The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-12-19
SOMETHING ABOUT SHOWS.
COST OF BURNING n FIESr-CbASE
GIRO S ON THE ROAD.
interesting EaIk with an old show
mau-Ehc Early Days-Ncnag-
erie and ether Attractions,

"The history of the circus in this
country said an old Snowman to a re-
porter, "presents one of the finest OK
amplcs OF American pluck, ingenuity and
enterprise that has ever been offered to
us by any class of people, and it has
grown to such an extent that now moth
ing will attract such immense crowds as
a reputable tent show, and people will
go miles to see it."
How many years has it taken for
this success to be acquiredF'
Why, not 50 many years, for 1t was
in 1923 that the first circus started out,
but. of course this was rather prema-
ture and decidedly incomplete, for no
tents. seats. or animals were thought
necessary at the time, and the people
focked as ,hey do now largely to wit
ness feats of strength and enjoy the mu-
sic. such as it was. OF course, travelling
was overland then, and the idea of spe-
cial trains had not been thought of; but
they had the same old parade, and that
was their means of announcing them
selves to the astonished populace. This
primitive custom lasted for about four
years, and then the modern tent came
into use however, on much smaller scale,
and it soon became apparent that better
form of advertising should be adopted,
and the advance agent and newspaper
ads were brought into use. l do not
think you can imagine the tremendous
excitement that the introduction of an
elephant into the list of clriosities caused.
Why, really. people would follow 1t Tor
miles. About the same time the clowns
and jumpers made their appearance, and
Ia h,Y V,.tlI oil VIC
last as long as the show does
"In what year were wild animals made
part of the showF
81 think it was in 1910, when Van
Amburgh followed Bresback and began
to exhibit them, and when Van, as we
called him then. began to 90 into the
den of lions. His fame, tell you, was
sung everywhere. About the same time
the miraculous feat of riding on the bare
back of a horse startled the people, and
the example of Que man Immediately be-
gan TO be emuated But from the time
Of the beginning of the first circus until
1860 everything was decidedly slow OF
progress but since this latter date the
improvement has been great and grows
as the years pass. Let me say that in
all Europe there is not more than one
circus that can equal our secondrate af-
fairs. Although you may be surprised,
it is a fact that can not be surmounted."
"What started the menagerie feature
Of the modern crcus!'
at began rather queerlyin 1914, when
two brothers in New York commenced
to import and peddle birds around the
streets These birds soon became the
rare. Then these same men conceived
the idea of establishing foreign house
and shipping all sorts Of beasts to this
country for sale to proprietors Of shows.
They proceeded to carry this out and
went to some of the wild nations to pur-
chase and ship them to this country"
"Tell me something about the animals
that 90 to make up show"
GAS you probably know, the hippcpo-
tamus trade is one Of the most extensive,
and this is made mparatively cheap from
the fact that the animals are captured
necessarily when young, as are elephants
also, which strangely are cheaper than
the former and still cheaper, OF
course, are good tigers and leopards.
The rhinoccrous is worth about So, 600 to
the hunter. Monkeys come in packs,
one might say, and bring about $50 fol-
each brute. One Of the most expensive
and tender creatures is the giraffe, which
is very hard to keep. Sea lions come
from the west and bring about 500
each, while polar bears coming from the
same direction bring about 81, 600, The
poor senseless ostrich is very expensive
and of course hard to procure. Contra
America is the home of snakes and is tn,
place where we get them. "
''Do you know anything about the
tanning of animlls!"
at is easy enough to beat ferociou
animal when it is down. The trial anC
danger comes in thrashing him too mucl
when he is not tied. 1t requires won
derfu amount of ingenuity and skill anC
very great amount of patience. Their,
is lots of danger when the tanners canno
control the brutes."
81 suppose there are are plenty Of com
ical things continually happening, ar
there notlH
Eyes, indeed; and what is more on
finds plenty of the reverse-very tragi
cal affairs that almost make the life s.
disagreeable and dangerous as to kee
one out of it. But the peculiarities o
the elephant will always be a fayorit
piece of comedy. His cuteness as wei
as his sagacity make him wonderful
animal. AND oil course the MONKEY Is al
was causing a plenty of fun. But
really believe the real sport Is on the out
side of the tent in the class of pcopl,
shoWmen meet with and the PECULIAR
ties they possess. | mean principally j
this class 10 include the dead beats an,
the people from The backwoods districts
Yes" continued he rather mournfuly, a
if in remembrance of the accidents h
had seen, 1.-THE casualties have been FIRE
quent and sad, but when one thinks o
the awful risk that the bareback rider
jumper and trapezist are always incuI
ring it is to be wondered that the recor
of circus tragedies is as small as it reall
is. OF course, the accidents of the rim
ill by far the greater part Of the volum
of the circus accidents, but there ar
some pages that mention the fate of in
judicious persons who carelessly triil
with the wild animals, and | tell 20
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