Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-01-05
Running a Circus.

4 .
| The expenses of a first-clas
travelling circus are very great
running from 5000 to $1,000 pc
day. according to circumstances
A large company will comprise
from eighty to one hundred men
including performers, musicians
grooms, tent men, all of whCm
have to be boarded as well as paiC
| for their services. There are al
SO from eighty to one hundred
horses to be provided with hay
and oats, sometimes even more
| The licenses in some States are en-
ormous, there being first a United
| States license for each State visit.
ed, then State license, next q
county license, and finally a cor
poration license, in addition tc
which until the first of October
last the managers were obliged
to pay government tax of two
per cent. on their gross receipts
whether they were making money
or losing it. In some States nc
licenses were required except those
of the United States. and of the
corporation. In other respects
the expenses of a circus vary
greatly from day to day, according
to the locality visited, in the rent
of ground, the cost of advertising,
the rate of hotel bills, &C., SO that
no manager can tell precisely what
his daily expenditures are until
the end Of the season, when he can
strike a general average. Taking
into consideration the expenses Of
winiering, the deterioration OF
the live stock, the wear and tear
of wagons and equipments, and
interest of money invested, there
are not any first class companies
that can really make any great
amount of money on an average
receipt Of $1,000 per day. There
are only few first-class establish
ments in the country. The ma
iority Of the travelling circuses are
run at a much less expense. But
a small circus has to pay as much
ground rent, and as heavy a Ii
cense as a big one, and it must be
a very small affair that can be
run at an expenditure of less than
$500 per day. The majority Of
those who undertake to make a
fortune by running a circus, if
they have not heavy capital to
back their enterprise, after more
or less years of toll and anxiety
close their career Though the in
tervention of the Sheriff. One en-
terprising manager in the Wes'
has been sold out every fall for
the last twelve or fourteen years
but, with indomitable energy, he
has appeared every spring on the
road with new moneyed partner
and new show. Perhaps his
perseverance will be rewarded III
the end. The circus business is
very uncertain, and it may be at
fected by contingencies which the
shrewdest manager cannot foresee
such as the weather, competition
and other influences of great I'M
portance. But companies witt
sufficient means to stand a sue
cession of heavy losses usually
make large profits in the long run
if managed with prudence aDt
skill. And sometimes adventu
rous individuals starting into cir
Gus management head over heel
in debt, by a lucky stroke OF
fortune do splendid business TO
a whole season or succession OF
seasons, while more attractive eX
, hibitions, managed by shrewt
, and experienced showmen, ar
sinking money from one month
. end 10 another. There are n
least three American circus mar
ayers who are worth over millio
dollars each, but these have mad
large portions Of their fortune
through outside investment'
There are other circus proprietor
. who are wealthy, but if every eli
, Gus in the country should close u
its affairs tomorrow, prObablynt
= one-half OF them would be able
. pay their debts.