The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-24
ROBINsON'S TEN BIG SHOWS.

Circus Festival Parade-The Brilliant and
Novel Street Pageant of the Robinson
ShOw-ThOusands of Spectators Throng
the Line of March, Which Was Illuminated
by Torches and COIOred Fires.
Old John Robinson will exhibit in Indianap-
oils Monday, June 16 1t is the largest and best
show in the country. We clip the following in
dorsement from the Cincinnati Commercial Ca
zette
The heavens were kind and withheld their
rains until after the great Robinson circus
parade had traversed the streets and found safe
shelter within their stable walls last evening
Except the rumbling and threatening of the
clouds, the night was most propitious, and
thousands had assembled upon the sidewalks
i'll eager anticipation of the event, while from
the windows and balconies along the entire
line of march hundreds of the ex-
pectant throng had arranged themselves,
making very carnival of the occasion (which
indeed was rare onel by their shouts of merri
ment and pleasant applause. Such
crowds have not been seen upon our
streets in months, the great Gin
cinnatus turnout of last season hardly bringing
so many spectators into the open air. A circus
parade is welcome at all times, but while the APP
petite for such things is further whetted by the
many palatable things promised through the me-
dunn of flaming posters of red and blue that line
every fence and house wall, it is not in the least
strange that our citizens and small boys should
have turned out in such numbers last evening.
A circus parade, as we have said, is always well
come; but circus parade by torchlight is doub
ly so, especially as such a novelty was never be-
fore witnessed upon our streets. Circus people
are always racking their brains for something
new, until to-day they have so added to and i'm
proved the primitive sawdust entertainment
In all of its departments that We now
seem to behold Pelion piled upon Ossa, go to
speak, even in their advance professions. The
Robinson people, however, having been pecul
iarly unfortunate for the past few years in all
of their efforts or undertakings in this their
native city, determined this season to Guido
themselves and all competitors in the way of q
grand series of entertainments, of which the
pageantry of last evening was but a forerunner.
Cincinnati had become they argued the city of
festivals and as both music and the drama had
celebrated their feasts why not an athlete carni-
val, as it were, that might with equal proprety
be termed circus festivall To this end prep
arations were begun upon mammoth scale
huge tents were erected representing, to the
hyperbohc language of the Snowman, a world
of canvas, hundreds of extra people were en-
ployed new cages and chariots were built, and as
appropriate to the occasion, it was determined to
| inaugurate the festivities by grand illuminated
parade, the fruits of which resolve all witnessed
last evening. A moro magnificent turnout was
never witnessed of the kind, to say the least
Its brllllancy was most enchanting. For pomp
and pageantry, commend US always to the show
man; but the ga1ly caparisoned horses the rum
bling chariots, Respondent in gold and colors,
the illuminated floats and tabieau cars, the
troupe of knights in armors, and spangle-clad
attendants, all made up scene long to be re-
membered Elephants, camels, and other huge
and curious beasts, were conspicuous here and
there, the bright light of the calciums making
their forms stand out in such bold relief that
their proportions and numbers seemed magnified
two-fold, while the colored lights lined the way,
together with the fzz and hiss of the rockets
piercing the overhanging darkness, gave to all so
strange and weird effect as to make its remem-
brance lasting. Seventy-eght wagons, all of
the most approved pattern, helped to lengther
the brilliant caravan. Besides these, with their
teams of handsome horses, were thirty-one
golden charots, the famous Mazeppa Neptune,
Aurora and Lion cars, four steam organs, four
uniformed brass bands, u drum corps a band of
jubilee singers, a steam orchestriOn of mammoth
size, twelve hundred torch bearers and mounted
knights, and ladies without number. In addi-
ton to the fambeaux and Bengal lights carried
eolored fires, red blue and green, were lighted
at all convenient distances, so that from the
Lincoln Park grounds the entire route was kept
brilliantly, illuminated until the place of starting
was reached again. And thus the first great cir
Gus festival began, with u brilliancy so surpass-
ingly beautiful and beyond all promise, that OK
pectation has been led to the highest pitch as to
the performances to come.