Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-08-16
Running Circus

'ouhu hA'f million to star
GOOD circus and menagerie."
80 much az that?"
Les, Sir, every cent of it, and tho,
you can lose $1,000 day easilv if VI,
strike cold spring weather and beav,
rams. To be sure, there are side-shows
~n'cn don't cost half as much, but the,
are likely to fly by night before the seaso,
Is over. But out of the 25 shows th,,
nave started out on the road this summer
'nere are at least five which will have al.
most as much capital as this invested. OF
course, this represents animals. horses
wagons, trapplugs, canvas. and. not nv
any means least, sinking fund. The
season consists of about 3GO performances
new season opening when they pass the
"lnter months in California. the South
or the West Indies. 1t requires for the
transportation of show the size of Fore
paoghs soont ninety- wo wagons, cania
gcs and cages, and they travel about four
thousand miles during the season, ayersp
ing about thirty miles per day ana tahin o
breakfast about midnight. The larg.
shows generally travel by rail. Fore.
paugh and L. T. Barnum own animal.
Kitchen and sleeping cars. A strictly
hrst class exhibition, like Forepaugh's or
bsrnum's, is at an expense of $500 pcr
lday for salaries, expenses and incidentals.
Messrs. Forepaugh and Barnum give
their personal supervision to their shows.
They each employ about 225 persons,
nearly small regiment.
I'm first-class show there are sbout
twenty four performers who are the main
stays. 1t requires years of toll and labor
to become proficient in their differen.
'lines;' many falls, bumps and bruises are
endured before the necessary experience,
agility and sklll are attained. A steady
course of practice, from the age of Elk
years, gives the acrobstic expertness and
dexterity shown by the equestrian gym.
nasts and aerobats Of the present day. The
salary Of an equestrian of Mr.. Dutton's
cxpcrience is about s125 a week. Jimmy
, Robinson is receiving $500 a week in
goiG, Chas. Fish receives $3.50, and Romeo
Sebastian $125, exclusive of expenses.
The salaries of equestriennes range from
$50 to 1925, according to their proficiency
Lady riders like Miss Mollle Brown and
Madame Dockrill readily command $500.
The men who are the delight of the rus
tics, the clowns, do not receive the large
salaries generally supposed. They aver
age $35 week, although Mr.. Forepaush
paid Dan Rice 81 900 week for three
seasons, The gymnasts, aerobats, leapers
and contortionists command the smales,
wages, as the supply exceeds the demand.
Their salaries range from SIS to $50, SIC
!, more is sddel to the salary of contor
tionist. Ben Lusbie, the lightning ticket
seller of Forepaugh's show, gets $4,000
for the season, and Fred. Lawrence. ths
advance advertising agent, $4,000 for the
r season.
"The pets of the little ones, the chill
tiren who take part 10 the performance
are generally the sons or daughters OF
the performers. The hue and cry about
cruelty to children in the circus profession
is in a majority of instances unfounded
, A father and mothers care and dcvoticr
, is usually watchful of their dsrliDg''
> health. After riding or performing. tht
little ones are carefully wrapped to pro-
tect them from cold. and the utmost care
is observed to keep their feet dry in rainy
,, weather. Their salaries range from $l(
! 10 $50 week.
"The large caravans have almost uni
vcrsally abandoned the mode OF travelling
> by road availing themselves Of railroad
, facilities. The cause for this change wal
the great number of horses lost during
the hot aeason, often as many as flve
|day, Another cause was the necessity o.
stopping at small points, only being abr
to travel twenty. five or thirty miles day
, aud the consequent loss, as they ned
almost impossible to make expenses IL
towns or villages. The band Of music TO
:, a large show costs in salaries alone $l,OO'
psr month";