New-York tribune., 1905-04-23
BIG IMPROVEMENTS AT DREAMLAND
Bonavita Back-How He Fought His Last
Fight with Right Arm.

Half a million dollars being spent on Dream
land Coney Island, in improvements and new at
fractions for the coming season. which will open on
Saturday. May IS OF this sum $4,000 is being
applied TO a mammoth building and the attraction
to be presented there Dreamand's Creation Is
this feature Creation is the conception of Henry
Roltaire. and is a representation OF the creation OF
the world narrated in Genesis. Creation was
seen on the Pike at the st. Louis Fair. Dream
lands Creation, while reproduction OF the ale
CORY shown the St Louis Fair. will be presented
on more elaborate scale
President William Ii. Reynolds has plans tor
free exhibition OF a Roman fete- Around the lagoon
has been constructed an enormous hippodrome
track. the circus ring adjoining the hippodrome
track free circus programme will be presented
An important novelty IS Hiram Maxim's air
ship which is in course OF erection on the
plaza. Where the submarine boat was formerly
Hell Gate" viii take it's place. Touring Through
Europe in an Automobile is going to be delight
fuI amusement. AItheer's dog, monkey and pony
circus is another new attraction
BostOck's exhibition of trained animals will be
augmented this year with many new acts. Bonavtta'
who nearly met his death in the performing cage
last summer. when Baltimore attacked him, and
who has since undergone amputatiCn OF the injured
arm will again appear, putting twenty-siX lions
through their PAGES He Is At present making his
public appearance with the Bostock show abroad.
The story Of Bonavitas bravery and his subse-
auent injury never fully told. On the
evening Of July 81 last Captain Bonavita
drove eight OF his largest animals, led by Bati-
more and Romeo, into the arena for the last
time. Baltimore, the last Of the group to in
the arena, showed unusually savage disposition,
He refused take his customary place the stool
next to that OF Romeo who had reluctantly leaped
10 his place. An instant later Romeo sprang from
his post and became engaged in q fierce fight with
baltimore. The daring trainer at once rushed be-
tween the fighting lions firing several blank shots
at them without avail. The smell Of powder only
made the brutes more angry. and they turned on
Bonavita, tearing his right arm from the shoulder
TO the elbow and infiicting gaping wound in his
right hand. The sudden and unexpected attack
caused bonavita TO drop his whip. As he stopped
10 regain IL Baltimore maddened by the sight OF
human blood. again leaped at the wounded man,
attack. and barely missed the trainer whose pres
ence of mind alone saved him from horrible death
in sight of a panic stricken audience.
From the outside Of the arena number of animal
men were shouting warnings which Bonavita after
ward declared he had never heard, his only OBJECT
being regain his feet before another attack could
and holding a revolver in which only two shots re-
manned, BonaVita made desperate fight for his
life.
A general fight among the animals made it eX-
separate brutes. Faint from loss of blood the
intrepid trainer effort after effort to curb the
anger OF the fUriated beasts, who threatened every
moment to tear him aSunder. None OF the attend
ants dared to come TO BonaVita's assistance. The
lions were finally prodded back With blood foW-
ing from a number of gaping wounds and his right
from his Derilous position in the to the dress
ing room where two freshly loaded blank cartridge
revolvers quickly given him. 80
AS Bonavita staggered among the group Salu-
more made another attempt to kilt mis- friend, but
his attack was met by fusilade of blank cartridge
shots which drove him from the arena Like
dashed into the passageway leading into the lion
deus Bonavita then fell exhausted To the floor.