The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1874-06-13
Barnnm's Observation on Circuses in Eu-
rope.
From an interview in Wilkes Shirt

/ From an interview in Wilkes Spirit
III. Barnum-Show life in Europe is far
different from ours. The representative
| showmen in Europe are Sanger and Heng-
ler. The. former is great ON spectacles. 1t
was ae who designed the Congress of Ma
tlons, and first exhibited it in Agricultural
| hall in London, which was thought to be
the largest place Of amusement in the
world. could set it bodily in the parterre
OF this Hippodrome. Sanger also produces
many dramas, like Fair Rosamond, y"
cinderella" the'' Headless Horseman, !"
and others, with very fine accessories. I
have bought several of these, including
Fair. Rosamond " and Cinderella. !"
In the latter entire suits of ar1nor are worn
| in one scene, and it is replete with gor-
geous paraphernalia. Hengler gives per-
Torrance more like the ordinary circus. As
such it is excellent. There are in England
scores of smaller circuses which travel
| about from fair to fair and town to town.
Sometimes one family will constitute the
entire attraction, and will sell and take
ticNets and then so in the ring. The lives
of most of the English circus people are of
the most degraded character. They sleep
in their wagons, cook their own food, and
herd together like CATTLE With us the cir
Gus performer stops at the best hotel, and
thus the money taken at one town is scat
tered along the road.
Critic-How do the foreign performers
compare with the American?
Mr.. Barnum-Amer1cans are Ill every way
superior. There is more native talent in
our country than in the whole of Europe.
When an English Snowman wishes to make
a sensation, he gets the best foreigner he
can find, and advertises him as an Ameri-
can star. I have discovered several of
these deceptions. Why, the man who has
electrified all Europe with his dash and dar-
ing is an American. mean Charlie Fish,
the greatest rider in the world. He can
Get his own price in any of the great capi-
tails He's been in St. Petersburg and Mos
COW the past year, and the Czar has heaped
honors upon him, and he is not twenty
years old.
Crltlc-How do the continental shows
compare with our own?
Mr. Barnum-When we leave Paris,
where the circus resembles the English and
American, we see a different style of enter
tainment The Germans are great show
people, and their circus is great institution
among them. They differ from ours in
this: that they rarely travel, and confine
their performances to horses and clowns
exclusively. Their trained horses are posi-
lively wonderful. There is manager at
Cologne named Care, who has ten trained
horses which surpass anything | ever seen.
They will go through their entire perform
ance, while walking on two legs. They
dance, jump, walk tight ropes, and turn
sommersaults. | tried very hard to get
induce Care to leave the Fatherland before
Tho o1nyvpc who
acrobats and dancing iiddlers, are almost
the only other feature to the German circus,
and they are highly amusing.
Critic-Who are the great circus men of
Germany?
Mr.. Barnum-Renz, Salmonski, and jim
Myers. The latter is an American. REM
has buildings in Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg,
and Frankfort. Salmonski gives perform
ances at Berlin. Cologne and Aux-la- Cha
pelle, while Myers has establishments at
Vienna, Cologne and Breslau, occasionally
taking a tour through Italy. Myers and
Victor Emanuel are the firmest friends
YICtvr f1'fIatsuoi 10 ,osst l,vIeU.rss.t.. er.d
whenever Myers comes into Italy the Emper-
or remains with him the greater part Of his
time. lie gave Myers a beautiful horse,
and Myers presented him with a regular
London Hanson cab. made expressly to
order For two years every morning, Ny
ers and Victor Emanuel used to remain
together at the stables, talking horse, much
to the chagrin of all the ministers of state
who were jealous of the Snowman
Critie-How do you think European
shows compare with American
Mr.. Barnum-The American are in every
way the best. We give more varied enter
tainments and longer performances than
any nation OH earth.