The Circus Blog

Posted By thecircusblog on September 7, 2009

It was sure carnage. 

Crowds of people look at the horrible scene in disbelief. 

The grim remains of what is left of a great circus.

In the pre-dawn hours just before 4 a.m. on June 22nd 1918 the city’s worst ever civil accident, and the worst ever circus train wreck took place. Just beyond the city’s eastern border at Ivanhoe, Indiana. The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus train was parked on a rail siding waiting to switch over to a track which would take it Hammond. 

The train was then scheduled to stop at Calumet Avenue and 150th Street (The site of present day A. L. Spohn School) where they would set up their tents and perform for the throngs of children and adults expected to attend.

How ever the circus train was not clear of the main Michigan Central Railroad line which it had just turned off, and right behind it was an empty troop train heading from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Chicago, Illinois. The engineer of the oncoming troop train did not see the circus train blocking his right of way, because he had just fallen asleep at the throttle.

Within minutes the troop train plowed full steam, some 60 mph into the parked circus train, then tragedy occurred. Of the 300 passengers on board the circus train 86 were killed and some 127 were injured. Many of the bodies were charred beyond recognition. A majority of those killed in this disaster are buried at the Showman’s Rest in Chicago’s Woodlawn Cemetery.

The fire spread so rapidly because when the trains collided flames broke out from the kerosene lanterns which were used for lighting the sleeper cars of the circus train. Also many of the Pullman cars of the circus train were constructed of wood which only helped fuel the flames even more.

As the day wore on many hundreds if not thousands of curious onlookers rushed to the accident site, by any available means of transportation, turning the area into a circus of horrors. It took the authorities days to remove the wreckage and dozens of burned bodies.

Ironically the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus had to only cancel two performances, The one in Hammond, Indiana and its next stop Monroe, Wisconsin. This was due in part by the assistance by many of its so called competitors, including Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Shows lending needed equipment and performers so that the show could go on. The city of Hammond also joined in to help the surviving circus performers and workers. Many of the city’s residents and shop keepers gave food and clothing as well.

Source: Hammondindiana.com http://www.hammondindiana.com/history/circus.htm

Categories: Hagenbeck & Wallace Circus
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