The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-13
CROWD WAS
TERRIFIED.
Loop-the Man Fell and
Was Injured.
CARNIvAL'S FINE OPENING
Not Eoss than Five Thousand at tho
Baseball Park Last Night-Attrac>
lions Are Good and Patrons
Pleased.

| Base- Ball Park came near resulting in
fatality last night and the great crowd
which had assembled to witness the dar-
Ing feat wero horror stricken for n wh4le
until order was restored and they were
assured that the rider was not fatally In
jured-
Diavolo fell from the top Of tho loop, a
distance of about thirty feet, and but for
the life net stretched along the sides OF
the big bicycle, would have BEEN instantly
killed. There are but two men who have
yet mastered the loop and they are both
with the show. Their names are Peters
and hears and by reason OF tho nerve-
rad<ing experience they undergo, they
find it necessary to make alternate
| rides.
Last night 1t was Peters turn to ride
and he confessed before ascending the In
cline he felt nervous. Mears offered to
ride for him. but he laughingly denied
no was losing his nerve and was greet
| ed with a cheer as he walked UP tho In
| clined. trundling his G0-pound solid steel
| bicycle which Is made extra heavy to
| give 1t the necessary momentum. At top
| he adjusted the steel skull cap he wears
| on his head and his heavily padded coat
and a minute later was speeding down
towards the loop. He entered 1t beauti-
| fully and had assembled fully to the top
when he was in an upside down POSI-
tlon.
Then the wheel, which had veered from
the black stripe In the center shot off the
| loop completely and he and the bicycle
fell ha.dlong. A Adg arc light globe
| which hung beside tho loop was SKATER
| ed and a cry Of horror went up as the
rider landed In the net with force that
nearly tore It down. In his descent he
struck a pole which supported the net
| 1>Ar M tvNo Nnl
| on the side Of the loop by his body fall
| ing against 1t. Tho bicycle fell on top
Of him and he was picked out Of the
not unconscious and carried to the dress
Ing tent. Meanwhile panic nearly reign
ed and It was all the police and attend
ants could do to keep tho crowd from
getting into a crush about tho entrance
| to the Stadium through which he had
been carried The announcement that
Mears would ride turned the tide back to
| tho loop and tho fearless young man
! quickly donned tho attire Of the injured
! successful ride, which was greeted with
| wild applause.
| Peters Is cut, bruised and shaken up but
! no bones were broken and he declares
! he will ride again this afternoon. Drs.
F.! Talaferro and Bright went to his assist
ance. The loop is the most dangerous act
| In the world and was recently banished
from Coney Island after one man had
been killed and several injured. But for
this fact Manager Levitt would not
have been able to secure 1t this season
at any price.
HAD GOOD OPENING.
Not less than 5000 people saw the open
Ing OF the Richmond Carnival last night.
While a number Of shows were not ready
to begin performances when the hour Of
| opening arrived, owing to the terrific
80 nd IA mi dali IN <ray
portation. It was easy to sec that the
Observation-Disclosures Carnival Company
has an aggregation Of shows the equal. II
not tho superior, OF anything ever seen
in this city. Tho sensational 'loop-thc.
loop" is free after entering tho grounds,
and so arc quito number Of other thrill
Ing performances, including Holden's dive
from tho top Of ladder said to bo nearly
100 feet high. into pool OF shallow water.
Prince Youturkeys excellent work on
tight wire. fully fifty feet above the hard
ground. and Dervaltos ascent of spiral
on a ball. and descent amid a perfect
shower of dazzling fireworks.
| The shows are high-olass and some are
marvellous and instructive Among the
attractions which circumscribe the mid
way ara the Stadium and Streets of In
dia; tho Trained Wild Animal Arena.
where lions, tigers, leopards. pumas.
L
form; tho Crystal Maze, which cost $4,000
the Upside Down House, the Dog and Pony
Show, whore many marvellously trained
animals show; the trip to Melodia. Down
In Dixie. with darkey songs and dances,
tho Girl from Up There, feature which
was one of the sensations at the Pam
American Exposition. tho Streets OF Cairo,
with the cAmels and donkeys of Egypt.
tho gunspinners. and sword fighters Of
totn Polr ~
the East Indies, tho Oriental Theatre,
with the dancing Girls Of tho Far East,
Edison's Knetograph and others.
ARE WORTH SEEING.
The shows are well worth seeing and
Richmond people and many visitors who
are In the city apparently are going to
avail themselves OF the opportunity,
Judging from the excellent and gratifying
attendance last night
One of the greatest compliments thar
can be paid to the aggregation of the
Gaskwtll- Mundy-Levitt Carnival Com
pany is that they Invariably return to a
city after tho first visit The people like
for them to come back. Upon leaving here
they go to Raleigh. N c., where they
showed to greatly pleased audiences last
year. The trained wild animal show
is particularly thrilling Tho animals are
not part of tho Rostock collection, but
are oWnou ny tho co'npa'S' ~" po''C'".
ers In the arena are masters In their
lne Before the great crowd CAME back
to the city last night practically all tho
shows were running smoothly. ana no.
thing but flatteringly appreclative express
sions were heard. Afternoon and owe
Ming performances will be given every
day this week. and Mr. James f. Hare,
chief OF promotion and publicity. stated
last night that the Horse Show would In
no way interfere with the attendance
upon the carnival, but having brought a
great number OF visitors here. would tend
4 to Increase 1t.