Daily Iowa State Democrat

Frightful Accident in a Menagerie.

A singular accident occurred April —, at Holywell, where a travelling menagerie was exhibiting. A sudden and violent gust of wind overturned four of the caravans, killing four persons and injured upwards of twelve others. The caravans, eleven in number, formed the four sides of a quadrangle being covered by canvass, supported on poles running down the center and fastened to the outside of the vans. Towards evening the weather became stormy, the rain falling heavily, and the wind blowing with great fierceness. A large number of persons, nevertheless, assembled to visit the exhibition, the quadrangle being well filled. By half-past eight the wind had increased almost to a hurricane, and the site on which the caravans stood being considerably elevated, it had great power there. The keeper had just come out of the lion's den, and had ascended the ladder to describe the animals in an adjoining compartment, when a sudden gust of wind blew the four caravans on that side over into the quadrangle. These, in their fall, carried with them the canvass roof, which, in its descent, extinguished the lamps by which the exhibition had been illuminated. A terrible scene ensued. The spectators, who had been listening to the description of the keeper, were gathered around the vans that fell. Those nearest the vans perceived that they were toppling over, and pressed back upon the persons behind them. The crowd, however was so great, that before they could escape, the vans had reached the ground, burying beneath them many of those who had been in the front ranks. The shrieks of the people were mingled with the yells of the animals. The place was wholly in darkness, and for a few moments the utmost confusion prevailed. Immediate efforts, however, were made to rescue those who were lying beneath the vans. Ropes were obtained, and in a short time the vans were raised sufficiently high to admit of the extraction of the unfortunate sufferers. Four were taken out dead, and twelve dangerously wounded. In the consternation caused by the accident, it was at first rumored that some of the beasts had escaped but this was not the case. The animals in the overturned caravans were lions, tigers, leopards and bears, and these seemed to have been greatly terrified by the upsetting. They made no noise, whatever, while the monkeys and other animals in the opposite vans screamed and yelled frightfully.