Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-06-06
THE MODERN ANANIAs.
Desperate Conflict with a Circus "Ad.
vance Agent---H Heroic Conduct Of
a Gallant Reporter.
Virginia City C%hronicle.l

man; Win u cane ana MALT
} pound cluster diamond pin, came into
the Chronicle office and asked if the
amusement reporter was in. When the
man he sought was pointed out, the
stranger grasped him warmly by the
hand, remarking: Delighted to meet
you, sir-really, | am. I've heard of
you at every place I've stopped on my
way from New York. | had such a
curiosity to see you that | got off at
Reno and took a run up. But really.
had expected to find a much older
man, considering the magnificent rep
utation your dramatic and circus crit
iclsm have given you. All of our boys
told me to be sure and see you, if
didn't get aboard of anything else IN
town"
"Ah," said the reporter, blushing in
four cOlors, II am glad to see you.
Might | inquire your name?p
We'll, here's my card" said the
little man, handing out a piece of pa
per about five inches square. Won
may have heard of me ~before-Ciar-
ence De Lacy Slocum, agent of the
Sebastian Van Buena Vista circus
and menagerie. This is by far the
hugest combination of gigantic cir
cuses ever put on the road. We
started out about FIVE years AGO in a
small way, with not over four hun
dred thousand feet of canvas. only
nine tents, and scarcely fifteen hun.
dred animals, but we gradually alb
Sorbed all the small-fry shows. THEY'D |
go into bankruptcy along the route.
and We would buy their outfits. !
Sebastian, our owner, is the mos,
sympathetic mar on earth. He'd buy
their little shows and pay double
price, just to help the poor devils
along. Money is Of no account TO
him. He's travelling simply for pleas
9re and a desire to see the great
West"
I'D like to know him. remarked
the reporter.
oh, ne knows yOu-that is by rep
u%tation. He has your picture set ina
frame that cost him over SlCl He
was saying to me one night that when.
ever business was dull he just took A
look at that phiz of yours and it all
ways made him feel as happy as if he
was obliged to turn FIVE hundred
people away at the door"
How came him to get hold of my
picture? ?"
"0h, he begged it of Di Murska, or
Modjeska, Or Clara Morris-I forget
which. She hated like thunder TO
part with it, but you see he had loaned
the great actress $4,000 once in Paris
to buy a wardrobe and some iewelry
Tor a new piece, and as the debt was
never Cancelled she couldn't very well
refuse. But | just came in to give
you a little information about our
show. | always like to give q man ali
the points when | know he possesses
the talent to handle them in the right
style. Some fellows down at Renol
and Carson tried to pump me, but |
didn't propose to let a description of
my show be mangled up by serub
writers. Besides, Sebastian tele-
graphed me from New York last night !
not to let anybody but you get aboard
OF the first grand description. just
mention four miles of cages contain
ing wild beasts, with twelve e wyarie.
ties Of elephants and a recently dis.
covered monster from africa called
the j9bberwock, which weighs 800 Al
pounds"
Indeed 1"
Yes, sir and a man like you. with
a fine descriptive ability and inexbans.
tible command of language which has
made you famous in two continentsn-
How many columns do you want?p
Oh, as many as you please"
When will the show be here 2"
Perhaps not for two months II |
takes such a long time TO move the !
animals that our progress across the
country is slow"
Just so. Well, our figures for big
cireusses, like yours, are $50 a column
cash down, and thirty per cent. Of the
gross receipts if the show is a sue
cess"
The circus agent seemed greatly
affected. isn't that rather steep?6
he said. ~
1t would be, PERHAPS, for a small
provincial journal like the New York
Herald, or eve the London Times
but we circulate such a mammoth
edition that tho price is comparatively
triilng. Fourteen freight cars come
up every day with paper for our edi-
tion which is worked off on five biz
walter presses, lightning geared. Our
expense for steam alone, sir. is $1,000 a
day: We have more carriers than Won
could pack in your largest tent. Our
Eastern circulation has been increas-
ing at the rate Of thousand a day for
the last two years. By simply cutting
uowh the size OF the paper an eighth
OF an inch our proprietor has saved
enough money TO build four school.
houses worth $4,000 each, and
endowed an orphan asylum in each
county IN the State. Ho doesn't run
the paper for money, but Just simply
Tor his health and because he likes the
country. Our mailing and folding
machinery would remind you Of the
Rlsdon iron works"
Is it in this building p
Oh, no this is simply the branch
oilce-the place where we write up
c%lrcusses. Our principal establish.
ment'-
The circus agent groaned as If in
agony, and fled from the office.
Grecian ladies count their ace from
7 their marriaUa nnt lsau. THAR tsptb