Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-06-07
WHOLE NUMBER l7S.

involving a capital Of several million,
and affording employment to several
thousand people.
"Of these people nearly all the regular
performers, including riders, acrobats,
athletics and tumblers, serve a regular
apprenticeship at the business, as was
formerly the custom in other trades, al
though it is necessary for the would-be
performer to commence much earlier in
his profession. The training of child
for an athlete begins frequently before it
would seem that his young muscles could
possibly bear the strain. There are few
mothers who would be willing 70 have
their children submitted to aystemat-
ic gymnasti education at the age of three
years. The consequence is that many
circus men were adopted in their infan-
cy for this purpose, and it does not APP
pear that the severe training often in
jures the constitution, conducted, as it is,
with the greatest caution and skill. Any
body who has attended the circus fire.
quentIy has observed that the same in
dividual performs in several different
capacities, which would appear to re-
quire a different system of training.
This is perfectly true, as an accomplish
ed performer, who can command a good
salary, must be thoroughly acquainted
with all the branches of the business.
THE COMPLETE OUTFIT
OF a first-class circus includes all the
necessaries for the foundation OF the
colony. The number of people employed
is generally about one hundred. From
one hundred to one hundred and fifty
animals make up the compliment of live
stock when there is no menagerie at
tached. The general management Of
the whole devOlves upon a snperintend-
ent,whO is usually one of the proprietOrs.
Each department under him has its res
pective manager, who attends exclu-
sively to his own division. The
equestrian manager looks after the
training of the horses, and determines
the feats to be performed in the ring.
The boss canvaser. has charge of the
tents and superintends all the arrange
ments for locating and removing them.
The boss hOstler, Of course, oversees the
care of the animals. Each Of these
persons has a number of subordinates,
who are assigned to particular duties,
so that when called upon every man
falls at once into his proper place, and
the whole affair works with the accuracy
and regularity of clock-work.
LAYING OUT OF CAMPAIGNS.
Travelling companies lay out their
campaigns with all the care that an
army takes in preparing for q long
march. The route and all the details
are arranged before they start, advan-
tage being taken of every opportunity
which the character of the country
affords. Thus, the heat of summer fire.
quently finds the circus as far north as
is practicable to go, while as winter ap-
prOaches it gradually works its way into
a warmer climate. The minutes details. |
which would be entirely overlooked by
an inexperienced person, are arranged
with the utmost precision. An agent
who has travelled over the proposed !
route before the start, makes arrange
ments with the town authorities for the
privilege of exhibiting; examines the
roads, and calculates each days Journey |
from the starting point to the locality |
where the men will be dismissed, and |
the animals go into winter quarters.
Even the arrangements for feeding and /
the stock are made with a /
wonderful nicely. The tour of circus
during six months, extending over
thousands of miles, is sometimes made
without little deviation from the plan
laid cut before the start.
HOW THEY SLEEP.
Before starting, each individual has
an opportunity to eat what is called
He then gets on the most
wagon, generally knowing
Oy experience the most comfortable
Oads for sleeping purposes, is the only
lime which the circus man gets for
ndulging in the balmy air while the
caravan is on the move. If the roads
;hance to be muddy or hiIly, the per-
ormers are afforded little exercise in
helping the wagons along to their des-
In cases of this kind, where
men have been obliged to assist the
lOrse for several nights in succession,
md have been awakened from sound
lumber, it has been automatically re-
ported that they have INDUCED in pro-
anity to an alarming extent.
THE CLOWN.
The clown of to-day is not generallyl
/ genius, although he may be we'll
cad and a well-informed man. Neither
s he by nature funny man, although
he facetiOus observations which seem
to roll off his tongue without
N effort may indicate as much. In fact,
lie is generally an old performer, who,
laving matured in the circus business,
las adopted this much easier branch
# the trade. His sparkling exhibitions
# wit and humOr, his seeming simplie- I
ty, his peculiar antics, and laughable, l
screaming jokes, all seem q
o indicate that he is the very soul of I
IL that's funny. But alas this is not
he case. His jokes are carefully pre-
ared by another, and committed to
with awful labor and unremft- ]
ing diligence; his political speeches are /
ot the voluntary Outbursts of patriot !
SIN that they simulate, and his veryI .