Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-04-17
ELEPHANTS ON
R A N PAG [:
KILL GIRL
WILD PANIC FOLLOWS
FIRE AT RIVERSIDE
Frenzied by Sound of Explosion
of Oil Tank Huge Animals
Rush Through Town. Carry
ing Everything Before Them,

IBy Morning journal Sreciai Leased Wire |
Riverside, Cal. April 1G-As re-
suit of a fire which started early this
afternoon at the Standard Oil com
pany's storage tanks, a herd of ele-
plants were stampeded l., j. Worsley
lies at the city hospital fatally burned,
and Miss Ella Gibbs, a church dea-
coness, is dead A sudden boom which
was heard at 1880 marked the eX-
plosion of the large oil tank. Wors-
ley was driver of the delivery wagon
from which the fire was communi-
Gated to the tanks, and was hurled
many yards from the spot and picked
up with his clothing ablaze The
flames spread Immediately to the
tanks, which instantly became a mass
of flames.
A circus, three blocks distant was
about to open for the afternoon per-
formance. The explosion and the
fire caused the shoWmen to lower the
tents after dispensing the crowd which
had assembled. The herd Of ele-
plants became uncomfortable and
they dashed to the east side Of town,
knocking down fences, outhouses and
despoiling orchards that lay in their
path. Many persons narrowly es-
capped the infuriated animals. In
short time, however, all but the
largest of the elephants We're rounded
up, The leader of the herd then
changed his course and entered the
center of the city, one mile distant He
entered the court of the Glenwood
hotel one of the famous hostelries of
the coast. Miss Bibbs was in the
yard in front of the house The ele-
phant pinned her against the house
between his tusks threw her to the
ground and trampled upon her
crushing her chest so that she died at
10 O'Clock tonight. The animal then
proceeded to the doorway, the guests
running, panic-stricken indoors. d.
+. Chapman, a guest of the house, at
tempted to sWorVe the animal from
the court He was knocked down and
had several ribs broken and otherwise
Injured
The beast crashed through the door,
walked through the barber shop and
out or the main street, cruaSeN thH
street, crashed through the heavy
plate glass window in a store. Be
fore being rounded up at a down
town public stable the animal tramp
led on another man and seriously
gored him with his tusks. one Of the
keepers attempted to subdue the ami
rnal. but was hurled over high fence,
sustaining painful injuries. Not un-
til four other elephants were brought
to the stable was the huge beast got
ten under control and taken to the
circus grounds,
BY this time the entire town was in
an upr0ar. The ladies of the east
side were afraid to venture into the /
streets. fearing that the herd had not |
been captured.
The fire at the oil tanks continued |
throughout the afternoon and 10000 |
gallons Of oil were consumed, inClud- |
ing the contents of the exploded tanks |
and much case goods. Two large |
tanks containing high grade of non
explosive oil escaped the flames. The |
oil loss was $1,000, and the loss on
the buildings is $4,000.
Miss Ella Gibbs, who died at 9:45 |
tonight, was a deacouess in the First
congregational church of this city |
Before coming here about three ears |
ago she had been prominent worker |
in the slums in Chicago. since her
arrival in Riverside she had bee do |
ing mission work among the Chinese |
and japanese population and also as
sisting consumptiyes who arrived !
here penniless.