Midwestern Spectacle

A new spectacle which has lately drawn midwestern crowds is the roller-skating derby, a cross between a dance marathon and a six-day bike race. The troupe travels from city to city, then skates in an arena a distance equal to the intercity journey. The skaters compete in mixed pairs, get cups for speed and endurance. Last week one such roller-skating troupe set off from St. Louis in a chartered bus to put on their show in Cincinnati.

The bus was barging at 40 m.p.h. down a hill on the main highway through Salem. Ill. when a front tire blew out. Swerving onto the soft shoulder, the bus careened with tremendous force into the abutment of an overpass. With a reverberation heard for a mile, the gas tanks exploded, spread flames which were soon shooting 40 ft. high. The wreckage rolled over, lay on its side across the road. The engine, torn completely off, fell 200 ft. away. The driver and another man shot through the windshield, badly hurt, clothes ablaze. Three others managed to crawl through the windows. But 18 screaming, fighting men and women burned to death inside.

Next day two of those who got out died. One was Ted Mullen, the master of ceremonies. Just before he died he mumbled through blistered lips: "Do you think I'll ever be able to skate?" The doctor assured him that he would. "Funny.'' Ted Mullen whispered. "I never was able to before."

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