The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-08-12

The lovers of novelty were satisfied
yesterday, or least that portion of
them who attended the "Great Ro-
man HippodIome." Although the
managers had advertised the show as
something new urder the sun, proba-
bly, nine tcnths of the people of the
who went did so in the confident ex-
pectation of witnessing the same old
stereotyped performances they have
seen in circuses since old Dan Rice
made his first appearance Oh the saw
dust arena and for years prior to that
event. To say that these people were
astonished would but family imply
the real state of their feelings.
Upon passing through the entrance
the novel interior arrangements catch
es the eye, and for moment it seems
that you have entered the wrong place.
Instead of the large circular tent,
with rows of seats surrounding the
ring you see a long expanse of open
ground, while on either side the spec
tators are provided with seats that
give them ample opportunity to see
the performance. The frisky clown
and serious ring with his long
whip, are conspicuous for their alb
sence, and the general manager occu-
pies an elevated stand, and rings
the performers off and on. A wide
track, fully a furlong in length, affords
the equestrians a rare chance to show
off to the best advantage. Everything
goes like well-regulated machinery,
and without any attempt at cheap
trickery. Each act stands on its own
merits, and one follows another in
rapid succession, from the opening to
close, leaving no chance for the spec.
tator to grow weary with long waiting.
The performance is as novel as tent,
or, rather. the enclosure, for not one
fourth of the space enclosed in the
walls of canvass is under cover, and
that only at the sides and over the
seats. This affords plenty of ventila-
ton and light. There was almost
nothing resembling circus, save in
the trapeze and cannon ball feats. The
principal features were chariot racing
and the exhibition given by a band
of Iroquois Indians, the real true red
Indians, and no counterfeit represen-
tation Of the aboriginal inhabitants of
this free land Of ours. The game of
La Crosse, about which so much has
been Eaid and written, was faithfully
represented, and the contortions and
muscular feats of which the the noble
men of the forest was guilty, caused
the Precipitation to start out involun-
tarily from the brows Of the lockers
on, and it is safe to say, that not dry
rag could be iound ON an Iroquois
back at the termination of the game.
The Indians came out again after a
while and showed the white folks how
Pocahontas saved the life of Captain
Smith. Burgess, the horse jockey,
was Captain Smith, and during the
whole Of the tragic scene, cast-iron
smile suffused his grim visage. This
scene was irrepressibly funny, as il
was intended to be. The Roman
chariot races at the opening and to-
ward the close of the performance
were exciting. The vehicles were
, modelled after the style of the carts on
which the gods are seen riding over
the clouds in pictures, and each one
is drawn by four spirited horses. The
Misses Boxer and Cornell drove in
, the first race, and Madame Sawyer
NJ. Soulier held the ribbons in the
second. All displayed great prof
cheney in driving, aud everybody wa.
delighted. The twelve coursers at
: liberty, representing Roman corso
, was also a noticeable and interesting
. feature. In fact, it would be difficult
to select any portion of the unique en-
e tertainment that was not good. The
!, hirpodrome proper terminated in d
baby show At the afternoon exhibit
, ton fifteen infants competed fdr the
4 prize-a baby carriage The fiftee1
: mothers selected committee, consist
b ing of Mrs. Patterson, Mrs. L. Her
1 rard, Mrs Shrader. and Mrs. Adams
who awarded the carriage to Mar,
Royse, a pretty little pink of perfcc
ton, only eight months old. At tn,
g close of the afternoon and evenin,
performances, minstrel shows ofcrcdi
! table character were given, in which
! such artists as Clark Gibbs, Franz
j Gotten aud others took part.
! Morning, afternoon and evening tn,
amphitheatre was crowded by delight
ed throngs The street procession
/ and the menagerie were all that coult
be desired.