caught
Axes were used freely in opening the car,
and ropes being attached to the horses
they were pulled forth one by one. They
seemed surprisingly quiet when they became
aware that an effort was being made to res
cue them, and allowed the men to handle
them without much resistance. In one in
stance seven horses were
Found Thrown Together
in the end of car, stone dead and
almost in an inextricsble condition
the animals legs were
found broken short off and their bodies were
crushed and msngled. OHe horse with a
broken leg rolled down into the river and his
head was held above the water for while
He was finally killed. Several had broken
necks.
Adam Forepaugh, Jr..
was at the scene of the accident at an early
hour, as was also Mr.. Forepaugh, Sr. The
former worked with almost Herculean
strength, rescuing the horses and no man was
more active than he. Many of the horses
were led down the bank into the river and
along the shore until a path leading upwards
was found. Others were taken up the hill
On the car which first left the track were
John Murray of Wsterville, head
brskemsu, and Edward Sharp
of Philadelphia who travels with the
show and is a POLICEMAN, so called, guiding the
wagons as they are hauled upon the cars.
The former, when he saw the car rise, dsrted
and running on top of the cars
was able to reach those which did not leave
the irons before all the four had been
wrecked He escaped with a not severe
confusion on his head. But Mr.. Sharp. who
is but % years of age, did not fare so well.
BE Jumped wards the river when he saw
that there was trouble at hand. He landed
in the bushes and weeds and attempted to
,r.ul torward IN aseana from rha falling cars