New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-07
CIRCUS PERFORMERS-THEIR WORK,
AND THEIR PAY.


to devote column or two to the work and wages Of
those engaged in the circus busness. Though, if we
may believe the advertising posters, there
ciIcuses-we have I" Amphtheaters" in every city;
Equestrian establishments" constantly peregrinate
the country, and every village in all the land has
peep at "Hippodrome" two or three times year,
but the Circus seems to be obsolete. II is true
that if the riders were not called "equestrians, the
tumbleIs "gymnasts" the clown Court jester, the
horses Arab steeds or "coursers Of the desert and
the ring "a msgic circle we might still perceive in
the "Royal Ampitheater" of the present day some
resemblance to the circus that used to captivae
youthful hearts, and set juvenile heels turning over
our adoescent heads for weeks after it's departure.
We must, however, admit that the change Of names
is not the only variation from The ancient order OF
things the gutts percha ring is great Improvement
over the saw dust and tan bark, the Field Of the
Cloth of aold," decided advance on the Grand
EntIee" and the costly dresses, and other appoint
me nts of the modern Circus much comey TO the
critical eye than the tawdry, furnished trappngs that
shone so brilliant to our boyish vision.
Many Of the Objectionable features Of the old cir
Gus have been purged sway-the broad, and too
often groes Jokes Of the clown have been abol-
ithed, and that spotted parsonage mihgated
from verbose blackguard TO an imbecle Of few
words. The reprehensble exhibition of very young
children IN dangerous performances Is now nearly done
away WITH and several other unpleasant features Of
such performances, which every one will readily re-
call to mind, are now unknown. The establishments
have wonderfully increased in dimensions, and the per-
foImances improved In excellence the public taste
clsmored for something better than could be done by
the feeble perambulatiDg shows Of old. travelling
circus twenty or thirty years ago, consisted Of perhaps
a dozen performers, who were expected TO perform
equestrian wonders the twenty or thirty wretched
horses that were compelled to do the double duty of
running in the ring at night, and dragging the
dozen or ~ rickety wagons by day. But now,
hippodrone concern, comprises 80 horses, and l2O
men and women, and when performing in large
cities they not unfrequenty add dramatic corps 10
their own strength and produce with great splendor
plays and sptctasles in which equestrian effects the
main feature. We have had consecutive months Of
these performances here, but as yet we have no
cisatlantic "Astleys permanently rooted in our soil,
though now that Mr.. James NJ Nixon has secured the
ease of Niblos Garden" there is project on foot
to establish in Broadway an smpbitheater, which shall
keep it's colors flying from January to New-Years
again, and prove to young and old perennial source
of equestrian delight.
II may readily be believed that in profession where
the con slant risk Of life and limb 10 matter Of daily
bread and where occasional broken neck is an in
cident nseparable from the legitimate carrying Of
the business, wages are high Ar other reason why
the remuneration should be liberal lies In the fact that
even should no untowsrd accident extingush life
disable limb, the active years Of circus performer are
very few. The life at the easiest s very wearing
one especially upon those devoted to the equestrian
branches Of it, who, in addition to their performances
before the public obliged to devote hours Of every
day to the breaking and training Of horses, and TO
patient though dangerous rehearsas of their vari-
GUS feats. crcus-rder is out of his apprenticeship,
and il man at l6 ia mature at 81 and old at %, after
which tine few continue to attemp:the daring perform
ances Of their younger days, but subside into ring
masters, or clowns, or adopt other branches OF the
business whose queter requirements do not nscessi'
tate constant breakneck exposure.
The writer of this article was lately watching one
of the most dashng riders Of the age attemp. some new
and difficult ftats at rehearsal when member Of the
troupe himself rider of experience, Observed Yes,
be'ss splendid rider; but he's getting very old he
can't hold out much longer"
lmpelled by curiosity, the writer asked the age of
the equestrian veteran, and the reply was tie must
be nearly q years oli." There afectation in
this suggestive remark for although the rider who was
the subject Of conversation has not yet reached the ripe
age of 81 years. be has for eleven years been one OF
the brightest ttars in the equestrian galaxy. How
many men in any other profession stand 90 long on the
summit of the hill before they begin their march down
the decline
The sppre nticeshp TO the busness is long and wear
some Children usually begin early three years
OLD and work with less sssidui'y until they are
l6 when they generally considered old enough to be
their own masey In former times, these children were
many of them picked up in the Streets and there s no
doubt at these human waits had hard time Of for
in the dsys when riders sometimes treated their high
priced horses with bsrbarous cruelty, it was not likely
that they should be much considerable TO children,
who were Of no pecunary value Bat In this more en-
hehened day the whole matter changed very much Tor
the better. Rarey has done something and others have
done more TO inauguraes system OF horse break
ing and to accomplish that by patient hndnefs which
was formerly only achieved by blows and cruelty and
in the matter Of children, the circus people have also
leaned that eentleness lie of effect than babarty
Many of the professionals bring up their children
to the business and Of course where the parents over
see the training, the Offspring are not likely to suffer.
Mr.. James NJ. Nixon, the manager Of the circus
company lately At Hblo's Garden, aud which 10
in every point the best establishment of the kind
ever in the country, has been in the business
from earliest childhood. He was once celebrated
as four horse rider, slack-rope performer, and
posturi,t. His own apprenticeship was served with
Aaron Turner the pioneer OF the circus business in this
country, Is follows: Groom, with Instructions In
the ring business years. Lamp Trimmer ditto months,
Ring Builder ditto, months, Performer years, Ring
Master year, Equestrian Manager year. Hewasthen
considered "out Of his time" and competent to make
4 s.l.. .~Fk