Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-03-21

b. And bring Gods message in the sun s5
= Thou poor blind spinner, work is done.
i. ..~ CIRCUS RIDERS. Z
Accidents to Acrobats and vau1terp-Co Com
80 Corning old-Ti,ne Salaries. #$>>
Philadelphia Press. g. f. s ~ Il. ...G
Formerly children We're regularly
apprenticed to learn riding just as they
were to learn shoemaking or any other
trade" said Richard Hemming, the old
circus manager, "but now in many Of
our States there are laws prohibiting
the employment Of minors under fifteen
years of age in hazardous performances,
and these have had the effect Of doing
away to, a very great extent with the
thorough and systematic course Of train
ing which children designed for riders
were formerly obliged. to commence
when about Il five years old,
and which must be COM
menced at that early age and steadily
pursued iu order to attain the highest
degree of artistic perfection. Nearly
all the great riders we now have began
their career before the enactment of
these laws, and, consequently, served u
thorough apprenticeship to their pro-
fession, but vhen they shall have passed
away who will fill THEN. places? There
will certainly be no American riders
who can do so satisfactorily, and our
public will have to look for its eques-
trian talent across the water, where So
called societies for the prevention of
in securing the passage and enforce
ment Of unjust and injudicious laws.
'Haye there been many fatal accidents
among circus performers?"
every few considering the many haz-
ardous feats performed. Within later
years I can recall only three or four.
William Kincade, an acrobat, broke his
neck in the summer OF 1881 while doing,
a double somersar1lt over a number Of
elephants with the -Forepaugh show
Johnny Aymar, one Of the best Of all
tumblers' broke his neck in the Island
OF Jersey some years ago, while trying
to throw triple somersault, which is
meant revolving in the air three times
before alighting. Every performer who
has attempted this feat has been killed
by it sooner OF later, and it is o mooted
question whether it ever has been or
ever can be successfully accomplished.
*:Little Miss Davene was killed by
alighting on her neck and spine after
being thrown from catupult with the
Barnum- London show in 1861: What
are called the 1eaps'-that is, throwing
somersaults over elephants and horses
have been productive of greater
number Of serious accidents than any
| other feat attempted in the ring. The
most frequent and annoying accidents
which occur to riders are injurious to
the knee joint. There is no part of the
body more easily displaced Of. harder to
put in order again, and alighting on the
horse after going through a hoop or
over banner, Or jumping to the ground
to avoid a fall, is very apt to throw the
joint out of place. Katie Stokes, q
very talented young bareback rider who
gave promise Of attaining the very
highest en1inence in her profession, sus-
tanned an injury of this kind in the sum-
mer Of 1882, and it is doubtful if she
will ever ride again. Ny wife, Mrs.
Richard Hemming, who before our mar
riage was Miss :Whitby, weu-known as
an accomplished pad and manege rider,
has been obliged to retire from the pro-
fession permanently in consequence of
| a similar accident. Ee%+ NJ
o"I must not forget to tell you Of q
great remedy we circus people have for
vinegar and salt. Take ten cents worth
of wormwood, cover it we'll with vine
gar, put in handful Of salt and let the
mixture come to the boil; battle the
affected part with it as hot as 4 yon
can bear it and it will effect q cure
more quickly than any thing else I have
lever seen tried. y u sy 4 s .z,35. 3.s II.
Do CIRCUS performers often live to q
good old age?" ia ..s..
/ Every often, and / think that in point
of longevity they far excel the members
tEof any profession In EN- gland and Oh
the contenent of Europe especially,
they usually live to be very old. In
European countries, too, it is remark
liable how many families there are whose
" cry member, both male and female,
for many generations, has been in the
profession. Among these families may
he mentioned the Rentzs, SanWelis,
Cookies and Bridges. The health Of
circus people is almost invariably ex-
Ecellent. = 81. 4. 55.ss zs
How do you think the performers
of America compare with those Of
Europeg z"
The Americans have great deal
more reckless dash and daring and are
willing to incur more risk. When they
want to do q feat they go right ahead
and try it, whereas q European artist
would first undeI, q long and careful
Il training for it. The American PET
4 formers idea seems % be- that il Is no
matter whether the feat is done grace
sIsfully or the reverse SO long rs it Il
boldly aceonll,l ishetl and this seems %
i be the idea Of American audiences also;
but with The European. ARTISTIC grace
4 md finish count for mere than al else,
4 and IL d feat 10 matter how II 3,
DARN be perl or1ned 5oIlt these,
lthe achiev enlent TO him IS wholly de-
void of neri 8 q
low DO salaries II the esnnt ~