Walter L. Maine Circus Train Wreck

Walter L. Maine Circus Train Wreck (HM2HG7)

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N 40° 42.986', W 78° 12.306'

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Memorial Day

—Tuesday, May 30, 1893 —

On this ground occured one of the greatest circus train wrecks in the history of the world.

At about 4:30 a.m., the Walter L. Main Great Circus Train ran out of control as it descended the Tyrone Mountain, shot out over the curve and wrecked at McCann's Crossing. All but the sleeping cars left the track.

Most of the crew in the derailed cars were killed. A field hospital was set up where the school now stands to care for the injured. Local residents joined in the hunt for the wild animals, all of which escaped into the countryside and mountains. A Bengal tiger, later shot, bounded over the fence at a nearby farm where Hannah Friday was milking a cow. Hannah escaped, but the tiger killed the cow. Seventy-two horses were either killed or injured in the wreck. All the animals that were not shot were finally accounted for. The snakes were never recovered.

A memorial was held at the site of the wreck. Then everyone came to Tryone where wonderful people with open arms offered their homes to the heart-broken ones of the circus. Every evening throughout the summer, in appreciation, the circus bands played concerts. The circus reorganized with new wagons, acts, horses and other animals on East 12th Street in Tyrone.

Many thanks to Kenneth Walk who donated the ground for this monument.
Details
HM NumberHM2HG7
Tags
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Placed ByOscar Dayton, Historian; Russel Snyder, Historian; Jan Dayton Handley, Narrator; Peggy Hurd, Consultant; Edgar Keys, Consultant; Snyder Township Supervisors: Eugene C. Grazier, Chairman; Clay I. Treaster, Supervisor; Thomas R. Diehl, Supervisor; Robert J. Charles, Sec'y-Treas
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Sunday, June 2nd, 2019 at 11:02am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17T E 736073 N 4511036
Decimal Degrees40.71643333, -78.20510000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 40° 42.986', W 78° 12.306'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds40° 42' 59.16" N, 78° 12' 18.36" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling South
Closest Postal AddressAt or near , ,
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