The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-11
AMONG THE sAwDusr.

Tho drama may rise or fall, tragedy, com
edJ and farce may flourish and decay, tn,
legitimate may give place to the leg and it
mate, melodramatic monsters in horse hal
wigs and militsry cloaks may steal off ths
stage to make room for Blonde Burlesque,
with abbreviated skirts and no modesty t.
speak OF, but one amusement never tires
one show is always a success, that is the cir
Gus. There is something in the fact of be
ing under canvas, the sawdust ring. the far
ing lsmps, the brass band, the procession
the animals, the excitement which is eve
attractive, always new. From the day
when the price of admission in our ragged
pantaloons would have been just about a
possible as the immediate liquidation of tn
national debt, when we crawled on our bel
. lies and looked under the frightened canvas
happy II we caught an occasional glimpse O
horses hoof, and heard the ringing laugh
ter of the crowd within, to the time when W.
sat on one of the back benches. and strain
ed our eyes and cara to take in the won
drous variety, till now, with the full privi-
lege of q dead-head ticket, and front seat
We crisicise the performance, and laugh phi
iosophically at the most venerable jokes q
circus has been our delight Even the LACK
eys who rake the hoof disturbed saw DUST,
and the men who hold up the hoops ana
sheets for the wonderful equestrenne, to lily
through and over, have a uameless charm.
sad we enter into the spirit OF the scene with
all the abandon of former years. The won
derfully trained horses, the supple limbs and
spsngled suits of the performers, the plumed
hats and flowing skirts of the DANES of the
hippodrome, the bounding brothers and the
homeless men, the acrobats aud the tum blers,
the Shakesperian clown aud motley fool of
the ring are oil fsvorites. We enter into their
feeling and enjoy their triumphs. The love of
horsemanship, the ad miration for agility, the
delight In pluck and perseverance all unite
In making circus the most exciting and
popular amusement in all cour .rie. and
among every class. Old folk, of course
don't care for such things but they go to
take the children, and dry old bachelors and
bhghted maidens Of uncertain age 90 TO see
the young folks enjoy themselves, and so
everybody gets in and they seem to enjoy
themselves just we'll as though they went
tor their own amusement. And the circus
world is no trihing matter either 1t is the
means of living to thousands, it causes
circulation of money, and employs Al
amount of labor which would, at first sight,
appear incredible. Let as, for one minute,
look at the sawdusr as a branch of social
economy, and we may learn few facts
which will give US new ideas when we step
into the wonderful arena where other won,
ders are to be seen, than have been hitherto
cresmt of in our philosophy. The circus
interest IS of no trifing magnitude. The
cost OF thus catering to the taste of vast
public Is immense. In the United States
today there are forty one regular and we'll
established large circuses travelling from
place to place, and exhib biting under canvas.
besides smaller one horse concerns, which |
give to the obscure villages and hamlets
small taste of the wonders of the ring. and /
an lnnumerable crowd of side shows in /
which everything from an elephant to q
singing mouse, from q scientific museum to
sparrInR Exhibition, are trotted out for the
delectation OF a sight seeing public These
big circuses travel for season of twenty.
six weeks, and show, on an average. two
hundred days. These two-score shows /
employ from $500 to 5000 hands, com
mencing at the artist of world wide renown,
who is engaged BY some special agreement
and is paid sums which TO the uninitiated /
appear enormous and i'm possible. to the men /
who groom the horses, put up the tents and .
attend to the multitude of duties connected .
with constantly moving mass of material
and crowd of live stock. As many horses
as men may be reckoned, which will give rs
three thousand of the best breeds /
and finest specimens of the noble .
animal to bs fed and looked after.
The salaries of these ladies and gentlemen.
artists and employees, range from $50 a
month and their travelling expenses and
board, to 5000 q week, AID the expenses of
horse and groom. Mr.. James Robinson, the
star equestrian whose wonderful powers are
appreciated by all managers, receives 5000
yer week, with his travelling expenses ana i
hose of his groom and horse. As these
Employees are all found, it is very small r
stlmste TO reckon dollar day as their
Expenses, which will make the sum of 81,
0O,O0O DISTURBED to the hotel by circus t
II oprietors during one season. Then come
be licenses which will average s25 per day
nd foot up 100000 in the same space of
lme. Beyond this the Government re-
uires license of 800 for each State,
which requires the forty companies to pa
ut to Uncle Sam 100000, exclusive of
be per cent. regular tax upon the gross
eceipts, and which yields some $128. 900
lore to the national exchequer. Some States,
Rough neither our own Illinois nor Iowa
1torce lhis, place further county tax
arylng from So to s25 per day on these
lows which yields large sum for educa-
onal and other similar purposes. The roads
yer which they pass with their numerous
ans, wagons, trucks and led horses receive
revenue from tolls which it ia impossible .
average, but which is very important
EN- IL the expenditure of these travelling
lows. Some idea of railroad receipts from
like source may be got from the fact that
e Haven has paid railway companies, las,
ason $4,000, for transit One of the
aviest items in the list of expenses is. Of
urse for pictorial and illuminated bills -