The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-08-13
DEAD
In FrightfuI Wreck of Circus
Trains of Wallace Bros.
DISASTER WASAPPALL|NG
List Of Injured Reaches Thlrty-Vic.
Tins Horribly MangIed-Engineer
Of Second Section is RIamed
for Wreck.

Wallace Brothers circus was wreck
ed in the Grand Trunk yards at Du-
rand, Michigan, at 4 o'clock Friday
morning and twenty-five men, most
ly employees of the circus, including
few of the performers, were killed out
right. Thirty more were injured.
some fatally.
The show was travelling in two Sec
tions over the Grand Trunk tracks
from Lansing to Lapere and the a,ci-
dent it is said, was caused by the fall
ure of the second section OF the train
to stop on time. The two sections
were travelling near each other, ard
the second ran into the first at full
speed.
The engine of the second section
and four cars Of the first section were
completely demolished. Much valua-
Bile property was DESTROYED and the
loss to the circus people will be heavy.
Some of those killed and a few OF
those injured were railroad people st-
tached to the train These include
Trainmaster ]. Mccarthy, of the Grand
Trunk.
Some of the animals were killed, the
scene in the Grand Trunk yards after
the collision being appalling. The
wreckage. of the engine and four cars
were strewn about and piled high,
while the shrieks Of the injured and
the believing of the frightened anil
mails could be heard above the hiss Ct
escaping steam and the excited shouts
Of the rescuers.
It was some hours before all the In
jured were rescued from the wrecked
cars. Some of them were in terrible
agony, and 1t is feared that many will
die. Fifteen of the injured were
placed aboard special train and taken
to hospital in Detriot for treatment.
The wreck, according to the state
ment of the engineer of the second Sec
ton, was caused by the failure of the
airbrakes to work.
It was 3:45 o'clock when the first
section pulled into the West end Of
the Grand Trunk yards. A red light
was hung on the rear car to stop the
second section.
Engineer Probst. of Battle Creek,
who was running the engine of the
rear train, says he saw this light and
applied the brakes. To his horror, it
refused to work. He reversed his en-
gine, but the momentum of the train
behind was too great, and with
crash that aroused all of the town
near the yards, the two trains met.
Three cars of the stationary first
section were telescoped and the en-
gine and five cars OF the moving train
were demolished. The rear car of the
first section was a caboose in which
the trainmen were sleeping and the
next two were filled with sleeping cir
Gus employees. The greatest loss of
life was in the caboose. One of the
wrecked cars of the second section
was occupied by five elephants and
several camels. One of the elephants
and two camels were killed outright,
while the other animals and lneir
trainer escaped. .-. =. ., ..".. .
With the exception of this car, none
Of the menagerie was wrecked, the
other demolished cars containing can
vas or wagons, and ,-lere was COM
paratively little excitement among the
wild animals. ......
AS soon as lney recovered from the
first shock, the trainers rushed among
the cages quieting the few beasts that
were excited. The elephants in tIe
wrecked car behaved with surprising
calmness, and were led out Of :he
wreck without trouble. .~
The escaping steam and screams and
cries Of those pinned in the wreck
made horrifying spectacle.
Coroner Farrar Friday afternoon im-
panelled a jury, which viewed the re-
mains and adjourned until August IA,
when the inquest will be held.