19
May

Accident at the Circus Grounds

   Posted by: admin   in Accident, Entertainment, People

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 19, 1906

Accident at the Circus Grounds

Seats Fall Upon Miss Ruth Peterson Prior to the Evening Performance.

Bad Accident Barely Averted

Caught in a Rush For the More Popular Places The Young Lady Was Thrown to the Ground The Seats Falling Upon Her.

During the performance of the Sells-Floto circus at Oleson park last evening an accident that might have resulted seriously for many people occurred. It was only averted by the presence of mind of those in the vicinity, all escaping but the one young lady, who, besides a badly sprained ankle, is suffering from many bruises as a result of the accident.

She is Ruth Peterson, the sixteen-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Peterson, residing at 1727 Fourteenth avenue south. It was during the early part of the evening, before the large crowds has assembled. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson and daughter were seeking seats in the west end of the tent near the entrance from the menagerie. As they started up the tier of seats, a general rush was made for the better places, and in the hurry about them a portion of the seats were thrown to the ground, one of the supports thus weakened, slipping out of place.

In the excitement and confusion several people were thrown down from their seats, but all escaping except Miss Peterson, whose right foot was caught beneath the fallen seats and twisted in such a manner as to temporarily dislocate the bones. She was badly bruised by the fall, and for a time suffered much pain.

At the time of the accident the crowd in the tents was small, but yet large enough to cause a general rush to apparently safer quarters. That section of the seats was immediately rearranged and strengthened.

The employes (sic) of the circus came to the assistance of Miss Peterson at once, and after caring for her as best they could, arranged a property chair taken from one of the dessing (sic – should be dressing) tents in a place of advantage, where in spite of the pain suffered, she remained, seeing the circus to the finish.

Before leaving the circus grounds, however, Miss Peterson’s ankle had become twice its normal size, and she was taken to the city, where a surgeon’s aid was secured to care for the dislocation.

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