Yesterday’s memorial service commemorating the Walter L. Main Circus Train Wreck of 1893 included the dedication of two new benches at the site located near the Tyrone Sportsmen’s Club in Vail, about four miles north of Tyrone.
The services also included word and song by the Rev. Norman Huff and was hosted by Susie O’Brien. The event was the fifth memorial service held since the one held in 1958 at the Grandview Cemetery.
Yesterday’s service including some of the history of the train wreck that took the lives of five people and claimed the life of a man involved with clearing the wreckage. The service and dedication ceremonies were held just days before the actual anniversary of the deadly accident, which happened in the early morning hours of May 30, 1893. The accident also caused scores of animals to die or go missing.
A monument was dedicated at the wreck site in May of 1975. Ceremonies at the monument site were held yesterday under beautiful weather conditions, but some who had attended other services remarked about “stormy” conditions in the past.
The Tyrone Area Historical Society and the Adam Forepaugh-Barry Lubin “Grandma” Tent No. 2 Circus Fans Association of America worked jointly on the service.
Representatives from the Tyrone Masonic Lodge No. 494, Tyrone Elks Lodge No. 212, Tyrone Sportsmen Club, Snyder Township and other local dignitaries attended yesterday’s event.
Susie O’Brien gave a brief history of the wreck and offered introductions to the special attendees. Memorabilia was also on display about the wreck.
David Orr represented the Circus Fans Association of America and Nancy Smith laid a wreath from Alice’s Garden at the train wreck monument.
The highlight of the service was the unveiling and dedication of the two new benches. One bench was dedicated by the Forepaugh-Lubin Tent with the generous donations of Arlene and Ray Liddick and Ken McLaughlin, tent members. Ray and Arlene appeared at the memorial service while Mr. McLaughlin was unable to attend.
The other bench was dedicated in memory of Tom Riley. The donation was made by DelGrosso’s Amusement Park. Sarah Black represented the park at yesterday’s service.
Near the end of the ceremonies, O’Brien said a memorial service would be conducted next year and a press release about the event said it was planned as a yearly memorial service.
