Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-07-27
@isreIlarreuus.
The Old fine Circus.
"REMINISCENCES OF MAN WHO WAS IL
THE BUSINESS As YEARS AGO.

The New York Tribune gives some In.
teresting bits of conversation with on old
circus man, who first travelled with one Of
the old time circusses in 1886, and who
has been in the business ever since
I'VE had a canvass about thirty feet in
diameter said the old Snowman. "A
double tent wasn't vet thought of. Ten
performers, ring master, three or four
good horses, and band of four pieces
made proprietor's waistcoat swell with
pride. and this feeling was shared in some
degree by every member Of the company.
The clown was much more important
person in the early days than he is now,
for besides playing the fool he had to do
all kinds OF busiDess-rope-walki tum-
bling, vaulting, and sometimes even horse
back riding. The average performer was
also required to have varied accomplish
ments, owing TO the small size Of the
troupe. Usually an elephant was taken
along. which was much more of a curios-
ity than now. He would be brought into
the ring and put through his tricks by his
keeper as the closing performance Of the
entertainment. One circus, remember,
had hippopotamus. which was great
wonder, and made the owner thousands OF
dOllars-more money than any attraction
ever knew Of
The cirrus was popular at the start. and
drew well in all parts of the country.
The church people. especially in New
England, would raise cry against US
when we came around. but then, you
know, there were ALWAYS others who
weren't 80 particular, so that wherever
we drove our stakes we were pretty sure
10 hov h.. 81
travelling was different then from what il
Is now. One season we went through
the Eastern States another season through
the West, and again down through the
South, wintering every year at the same
place-usually at the home of the pro-
prietor.
I'VE stopped at small villages as well
as at the larger towns. We had to. for
they were so far apart. Many and many
time the caravan labored for miles over
rough country roads through Pennsylva-
mia, Ohio. Illinois. and other Western
States, before point was reached where
it was worth while to plant our centre
pole. There, upon some pleasant green,
the canvas was unfurled, the flags were
set flying atop, and the old and young
from the surrounding country, who had
heard Of our coming through our man on
horseback. thronged the streets OF the vii
lage the young men in their best clothes and
the young women in their laces and ribbons.
After the procession was over the people
flocked through the slit in the canvas and
filled the seats in way that warmed up
the showmen's hearts. | can tell you.
There was only one performance and that
in the afternoon. there being no class that
could attend at night. Tours were made
in the winter season through the Southern
States. where patronage was usually good.
Negroes 90 to the show Yes; frequent
~ planters would pay for the admission OF
all their slaves. They were easily pleased.
the clown was a marvel to them. and Jim
Crow was far from being unpopular, as
one might think.
1.-The menageries were independent.
could get class of people that we could
not. but they are not so interesting, as I'll
leave to anybody Very often sort of an
tent in which were exhibited wax figures.
snakes. armless men. fat women. living
skeletons. giants. and so on. with their
pictures happing in the wind outside.
Finally n bright idea struck Snowman.
Says he m slap in few lions tigers
and hycnas with my equcstrianism. Jug
Cling and tumbling. and then I'll get
everybody Ii worked like a charm.
People who wouldn't 90 the straight cir
cus-however much they liked it-went
to the combination. oh. no. not taking
seats. but turning their heads while at the
cages 10 see an act. and then going on
with their study of the animals again"
In the early times the advance agent
the man on horseback referred to-put
some bills in pair OF saddlebags, got
astride a horse and started on his tedious
Journey through the country. About 1910
flaming bills were printed for the first
time. and the agent instead of riding dI owe
one-horse wagon, which was thought n
turn out to be proud of Naulting had
been brought to a greater degree of per-
lection. 1t having been considered great
feat then for a man 10 turn somersault
over an elephant. whereas now perform
or was "a poor stick" who couldn't turn
over several of them in y row Acrobat
acts-those done by three brothers. (and
who weren't always brothers by any
means) in the arena upon piece of car
pet--were new business, followed mainly
by French English and German perform
ers. A triple somersault could not vet be
done. although every tumbler could do
two almost as easily as one The reason
air three times and see where he was go
ing to alight. Several adventurous men
had tried it and had met their death in the
attempt.
One of the most marked changes, con-
tinued the old Snowman. was in the num-
Der OF women that have come to follow
the profession. Formerly there were no
women in circus troupe except the
equestriennes. but now there are many
of them doing Juggling, trapeze acts.
tumbling. horizontal bar acts. and in fact
nearly everything that men do. A per-
former would take his wife or daughter
in training. and in a year or so. on ac
count of women having a better knack
for 1t than men. she could do almost any
thing. But they couldn't learn to ride so
easily For this it is necessary for them
to begin when they are young girls. and
go through severe course of training
Owing to law prohibiting boys and girls
from becoming apprentices. riders were
becoming scarce and command high
wages. The horses Were usually trained
after they have gotten over their folly
cav aiyhf wears or over