The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1944-07-07
Isl kILLEDIN
CIRCUS FIRE,
ESQ INJURED
Six thousand Panic Sfri(k-
en- as Tent Becomes
Raging Inferno


-The death toll of the fire which
destroyed the main top of the Ring
ling Brothers. arnum and Bailey
Circus, beneath which 5000 panic
stricken, shrieking spectators fought
for escape from the enveloping
shrouds of burning canvas, jumped
to 1852 today as Investigators pressed
inquiries as to the origin of the
blaze and simultaneously held under
heavy bail five officials of the circus.
The injured are counted at $50,
at least 25 of whom were in serious
condition, and are scattered among
three hospitals.
Not a circus performer was lost
in the holocaust
A steady stream of weary relatives
continually went through the grim
aisles of dead in the huge, sprawling
State Armory today trying to iden-
tify their lost ones.
Officials Arraigned
The officials Of the circus, ar
raigned in police court and charged
with manslaughter, are: J. A. Haley,
Vice President; George Smith, Cen
eral Manager; Leonard Aylesworth,
boss canvas man; Edward Versteig,
chief electrician, and David Blanch-
field chief wagon man.
After they had been detained all
night at police headquarters, Haley
and Smith were held on $4,000 bail,
and the others at 10000 The hear
ing is set for July 10.
Investigation Starts
Meanwhile, investigators are seek
ing to establish the reason for the
startlingly rapid spread of the blaze,
which all eyewitnesses agreed mush-
roomed into incredible speed from a
tiny finger of flame near the main
tent entrance into gigantic inferno
of smoke and fire.
One eyewitness said a tiny flame,
that could have been put out with
pail of water, "blazed into fiery
instrument of death" as the fire
swept the huge main tent of the
circus yesterday afternoon just after
the first act of the afternoon per-
Torrance had ended and perform
erS we're at the entrances awaiting
their cues for the second act.
Canvas Is Coated
Police Prosecutor James Jekkedy
announced his preliminary inyesti-
CATION established that the huge
canvas tent was coated with water
proof solution of gasoline baraffine
before the circus left its winter
quarters at Sarasota, Florida, early
this year in May
Witnesses of the appalling scene
commented on the thick oily ma
ture of the billoWing flames and
smoke.
Among other agencies investigat-
ing for the State Attorneys Office,
Friday, was a special committee
by Mayor William Nor
Jensen.
Started at Top
In contrast to stories of various
persons present that the blaze orig
mated low in the tent, Hal Oliver
and circus press representatives said
that the fire definitely started in
the roof of the tent"
He added: I'VE have a theory
which we're not making public
now" and further declared that
absolutely no credence is being Civ
en- any theory of incendiarism or
sabotage"
Circus Staff Heroes
Survivors agreed that the circus
staff tried valiantly to prevent panic
and the first move to the exits was
Many children were seen laughing
while making their way
through the tiers of seats, but when
flames roared with terrifying speed
and consumed the entire canvas
roof, the audience became a fight
ing, screaming, terror stricken mass.
Some children dropped to the
ground and were trampled uncon-
scious, others dropping behind them
were tangled in the blazing canvas.