Omaha daily bee., 1874-05-12
THE BIG SHOW.
The Kind of q Thing Barnum is
Going to Travel With
This Summer.

In a circus sense, the opening OF
Barnum's Roman Hippodrome last
night doubtlest justified the mana
gerial prediction that it would be
the event of 1874. Everybody who
had stared with amaZement at the
enormous structure so rapidly
spreading itself over the entire block
between Madison and Fourth ave-
nues on Twenty-sixth street, desired
to get into it when it was opened.
Other subsidiary and preliminary
events of 1874 had undoubtedly in
creased the desire. A private re-
hearsal last week, attended only by
about 5000 people, but to when at
least $4,000 desired to be admitted,
was n of those events. A very
pompOus and voluminous street pa
rade of several thousand imported
horses and jockeys was another.
In truth. the sagacious board of di-
rectors of the Roman were not at all
chary i'm the use and accumulation
ofevents. Their schemes was found
ed on the well establish
ed fact that the Americans
like big things, and to borrow the
forcible if not facinating language
of the Roman directory, they de-
termined to give them the biggest
thing on earth. Adhering strictly
to the matter of circuses, Roman
and otherwise, such the hippodrome
undoubtedly is. Its seating capacI-
ty is modestly stated to be 1900.
1t enclOses a space inside the track
that is 81 feet broad and 270 feet
long, and the track itself, laid out in
an eclipse, is One-fifth of a mile in
length. Rising nearly twenty feet
all around it are the seats for the
spectators, divided by grades of up
holstery into gallery, dress circle,
parquet, etc. Filled as 1t was last
night by an assemblage of 10000 or
1900 persons and brilliantly lit by
hundreds of g~as.jets, the cen vas
of uncommon interest and beauty.
As already described i'm these col
umnS, the interior of the hippo
drome is not laid out as q circus.
There is no ring, the track taking
its place, and the oval space
closed within it, being laid
out i'm a parterre with fountains and
statuary, also serves for the exhibi-
ton of feats Of agility and strength.
1t will thus be seer that the enter
tainments must necessarily be in
great part composed of spectacular
professions and races. In such the
bill last night abounded. The OPEN
ing pageant was called "The Con-
gress of Nations" and consisted of
a snowy procession which was con-
stantly augmented until it entirely
filled the arena, making an enliven-
ing and exceedingly picturesge
spectacle. probably no theatric ex-
hibition ever reached such a magni-
tude as this. Measured by the run
ming yard it was simply stupenduOus.
England, France, Rome, Germany,
Turkey, Italy, Egypt, Russia, China,
India and the United States wound
in fantastic groups with soldiers,
dragons, chariots, slaves, camels,
elephants, horses and music round
the broad pathway. This swarming
picture overlooked the spacious
track. 1t dwindled as it wound.
Doors were opened somewhere into
which dragons, princes, camels,
slaves, and eve His Holiness him.
self dropped, and presently the
whole phantasmagoria had disap-
peared. For multitudinOus large
ness it was uneXampled. No such
movement providing work for the
unemployed masses has been
brought TO our notice this winter.
For its glitter, its Kaleidoscope va
and its infinity Of costumery,
was received as it deserved, with
much wonder and considerable APP
plause. When it had slowly wound
itself away, the entertainment
proper was opened by a gymnastic
act. Mons, Loyal, the performer,
was driven into the arena in an
open carriage by a liveried driver
and deposited lea his trapeze, and
after concluding his gymnastics was
as handsomely driven back. Then
came the races. Up to this time
the vast audience had looked on
with amazement and qualification.
Now it stirred itself. Six women
ride into view. They make an easy
start, and go tearing around the
track i'm the liveliest style. The
audience is excited. 1t shouts and
its hands, and presently rises
i'm its seats. But it is all over shortly.
Monkey races; a Roman standing
race on two horses by four riders
Stevens, North, SoGle and Hogle;
more gymnastics; a Roman chariot
race by three ladies, one of them
meeting with a slight accident by
the breaking of a pole; and that
race by six English jockeys; an ele-
plant trot; and then a scene repre-
the chase and lassoing wild
cattle by SignOr Leon, Don Pedro,
and a Comanche chief. This part of
the exhibition, although genuine
enough, was not pleasant, The