Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-08-08
HOwA CIRCUS Is Run.
The "GeneraP' of the show-Studyfng tAs
Route-The Army Of EmpIoyes.

Ths "GeneraP of the shov--studyfng tAs
Route-The Army OF Employees.
From the New York Herald.
Each circus has itsgeneral. Talk to
him Of any city or town in the coun-
try, and the thought Immediately oo-
ours to him: "Ah, yes; town Of $2,-
600, $4,000, $4,000 or 1900, as
the case may be, profit" He knows
almost to q unit the population and
how much can be made out of it. He
knows also the character of the inhabi-
taIrts, and he Is acquainted thorough
ly with the railroad and other facili-
ties for getting into the place. Hemaps
out the route at the beginning of the
season, of course changing it as much
as possible every year. There are
twenty-four advance agents, who
follow each other in regular ro-
tation. They look after the ad-
vertising, the provender for the ami
mails, the lodgings, and contracts OF
various kinds. These agents are pro-
vided with checks. They gives checks
on the show for the amounts con-
tracted for. The treasurer takes up
and pays the checks so that when the
show arrives it has no trouble In any
direction. 1t has happened a few
times that the firm has been swindled,
but it never refuses to honor a check,
''to keep up the credit of the circus"
Not one of the great exchanges in New
York is better posted as to the none
| tary condition of any town or city
| than the managers of the circus. The
circus managers well know it is useless
going into a place where there is much
commercial depression. The charactera
istics of town are studied before 60
ing into it. For instance, it is known
when the miners of Pittsburg are paid
off, and right on top ofthe event, comes
the "show." 1t very rarely happens
that a miscalculation is made, but If
money is lost anywhere that place is
given a wide berth next season.
| The weather too, is watched almost
as carefully as it is by the signal-service
bureau. The circus never goes farther
south that Omaha, Kansas City and
st. Louis, or farther north than st.
Paul, MINI. There is no money out
side of those limits The great aim Of
the circus is to strike fair weather
everywhere. When it is extremely cold
in the north the circus is enjoying the
warmth of the south and the dollars
of the genial southerners. When it be-
comes too hot in the south then it
wends its way in the opposite direction.
Moreover, it never attempts to COM
pete with q cheaper entertainment. IL
| Do .e,L 60 10
and 25 cent show gets ahead OF it the
big circus passes on. The general
knows, too, how long 1t is profitable
to stay in town.
The army of employees is divided
into five divisions-the performers, the
ring attendants, the stable and menag-
erie attendants, the trainmen lin cir
Gus parlance "razor-backs'' and the
canvasmen. The canvasmen number
200 out of 700-a large number, but
not too many to cope with the huge
tent which is put up in the country.
On the trains there is a special place
for everything and everybody. Indeed,
the trainmen could load the train al
most blindfolded, the arrangements are
so precise, and have been so long in
smoothworking order. The canvas
men are the first to be packed of.
They touch nothinguntil the teamsters
have arrived on the ground with the
canvas, and then, when the tent is up,
they sit down and just watch the others
"doing their Bit" So it is with the
trainmen when they have loaded or un-
loaded theca they willnotput ahand
to anything else, and perhaps if they
did they would be only in the way.
Every employe has a special duty to
perform and does not consider himself
engaged for anything outside of that.