The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-11-12
SELLING A CIRCUS.
How the Bidding Ran Among Crowd
That Comprised such Prominent
Circus Men AS Barnum, O'Brier,
ForePaugh and others, In Adj
ditiOn 40 the Usual Patron
izers OF Public Sales.
Philadelphia Times.

Philadelphia Times.
They sold circus at Columbia avenue
and Twenty-third street yesterday. The rea-
son why so much sawdust'ring parsphernalia
was suctioned off is the dissolution of the
old time firm of Cooper & Bailey. Bailey
buys out Cooper for $4,000, and forms an
alliance with Henry Barnum, while Cooper
retres on a neat little fortune of several mil
lions of dollars. BArnum & Bailey expect to
form two large shows, sending one to Europe
10 April and the other travelling through the
states. When the old winter quarters were
opened yesterday morning, about eight
O'clock, good.sized crowd was on hand,
composed largely OF coun trymen, although
the sale did not begin until ten. A large road
show-wagon was used for the auctioneer and
clerks being wheeled from one part of the
building to another as occasion required.
The sight when Nichols, the auctoneer,
mounted the box in the wagon and began
the auction Of superAuous material by offer
ing a lot of lumber Was an interesting one.
There were all sorts Of people in the en-
closure There were the farmers aud rural
horsemen already mentioned there were
scores Of mCr3 curiosity seekers, who roam
ed here and there, gazing upon the tinsel and
spanged robes, said robes looking much less
attractive than when worn by some daring
acrobat or female equ strienne; there were
the u ual number of loalecs and small boys,
and most noticeable of all was the presence
of such leading circus men as Barnum,
o Brieh, Forepaugh, Fuller, Bachelor &
Doris, Gardiner, Middleton and Hemmings.
The Junk men were also on hand and carried
away MS purchases most Of the old iron,
rags, rings and canvas which were first
sold.
The first really striking article presented
was the wagon body made for the baby ele-
phant IL was bright, strong vehicle,
ntver having been used. Repeated attempts
were made 10 place the tough.hded infant
therein, but the monster mother objected in
a manner so expressive and effective as to put
the carriage out of the question. At New.
ark, N. D., she kicked the wheels entirely off
and would have demolished the whole struc-
ture but for the immediate Cession of effort
and the speedy restoration of the baby to its
parent A large amount of truck was next
bringing the highest prices The Termination
of parades made a lot of torches sell for only
three dollars, while pedestals and banners Sc
cured fair offers. No. 81 seemed to possess
temporary interest, being chest Of hom9o.
palhic medicine used on the voyage from
| Australia to South America. There were
enough pellets left, however, to bring So.
The junk dealers took the next lot of canvas,
with the exception of two unusually fine
pieces made in Melbourne ana purchased by
O'Bren for $3.50 So Tents followed one
another in quicn succession and then black.
| smith shop, or rather the canvas covering
the travelling forge, and y doorway for the
show brought So and $40 respectively. A
| dressing-room, with side canvas and parti.
ton, was considered worth $50 so.
A lot OF seats, some Of them plain blue
planks and others with carpeted backs, were
put under the hammer next bringing $l75.
An iron safe used by the Great London cir.
Gus, with the combination, brought S26.
Then followed number Of the jackets and
suits worn by the knights and female chario
teers. They looked very dingy and lustreloss
and were struck off for 81 SO each, "Jule,"
MS the man WAC displayed the wares was
called, held before his audience linen prop.
erty suits, pad cloths, wigs and bass drums,
Tor which bidders ut low rates were quickly
found Auctioneer, clerks aud purchasers
then moved into the yard, where sone of
those wonderful wagons termed 'charots"
on the bills and so my sterous to the rustic
mind, were placed on the market. They
brought pretty good prices, a wardrobe wse-
on selling for $50 and other like vehicles
bringing similar rates. A curious arrange
ment, advertised ms "steps for training oxen"
was sold for 81 80, while railroad bridge"
for assisting the msnagerie over steel rails
and wooden ties, went ut S.
The announcement that move would be
made in the direction of the stables was glad
| ly welcomed, and it was evident at once that
the maj 1rlty of the crowd WAS eager to
c tch view Of the horses to DO sold. The
small boy clmed upon an adjacent brick
building aud the horsemen, some of whom
had come all the way from Virginia 10 attend
the SALE gathered about the hosllers who led
on. ttostock, A private bid of 500 for the
| per. ing cattle seemed greater than my
one n the crowd cared to bid, SO they
remained unsold. Bay horses, pull up teams,
Canadian horses, Norman mares, spotted
ring and dark,gray horses and saddle ponies
were sold. They were all of them fine
specimens, having been selected with cara
Throughout! the country and only disposed of
because the stock is sufficiently largo for next
years circuit without them. The bidding
was brisk and reasonable prices were obtained
for them, ranging from 500 to $3.50. The
sales for the entire day amounted to about
$4,000 The goods were ordered removed
immediately after the sale, as the building is
to be occupied during the winter by w. G.
Coup's show.
Lncnl 0nIiAIl NJ Enri ~ I.iI