The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-08-12
0ne Elephant and Two camels Killed
Outright Brakes Failed to Work.

larson. CaiUDI1QSS, 1litOs St@A.Io1SS
team driver; G. Thomas, residence
nnknoWn, member OF stake and chain
gang Harry St Clair, residence un-
4 Known, reserved seat man; John Leary,
Springfield I'll boss Of ring stock
Andrew HoWland. New York State, can-
was man Frank Thorp, Dundee,
Mich, trainmaster ofscircus train
Robert Rice, residence unknoWn, har-
ness maker; George Smith, residence
unknoWn. blacksmith J; james YoMel-
nire, OrienS, Iowa; Charles Sands,
Peru. Ind. driver; Joe Wilson, Pitts
synrg ". j. Mccoy, Colambns, Ohio,
canvas man, with q sideshoW ;EdWard
York. TeIres Hnts, Ind; unknown
nnan, driver ofshaud wagon; uRknoKn
mar. home said to- be IN Indianapolis,
rider IN circus races $ unknown nnan,
home said TO be IN Louisville, four
horse driyeS:: unknown man, fonr-
horse driver; unknewn man, snfocated
20 death two unidentified men are
also desd at The hospital ..
James S. Foley, OF Detroit, special
oacsEo OF the Grand Trunk, was seri-
oaslV injured, and j. }. Meadow, OF
anderson, S. o., was also among
the injured.
How II HAPPENED.
The circus travels in two parts Of
abont shirty-fve cars each. After last
nights exhibition at Charlotte the
sWo trains left for Lapeer over the
Grand Trunk Road, the second section
leaYing half honr after the first. 1t
was 8. 45 O'Clock when the first section
puIisd into the west end Of the Grand
Trunk yards here. A red light was
hung on the rear car to stop the
second section. Engineer Probst, of
Battle Greek, who was running the
engine, Of the rear train, says he saw
She light and applied the air brakes.
He says. it refused to work. He re-
varssd his engine, but the momentum
gof the heavy train behind was too
great, and, with d crash that aroused
all of the town near the yards the
Two trains met. Three cars Of the sta
tsonary first section were teleseoped
and the engine and i've cars OF the
mcving train were demolished.
The rear car of the first section was
caboose. IN which the trainmen
sTere sleeping, and the next two were
filed with sleeping circus employees.
The greatest loss of life was in the
eaboos,e. One of the wrecked cars of
She second section was occupied By
fVe elephants and several camels. One
OF the elephants and two camels we're
killed outrights while the other ani-
mails and their trainer escaped. With
she exception Of this car none of the
nnenagerie was wrecked, the other de-
molished cars containing canvas or
wagons, and there was comparatively
Little excitement among the wild ami
mails. As soon as they recovered from
The first shock the trainers rushed
among the cages, quieting the few
beasts that were excited. The ele-
plants IN the wrecked car behaved
with surprising cslmness and were led
cut Of the wreck without trouble. The
escaping steam and screams and cries
OF those pinned In the wreck made
horrifying spectacle In the gray of the,
morning, when the trainmen In the
yards and the aroused towns people
hrst reached the scene. Many feared
at frst that some of the menagerie
had escaped, as some of the animals
eould be heard crying. The FIRE alarm.
was Immediately sounded and the
whole town was aroused. The rescuers
could see funortunateS throughout the
sangled Wreckage and went furiously
10 Work without waiting for tools to
sztricate them. A wsecking crew is
kept in the yards here and it was on
Sss scene In very few minutes,
Bringing tools and equipment in plen-
So. All the physicians and trained
nurses in town were sent for and those
in nearby places were rushed to the
scene on hand cars The Hotel Rich
olieu was converted into a temporary
hospital and scores of volunteers with
sEretchers were in readiness to carry
the injured there as fast SIS the rescuers
could extricate them. The dead, many
OF them so terribly mangled that iden-
ti6eation seemed well-nigh impossible,
were carefully laid on the green
sward, short distance from the scene.
Engineer Probst, Fireman Golfer
and Head Brakeman Benedict, who
Was also on the engine of the second
section, all agree that if the brakes
had worked as they ought to have
when the engineer tried to use them
there would have been no collision.
Fireman Golfer and Brakeman Bene-
dict when they saw that collision
could net be avoided, jumped. Engi-
neer Probst remained at his post, vain
Z Iy trying to get the brake to work.
until his train was within less than one
hundred. feet Of train No. 1. Then he,
too. jumped when he was within but
a very few seconds of sure death in the
crash. He was, of course, shaken up,
as was the fireman and brakeman,
but not badly. None OF the crews Of
ei4her train was hurt. At the time
Che crash occurred, train No. 2 was
running probably fifteen miles an
hour.
-~oo.-azrD..--
Taxina B. and 1. Associations.