The daily gazette., 1880-10-09
RUNNING A CIRCUS.


what are its daily expensesln asked a
Washington Post reporter OF Mr.. Tilling.
the agent for Coup's circus,
| In small towns between 50, 900 and
1920 per day. The amount depends to
O. certain extent on the sums that are
charged us for licenses TO show and other
privileges. In cities the expenses foot nm
to nearly 200 day. The advertisine
and bill-posting is about 1000. we
have 300 persons employed. We feed 225
OF these in our cooktent and seventy.
i've are quartered at the hotels. Our
cooking arrangements are admirable:
we serve everything the best and in a
clean and careful way. Mr.. Coup fire.
quently dimes in the cooking TENT
How about the other side OF the
1.-THE receiptsp They are generally
enough to make g good circus a paving
investment. Still, any day our receipts
may fall 10 nothing because of some
rain-st rm, or some costly animal may
ole. There are many ways in which
show may suffer dead loss. The worst
against"
What are the heaviest items of a
shows expensesp"
"The salaries. The sum paid to the
| Japanese troupe in our combination
would run an ordinary circus. Then
the Indians, taking the matter of board
alone at an average of but 81 so per dav
each, during the season, cost SO, 800 for
season, besides their salaries. A first.
class rider, like Miss Kate Stokes, gets
$50 week."
they notp"
Yes, to certain extent. An ordi-
nary lady rider gets 1926 a week. For
men riders, James Melville, perhaps.
leads with the highest salary-$2OO
week. The average is $40 a week.
Fryer, who has the pony circus, draws
$l40 week; Carl Anthony, the French
horse trainer, the same, while we paw
for the wonderful Broncho horses $1,000
q week. This is exactly what we got
for them in the Boston Globe Theater
and Aquarium, and was offered for them
a years engagement at the Westminster
aquarium. in London. Our horses are
q study. One of them, Tom, owned by
Miss Minnie Stokes, q beautiful black,
OF fiery disposition, is her particular pet,
follows her round like a dog and only
seems contented when in her company.
With every one else Tom is particularly
vicious, having manned several of his
grooms, but with his mistress he is as
gentle as kitten"
How sweet" mutt red our Adde'S
cent reporter.
Mr.. Pilling looked rather hard at the
quilldriver, but the latter was as sober
as judge and taking notes vigorously,
30 he continued:
A circus proprietor does not, of
ROnrop nov for bo I'D robae IS tbo 49,
performers. These must be furnished
by them. Hence you see that, although
they are paid large salaries, they bave
heavy expenses. Last season Mis-
Katie Stokes bought 1870 dresses. The
rosin used on the horses backs soon
spoils q dress, and spoiled apparel is
quickly noticed in the ring. The cos
tunes used for the opening pageant are,
of course, part of the circus properties,
each wearer being responsible for the
care and keeping of the dresses worn by
them"
=" / suppose the more enterprising a
circus is the better it paysP"
"Yes, beyond a doubt. A show that
keeps its vans new and bright and its
canvas clean is always far more liber-
ally patronized than a show of equal.
merit which practices a false economy
in this regard; and when, in addition,
a manager endeavors to continually
secure novelties to please the public,
without sparing cost, he will certainly
be successful. Take, for instance, the
conveyance of a circus by railroad. I
| believe Mr.. Coup was the first man to
build and own railroad train for show |
business. When he projected it he was
laughed at by other showmen for ex- |
haa -. A1I
show he employed an agent, who said: |
Mr.. Coup, you can never make money |
with show He said: 'WhyP' 'Oh, |
you run your business too aristocratic,
TOO extravagantly.' He was surprised |
when he found that for three seasons
Mr.. Coup had exhibited in precisely
she same towns with increasing business
each year, so that now his show draws
most people where it has been oftenest.n
The Cats DecisiOn...-A Fable.
One day bird of rare plumage and
song sat on the limb of tree overlook
ing pond, when catfish arose to the
,urface and said:
"You may be able to fly through the
air, but you can't swim. You are not
half so big gunboat as you pretend to
,e."
This salutation nettled the bird, and
le spanked up and replied: Ii
Il am better man than you are any ,
lay in the week, and if you were up
lere on this limb I'd prove it or break
ny wings trying to-"
"Poohl II you were down here In the
,ond, I'd take the brag out of you in
bout York minute!" sneered the cat
Ssh.
After some further sass 1t was agreed '
hat they should go to the cat and have 4
test to see which excelled. 1t so hap I
ened that the cat was out to see if there 4
vas any chance to pick up bone at t
ONE one else's expense, and the bird 4
uickly brought her to the banks OF the
ond.
"You see," began the cat as she
troked her whiskers and looked wise,
this bird cannot swim and the catfish
annot fly. Therefore, you must meet
n neutral ground. Each thinks that
is cause is right, and you come to me
, decide. The catfish will swim to the
ank and the bird will alight on his
ack. One will try to pull the other
own, and the other will try to pull the
ne up, and may the best man win." 4
The programme was carried out, each