The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-07-07

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Later, Haley and Smith were re-
leased In $4,000 bail each, and
Versteeg. Blanchfleld, and Ayles-
worth In $4,000 each.
Authorities, 1t was learned, were
concentrating upon the spotlights
perched high In the corners Of
"the biggest tent In the world" be-
longing to 1.-The greatest show on
earth" which at the instnt the fire
broke out were illuminating The
Flying WallendaS," q high wire
aerial act, In their white, hot glare.
A number Of witnesses said the fire
first appeared directly above one Of
the spotlights which were 50 high
they appeared to be almost touch
ing the slanting roof Of the tent.
At first the fire was merely a
red spot, tiny in comparison to the
great sweeping acres Of canvas In
which 1t was an uncomfortable de-
steuctive force. One second later
It had grown to the size Of the roc
Of one Of the small, white cottages
Of the typical Connecticut country
side which so many in the audi
ence had left to see a dazzling ar
ray Of death defying performers
and laughing clowns and were never
TO return. With an audible swish
ing sound it raced toward the Gen.
ter poles and so feet below 10000
men and women rnomentarily went
insane, stomping, kicking, and
climbing over one another, and,
tfagically, hundreds Of small chill
dren, occupying, as children will al
Q circus, the very front seats.
It was all over In Is minutes
that rapidly did the flames spread
over the acres of canvas and dump
their aslly remnants down to set
the tiers Of seats on fire. Then per-
formers and audience alike rushed
into the flame-encircled arena to
carry out the bodies Of the dead,
the dying, and the injured.
Clown in Tears
Sad.faced Emmett Kelly, one OF
the circus three top clowns, MOURN
ing, "the little children who have
for - many years given me my liv-
ing" carried out many Of their
bodies. Carl and Herman Wallenda
carried out many, so very many"
and some were dead. Felix Adler,
the king Of the clowns" carried
out more and tears streaked his
makeup. But the first thing he
did was remove his pet pig from the
dressing tent to place he deemed
safer. Lou Jacobs, the third Of the
circus stellar clowns, was spared
the ordeal Of his brethren. He was
In New York becoming an Ameri-
can citizen.
Almost all of the dead were be-
heve0 to have died In the panic
of suffocation, Of shock induced by
acute fright, and Of being knocked
down and stomped under the feet
Of the thousands stampeding for
the exists.
Though the fire swept over the
top Of the tent with speed Of an
eye, blink there was enough time
for ali 10000 to have escaped I'M
harmed If they had responded to
the efforts Of the circus people to
calm them. The circus band, di.
rected by that renowned circus
maestro Merle Evans, played on until
the part Of the audience that hadn't
been converted into piles Of corpses,
had fed safely from beneath the
sagging sky Of flames. And several
ring masters shouted: Lets all
sing" and bravely sang away at the
first bars Of 'Old Black Joe" them
selves until 1t was apparent that
no one but they intended singing.
Even then there was ample time for
the singers to escape because the
big huge center poles stood, though
they were sagging. holding up the
flaming canvas.
The center poles sagged more and
more until at last they were fiat
on the ground, but they didn't COL
lapse because their support ropes
and braces burned unevenly and
though they were scorched, they
were not burned and will be used
again.
The tent itself, 900 feet long, the
length Of q city block, 220 feet wide.
weighing 20 tons, was so completely
destroyed that reporters on the
scene several hours later couldn't
find . piece Of 1t more than three
inches square. In the mounds Of
gray ash.
The greatest tragedy was CEN
tered IN the bodies of 80 children
laid cut on army cots In the local
arnlogy Of the Connecticut National
Guard-on some OF the cots, two
little bodies-all covered with olive