The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-23
HAVOC AMID
GAY SCENES
Windstorm Greatly Damages
May Carnival Shows.
MRS. JULIA FLEMING HURT
Ticket Seller, Struck by Falling 7 ent
is Rendered Unconscious -Enor-
nous Crowd Widely Scattered,
but No One Injured.

The storm OF wind and lightning. with a
squirt OF rain, which swooped down unex-
pectedly on the city last night, played
havoc with tho May carnival tents and
shows. severely injuring one of the en-
ployes OF tho General Amusement Com
pany, Mrs Julia Fleming, ticket seller.
The evenings entertainments were In fuli
swing, with a crowd estimated at 4,50C
men, women and children In attendance.
The people scattered like great brood OF
motherless chickens.
/. 1t was about 9:so O'Clock. and the
grounds and all the tents were thronged
with men. women and children, and all
was going merrily, when suddenly al
most without a moments warning,
small cyclone struck the park and ragged
for q few moments, but long enough to
wreck many of the tents and fronts OF
the various exhibitions and inhict dam
age estimated by the management of the
carnival at nearly $4,000. 1t was all done
SO quickly that is was hard to realize,
end the wonder Is that many were not
hurt, and that panic did not ensue.
WAS "A GENUINE TWIsTER.
General Agent Coe. OF tile Carnival
Company, describes the blow as a gen
uine twister. The wind seemed suddenly
to swoop down on the spot and blow
from all points of the compass at the
same time, swirlng and sweeping and
raging with terrific fury TIL Its force had
been spent. Only the GOODNESS and judg-
ment Of the carnival officials averted
3pance, which. If once well started. might
have been serious. AS soon as the gre:t
fronts Of the shows composed of can
vass stretched on timbers began to crash
down, theer was a rush for the entrance
to the grounds by the four or five thou
sand perosns present inevitably there was
an alarming congestion at the exit. but the
crowd was reassured by the calmness of
the management and fortunately any Sc
rious crush was averted. Alnny Of the
crowd, fearing a heavy downpour OF
grandstard on the grounds the very
the blow continued or RESUMED. In
rain also, and a repetition or the cyclonic
disturbance rushed into the baseball
grandstand on the grounds the very
worst place they could have sought had
the blow continued or resumed. n a
Y feyg lig5isesYt
tho onl2 person hurt was Mrs. Flemlng.'
OF Cincinnati who Was In front Of the
Temple osF isis, sallis,g tickets for that
exhibition. A piece OF lumber from the
front of the Orient show tent crashed
down upon her. striking her on the head
and rendering her iusensibie. She recov-5
cred soon afterward and 1T was discov-i
r cred that she had suffered only a severe
bruise from the blow. Not one Of the
patrons Of the show, SO far as reported
was hurt. though all the tents were
crowded at the time. and SO were the
grounds outside
DARKNESS RE1GNED.
l In the midst of the havoc wrought by
the twister the arc lights failed. and Only
the incandescents lighted the crowded
park. Even this light enabled ono to see
done In n short time. Tho dog and pony
show alone escaped damage. but the an
iplal show and the Theatre do Fantastic
suffered but little. The, Orient and India
shows. the largest on the grounds, were
the worst damaged. hut the damage to
costly. The front OF the Orient and India
shows cannot be used to-day. because
they cannot be replaced In time. but the
show will go on as usual. The front OF
the India show was composed of about
5000 square feet of canvas. while that OF
the Orient was about 1bxso feet IN dimen-
sons. Both of these We're wrecked.
III the front of the Temple of Isis was
quantity Of plate glass. much OF which
was smashed In the crash The front of
the Choir Inspired also contained some
expensive material, and this came down
in the crash. The front Of the German
Village was swept down also. !,
In the animal show Madame Pianka had
Just gone on with her five lions for her
act when tho twister came. and the exhi-
bition was at once closed and the specta-
tors rushed out.
DAMAGE BEING REPAIRED.
The carnival management Immediately
set to work to repair the damage, and for
tunately secured two scenic artists, who
were put to work at once. Carpenters
were working on the ground at midnight
putting up the wrecked fronts again.
MIR, Coe announced last night that the
carnival would open as usual to-day, and
all the shows would be given on time,
with no reduction or curtailment OF the
I BILL This Is cfldrens day, when all
under fourteen viii be welcomed free
Others, Of course can come by paying
the small fee. The Indications are that
to-day will be the biggest of the week
In point of attendance and interest.
The damage last night is a serious blow
to the carnival company. but they accept
It as part of the fortunes OF business
and accept the situation philosophically.
A big hole will be made in the profits of
tho concern and of lts co-beneticiary of
the exhibition. but with large attendance
to-day this will be In some measure made
up, It should be said In this connection
that no carnival company that has ever
visited this city has more refined and
gentlemanly corps OF employees than the
Heck Company,
GLOUCESTER ACADEMY
BURNED TO GROUND