National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-04-29
THE GREAT SHOW.
A Talk with Mr.. naiIey ~ 20 Its Features
-EHorta 60 Prevent IuHpbo Departure.

A Talk with Mr.. naiIey ~ 10 Its Features
-EHorts 60 Prevent JuBsbo's Departure.
when ! contaminated the compact which
united p r. Bsnum's circus to my own--thc Great
London" said Mr.. James A. Bailey, the indefatig.
able and untling proprietor and manager Of the
Barnum and London shows to reporter Of THE
REPUBLICAN, at have no hesitation in declaring
TINT did not then imagine the combination
| would assume the vast proportions they have
since. Why, sir, II was only short time since
that for advertising purposes one press representa-
tive was deemed amply SUFFICIENT for AL purposes,
while tho pre- ent season have no less than ten
Those. suppose, are what you call your ad-
vance btigade2"
"oh, no" rerlicd Mr.. Bailey, laughinsly. "The
advance brigade consists Of five elegant advettis-
ing cars, upon each Of which arc twenty-six men
and one press rcpresentativc-thHt is, n gentleman
qualified to attend to the newspapers.maklng in
NIL 1875 men. 1t is upon the efforts of THIS part Of
the establishment that the show hopes to be prop.
crly placed before the public, few years ago a
full circus would not contain ms many people per-
formers and all, as now find necessary TO simply
use for advertising, and the number Of men en-.
nloyed IN other capacities IL more than all the
shows of the country could muster together little
while back, II now requires three trains Of cars
70 move the combined shows-2fS cnnvasmen, 1870
laborers 900 performers, besides teamSters and
Others, in various capacities; so that you sec the
shows in their entirety resemble an army"
Your expenses must be enornnusg'
They arc, aggregatiug over 81 800 per day. But
this is nothing rs our tent is so large that Il Will
comfortably seat 10000 people, and 1t is more than
full ut every performance"
81 suppose Jumbo is great feature?"
zone Of the gre test So much notoriety has
been conferred on tho monster both here and in
| Europe, owing TO Queen Victoria the Prince of
| Wales and other high personages expressing re-
gres at the IN nstcr's departure from the Zooogi
cal Gardens, In London that II stirred up the peo
pie of England TO the real importance of the anil
NAL, aud hence their reluctance to part with him.
! Why sir, do you know, so many obstacles were
thrown in the way Of my getting him TO this coun-
try that almost despaired of securing him. In
functions were issued at one time, then various
societies stepped In to prevent II at another, and
finally, rs n last resort and when all their meas
| Of the box had made to ship him in, so that
| when he placed his foot on IL aud was burnt he
would not enter II second time. But was de-
! termined to have him, and II all my own efforts
proved abortive, was going TO make u a subject
| for our Government To take hold Of ] had pur-
chased him, paid all they had asked-a very large
| sum-and knew how kreat n monster he was nd
| what mn immense attraction he would undoubt-
edly prove on this side Of the water; so have him
would, and, TO sum 1t all up have him, but only
after the outlay of some $4,000"
| "What docs The whole show consist OFF,
"Three circus companies, two mcnageries, mu-
scum of living human curiosties, the Barnum
| Roman hippOdrome and the elephant exhibit
| have mentioned. Circus exhibitions have Kept on
increasing from year TO year until now they have
come to be immense afairs-so large, in fact, that
| only cities having very large populations can be
visited by them, us It takes SO many persons to
| fill the large tents, which is necessary to make
| the venture Il paying success Take our hippo
| drOme, for instance. That Is II complete show in
| itself There are chariot races wheelbarrow,
| male and female jockey, fiat and hurdle races OF
| the most amusing and exciting character, mon
key, elephant and other animal races, and Roman
contests OF such kind as to be most instructive,
| as well as highly entertaining.