The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-08
TIN AMUSEMENT REPoRTRR.
a Circus Agent Meets his Match In n Frontier
Newspaper Once.


Yesterday afternoon dapper little man,
with two-ounce cane and n half pound cluster
diamond pin. came into the Chronicle oilice,
When the man he sought was pointed out, the
stranger grnsped him warmly by the hand. re-
marking: Delighted to meet YOU. sir-really.
Am. I've heard OF you Mt every place Ive
stopped on my way from New York ] had such
a curiosity 10 see you that EOt oil at Reno. and
lind much older man, considering the mag
nnccnt reputation your dramatic and circus
criticisms have given you. All of,our boys told
me to be sure and see YOU, II didn't yet aboard
OF anything clse in the town"
Ah." said the reporter, blushng In four
colors, Im glad to see you. Might | inquire
Well here's my card" said the little man.
handing out piece OF pasteboard nbout live
bcfore-Clnrcnce DE Lacy Slocum. agent Of the
Sebastian Van Bucna Vista Circus and Menag-
erie. This is 10y lar the hugest combination Of
gigantic clrcus"s ever put on the road. We
started out about Ave years ago in small way.
with not over 100000 feet Of canvas. only nine
tents. and scarcely 800 animals but we, grad,
ually absorbed all the small-fry shows. They'd
20 into bankruptcy along the route and we
would buy their outfits. Sebastian, oar owner
buy their little shows and pay double price,
Just to help the poor devils along. Money is OF
no account 10 him. He's travelling simply for
pleasure and desire to see tho great West"
porter
Ha has Your picture set in n frame that cost
him over 500. He was saying 70 me one night
that whenever business was dull he Just took
look Mt that phiz Of yours. and it always made
him feel rs happy as II he was obliged to turn
nye hundred people away at the door" -,
How came he TO get hold Of my picture p
on. he hrgged il Of De Murska or Modieska,
Or Clara Morris forget which. She hated
like thunder to part with IL. but you see he had
loaned the great actress 10000 once in Paris TO
buy wardrobe aud some lewery for n now
piece. and IA 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 ike To give man all the points when
the right style. Some fellows down at Reno and
Carson tried to pump me. but didn't propose
20 let description OF my show be mangled up
grauhed 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
containing Wild beasts, with twelve now varie.
ties OF elephants. and recently discovered
monster from Africa. called the Jabberwock.
which weighs 5000 pounds.
Yes sir! and a man like you. with fine
descriptive ability and ineNhaustible command
OF language. which has made you famous in TWO
.iiow many columns do you wantS"
Oh, Ms many Ms you please"
when will the show be here 2"
Perhaps not for two months: II takes such n
Long lim ne, 70 move ne ANIMALS that our progress
just SO. Well. our figures for big circuses
like yours are $50 "A column cash down, and
thirty per cent. OF tho gross receipts II tho show
IL a success.
. The circus agent seemed greatly affected.
Isn't that rather steepY' ne said.
II would be. perhaps. for small provincial
journal like THE NEW York SUN. or even the
London Times but we circulate such a mann
moth edition that the price is comparatively
triiling Fourteen freight cars come up every
day with paper for our edition, which is worked
on on five big Waiter presses. lightning geared.
Our expense for steam alone. sir. is s2 900 u
day, We have moro carriers than you could
pack into your largest trnt. Our Eastern cir
culation has been increasing at tho ratio OF q
thousand a day for the last two years. BY sim
ply cutting down 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. He 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 re-
mind YOU of the Risdon Iron Works"
Is II IN this hulldingY'
ON. no this is simply the branch onlcc-the
place where We write NJ circuses. Our princi-
pal estlhishmeni-"
The circus agent gTOaned as IL in agony and
fed from the Office