The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-06-29
EXPENSIVE AMUSEMENT.
What it costs to run a big
Circus.
Nearly "a half million need
ed to meet the bill.

Yesterday afternoon c. II. Gauff, one OF
the many advance cuoriers of w. Z.
Coup's great circus, museum, menagerie
and hippodrome left for Council Bluffs
where he will attend to the advertising in
cidental to the coming of the show in that
place at a later date.
Mr.. Gauff was Intercepted by an ARGUS
representative with a view of ascertaining
some few of the expenses incurred by a
tent show during the season when such
sawdust performances make glad the heart
of Juvenile humanity all over this glorious
country. The enquiries were directed to
the cost and attending expenses of the pic
torial paper now conspicuously displayed
on every vacant lot in the city of Rock
Island. Every one is aware Of the fact
that such bills deliniate the most marvel
Gus facts-such as a human figure resting
on the ear of a horse-wild beasts con
stantly devouring u human being but
very few persons take into occount the
fact these many bills cost considerable
money.
BILLS AND THEIR COST.
''IIow much will the bills and billing
cost for Rock Island?" was the first ques-
ton of the interviewer.
"Well," replied Mr. Gauff, II know that
when the figures are made known great
many people win think that circus
people are so in the habit of exaggregating
their shows and everything connected with
them, that they never can come down to
actual facts However l will state that the
pictorial paper on the bill boards, the little
cards distributed about the city and in fact
the papers put up in the city and county
will aggregate $500. This is about what
it costs in every place, and $500 is consid-
cred the average expenses for billing each
city we visit during the season"
OTHER EXPENSES.
Are there any other expenses directly
connected with billingf"
Our livery hire strange as it may seem
is a considerable item in every place. For
instance in Rock Island we send out bills
all over this county and even in Mercer,
and in order to do this we employ livery
teams for several days. That one item
alone for Rock Island amounts to $175.
It is heavier here than is generally the case,
for there is a great many shows coming
anu VIC "ohl W AC>tP Aiol Wv, 90 ~
naturally be expected. Now when Sells
Brothers circus was here we had three
teams in their procession announcing the
fact that our show was to be here on the
4th OF course that cost US something,
and so it is through the whole season"
DO YOU know anything about the daily
expenses of giving the show exclusive of
billing?'
Yes, have seen it in black and white
that the cost per day for raising the tent,
feeding, salaries and the hundred little
items about a show, will not fall below
81, 500. That sum is what they consider
the daily expenses, and without they take
in more than that every day the proprietors
are losing money"
SEASONS EXPENSES.
From these figures and from the further
fact that circus commences the season
near the 5th of April and continues in the
field until the latter part Of September,
aiming to make about 15S different stands
or exhibitions, the yearly expenses can