The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-06-01
Wild LION BUSHES
into SPECTATORS
AT A CONEY BLAZE
One Third Of Famous Network
Resort Destroyed Amid Hair
Raising Scenes,

Raising scenes.
New York. May 2s.-coney island, the
first fire disaster In it's history early
today. DreaTnland, the largest OF the
amusement parks, was wiped out, n
about four blocks adjoining. covered
with booths, restaurants, hotels, NOV
ing picture theaters, and resorts of va
rious types were destroyed.
The fire broke out at 2 o'clock In
the morning and was not under CON
troll unit. three and a half hours later.
The loss will amount to between ST.
10000 and 49, GOO. 600. In all. about 200
buildings were burned down and per-
haps 1000 pcrsons-concessionaires and
employes-were turned into the streets,
homeless and penniless. No lives we're
lost.
one-Third Consumed.
The burned area represents nearly q
third of the entire amusement city. all
of which would undoubtedly have gone
in the teeth of a strong wind. but
for the fact that Coney Island, with a
high pressure water system, especially
designed for fire protection, is bet
ter guarded against q disaster of this
Kind than any other similar resorr in
the world.
The fire was discovered, a tiny blaze.
in the tarred scaffolding of Hell
Gate" a scenic railway close to the
entrance to Dreamland. Twenty min
utes after a frightened watchInan had
turned in three alarms. one after an
| other as fast as his thumbs could press
1.-The key, all Dreamland-10 acres of
gaudy, closely packed buildings-was
one blaze. The flames. urged by a
strong wind, We're visible for nearly
Is miles. Close to Hell Gate" where
the fire started, was the Bostock ami
mai show, and nearer yet the infant
incubator, a charity nursery, in which
We're six wet infants and their at
tendants. The children were taken out
in their little glass houses and rushed
out of danger by the police.
Beasts Are Taken Out.
Their came the work of taking II
the animals, a costly collection, in
cludingi several dangerous ma eaters.
The animals were in a panic. Their
roaring could be heard for many blocks
above the cracking of the flames and
the %throbbing of the engines. The
trainers lost no time. While. policemen
with drawn revolvers stood at the en-
trance to guard the crowd in the
streets against I'M beasts that might
escape, the ttendant drove their
charges from cages down the
into the emergency vans which are al
ways ready.
All went well until the transfer was
nearly concluded. Then the biggest of
the lions, in panic, broke from his
bonds, smashed his way through the
already packed by a throng of specta-
tors. He dived straight into the mid
die of the throng. CONSERVATION seized
the multitude and the crowd rushed
pell nell in all directions in panic.
A MOUNTED policeman came at the
| pynJnhinp hoo OF jr E tho aonsfny. re 49,
wide avenue with drawn revolver.
Twice he shot and twice he missed,
the lion backing away from the glare
and noise of the explosion. Then six
more mounted policemen lined up ia
front of the crowd and opened n fusil-
lade,
Backing away. snarling and leaving
a trail of blood from many wounds the
lion made his way across the avenue
into the dark ood tunnel OF THE
Rocky Road to Dublin" In a black
corner beneath painted scenery OF
equatorial Africa, he made his
last stand. Three final volleys were
required to finish him and he sank to
the ground riddled like a sieve. To
make sure that he was dead. one Of the
behind the scenery and knocked the
skull In two.
Crowds Tear Up Carcass
AS soon as the crowd was assured
that the lion was no more, they rushed
In and literally tore the carcass to bits
for souvenirs. The first man on the
scene took the tasseled tail, the three
next divided the long name. and so mer
fought mong themselves for the honor
of possessing one of his teeth.
Meanwhile, the escape of the big lior
had cut short the work of the animal
men, and fire was already in the
: m~enagerie before their work was com
pleted. Sixty of the 1o5 animals were
left to die by fire.
, Almost before the f1remen had theti
hose connected to the high pressure
! taps along the street, the great Dream.
I land tower, with it's glare OF many
Z thousands of electric light bulbs fel
; into the lake and the fire swept on be
You'd the bounds of Dreamland to tn,
; horde of little booths and concession:
which lined the narrow streets beyond
The Dreamland pier, jutting far on
into the ocean, with it's burden o
stands and booths. was swept clean t.
its steel foundation.
Considering the extent and rapit
spread of the blaze, it was little shor
OF miraculous that none of the sunmei
Inhabitants of the burned district los
their lives. The only casualties re
ported by the police were three persons
, overcome by ths amoke, one q fireman
: and the other two nurses In the incu
bator hospital. All three were revived
without difficulty. Had the fire startec
two hours earlier when the crowd o
sightseers thronged the concession, tn
disaster would have been appalling
Dreamland closed up shortly after mid
night, and the streets were nearly de
serted by 2 o'clock. About 2oo EN-
ployes were still in Dreainland, but al
escaped without difficulty.
Il Coney Island has been swept more 0
less by fires ever since it became
f great popular amusement place Th
s most disastrous blaze was one whic
v started in the Gave OF the Winds" il
the Steeple Chas park on the fnornin
of July %. 1907.
LOCUSTS APPEAR.
( washington, May 29.-Seventeen yea
Y IonIats are said to be due to raYag