Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-06-02
Wreck of Mains Circus.

. Walter L. Mains circus and menagarie
which showed here a few weeks ago
wound up & series Of misfortunes on Tues
day morning of this week BIZ being totally
wrecked on the Clearfiefd branch of thi
I p. r. r. near Yail station. 1t had show
cd in Houtzdale. a mining town of Clear
Held Co. the day before and was on its way
to Lewiston on the main line, and while
the heavy train was on down grade neal
Vail station the air brakes failed to work
the train ran wild, and car after car lefl
the track at q sharp bend and were piled
in great confused mass, containing dead
and injured men and ANIMALS.
Six men were killed outright and many
injured, among whom was Arthur Rich
ards of this town, who formerly was en-
ploped at KTamer's livery stable, and who
joined the show here.
For an instant after the wreck all was
still. The next moment tie C.iSs and
shrieks OF wounded men and animals broke
the quiet of the morning. The scene was
indescribable. As soon as possible a mes.
sage was telegraphed to Tyrone from Vail.
one mile from the scene of the accident.
and a relief train was dispatched with sur
geons.
1t was two hours before Frank Train
could be reached. He was riding on the
ticEet wagon, and was bnried beneath a
pile Of debris many feet high. He was
conscious all the time Several times be
urged on bis reec1ers, saying, hurry up,
boys, fyo- arc going 10 do anything for
me, or I'll die"
The last timber was removed from his
body just when he breathed his last.
William Heverly, brakeman of Tyrone,
was killed Instantly, his head being crush
ed entirely.
So far as could be ascertained on the
spot the total loss Of rolling stock was
everything on the train except the coaches.
In them were sleeping about 125 people.
Had they left the track the result is terri
bic TO contemplate.
The loss Of life among the horses was
very large. The boss hostler, Charles
Evans, counted forty-niue dead all told,
among them all the valuable ring horses.
Flake, the white leader of Berris' six
horse team, lay dying at noon, groaning
like human being. All the horses ridden
by Tony Towanda, the principal rider of
the company, are also dead.
OF the animals all escaped from their
cages. Early arrivals at the scene say
that strange animals were to be met
everywhere making for the woods, and
that the trees around McCann's Crossing
were tenanted with many colored birds.
The birds, monkeys. two grave diggers
from Australia, black panther ard a sill
yer tiger from Asia got awBy, and there is
small hopes Of capturing any Of them
again. The thanksgiving ape, the most
dangerous animal OF the lot, was luckily
soOn taken alive and safely Gagged.
The elephants and camels were not in
jured 10 the least and were apparently en-
ioying themselves as if nothing had hap
pened. In one place not twenty feet
square lay the bodies of eight horses, lit
tie pony and its young foal. In an other
were five horses and close by was a crush
ed box car with an inextricable mass Of
horses, harness and timber impossible to
picture. All the animals were dead and
their positions showed that some at least
had struggled hard FOR short time. Others
had not moved. Many injured horses
were shot.
Three lions escaped, One was quickly
caught and Gagged, another was lassoed and
tied to tree by negro attendant of the
show, but the third was still at large at
l0oD, although there was no fear of his
escape, as he is the quietest Of the three
rwo tigers belonged TO the show and both |
got away. One was Gagged safely. but the |
Thomas, native of McCann's Crossing.
Thomas is farmer. and his wife was at |
ending to the milking Of the cows az about |
that morning when the Bengal tiger leap |
I'd into the yard and seized one OF the |
COWS and killed it. Mrs. Thomas fled to |
he house and alarmed her husband, who |
With lis rifle killed the tiger. A bear, a
lyena, a savage water buffalo. the alliga-
.ors and lot Of snakes which were in a |
glass cage also escaped, but all of them |
we're captured. In all sixteen cages, con
aiming wild animals, were crushed.
All the vehicles to the number of TWEEN |
.y-fve are utterly destroyed. Mr. Mains |
Sas asked about the insurance, but he |
iaid that he could not make any estimate |
,f his loss or insurance as yet.
Two sacred oxen were so terribly in |
ured that they had to be shot to put |
hem out OF their misery. Around the |
wreck among the trees tents were pitch ed |
Is quickly as possible and tie wound ed |
lOrses stabbed in them and their wounds |
iressed. Not one of them escaped unin-
ured. BY dinner time supplies were be- |
ng brought to the spot and cooking for
he helpers proceeded with. from Tyrone
was sent that was possible. |
Thousands Of sandwiches were cut at the |
" ard house and sent to the scene at noon. |
All Tyrone was out Of town and not a |
buggy was TO be had anywhere. Along |
he road to Vail there was one long string |
f vehicles carrying sightseers, who came |
Jack loaded with relics Of the wreck.
When the Inflated Walter Main circus |
appeared at Butler, Frank Train, the tick |
i seller who was killed in the wreck, felt |
! premonition of coming trouble and de |
,lared his intention of quitting the show |
through fear Of meeting with some acci- |
lent. Among other startling experiences |
ie related one ola ride over two miles |
Ipon the ties, the car carrying his ticket |
wagon having jumped the track. lie was
obliged to fire his revolver number Of |
lines to attract attention to his perilous
POSITION. lie told Of other nerve-racking |
accidents and was emphatic in asserting |
hat there was "hoodoo" in the company
md that evil and death wonld result If the |
l. -.