The horrific disaster of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus
The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus was the 3rd largest performing circus of the 20th century. It was claimed to be the Midwestern version of the East coasts P.T. Barnum Show. The circus has around 250 performers; from acrobats, equestriennes, clowns and lion tamers. The acts had all types of animals as well.
- 1907- Benjamin Wallace bought the show from Carl Hagenbeck which had grown to be over a 1 million dollar extravaganza, needing two trains to carry over 28 cars full over people and animals.
The growth of the railway post-Civil War, allowed the circus world to grow and travel long distances in a short time frame. The shows would hitch their travel cars to trains and travel 100s of miles over night, traveling all over the US instead of just sections per circus act.
By the 20th century 100s of circuses roamed the US and 1/3 specifically used the railway for travel.
Circuses and their acts:
- With immigration springing up in the 20th century it allowed a large mix of cultures to grow into a new world of wonder for native US cities called The Circus. The strange new people from over-seas with unknown customs, cloths, tattoos, piercings, unseen body mutations and performance acts brought a new light to cities around the US. These cities' people named these the "Freak Shows" pointing out the strange people of the circus.
-Not all "Freak Show" performers were from over-seas, when the circus became popular outcasts of the US ran off to join the circus as well, those that were normally hidden by their families or thrown away into an asylum, found their own home with the circus, able to finally have a family and a place no one judged them for who they were.
- The circus was a huge event when it came to town; people would close their shops, even whole factories would close, allowing their workers to take the day off work and bringing their children to go see the marvel of the show. Horses, elephants, lions and tigers would dance the stage, bring the crowd to "OOOH and AAHHs", acrobats flying through the air and peanut shells lined the floors. The circus was the show of the year.
The Railway Accidents:
Accidents were very common in the 19th century and often deadly. The Great Wallace Show saw tragedy prior to the horrific night in 1918.
1892- A train accident caused a car pulling trained horses to derail and killed 26 of them
1903- Another derailment killed 26 performers and several animals
1918- The show just completed two performances in Michigan City, IN. and were traveling 45 miles to Hammond over night. The second train in the unit had to stop due too overheated axle which if not fixed would have caused a fire.
The second trained pulled on to a side rail but 5 cars couldn't fit and had to stay on the main. 4 of which were wooden sleeper cars
At approximately 4am, as the circus engineers were fixing the axle, an empty steel military transport train was barreling down the main track. Ignoring stop signs and the desperate plea of the engineers waving their lanters, the steel train plowed through the wooden cars like butter, splitting it straight down the middle.
The train conductor had fallen asleep with the train topping a possible speed of 60 mph, but unknown exactly. The sound was so loud that local farmers heard the crash in their sleep and ran to find out the cause.
Moments after the crash the kerosene lamps which hung in the hallway of the wood cars launched a massive fire. Survivors, farms and sound the Gary and Hammond fire department tried to pull the performers out and stop of engulfed wreckage. Sadly the only water near by was from small marshes, and did little to help stop the extreme flames on the wood.
More than 100 people were injured that night, and 86 had died, the worst situation of these deaths that many were so badly burnt they were unidentifiable.
The Survivors:
The survivors were dedicated to continue the show for respect of those that died. Only taking 2 shows off, and with the assistance of other circus, they proceeded to perform with equipment and crew which had been lost in the accident.
Showmen's Rest:
Weeks after the accident the Showman's League, a fraternal order which was created in 1913 to support showmen and women, purchased a large plot in Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park, Chicago, IL. 53 performers if the deceased performers were offered burial. Many who were buried were marked by the name given when performing, such as "Baldy", "Four Horse Driver" and then 5 sadly as unknown.
The graves are memorialized by a large stone elephant whose trunk is lowered in sadness.
Over 1,500 people showed up the day the performers were laid to rest, all from different towns, shows and walks of life. Everyone joined that day to show love and respect, for loss of amazing people who brought happiness to towns all over by being in the circus.
Unexplained Activity in Showmen's Rest:
Sounds of Elephants, circus music and laughter all hours of the night
Apparitions, EVPs and shadow figures
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