Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1886-08-31
RUNNING A TENT SHOW
WHAT TT COSTS TO KEEP UP .
CIRCUS IN THE SEASON


Few have any idea Of the executive
ability REQUIRED to run even moueIa.y,y
I"rre railroad show. All reputable CIR
cnsss now travel by rail, and many PR
nrietors own their own rolllng'stocA'
rhev mot only give transportation TO an
srr,y az men and horses, but bed ana
shelter them also. The first thing Is 70
law ont a route into Stands" OF from one
dsv "a A week according as the town 70
he visited is a "$2, 900 town." a "$l2,.
600 or a SIS, 900 town." Then tne nis.
advertising car goes out. WIN IL u
lust ahead goes the advance agent anu
The press agent, who makes contracts
with newspapers and prepares the way
for the advertising car TO follow. some
night the bill boards blossom out with
fresh wall paper, and at the same time
photographic hangers adorn numerous
store windows. Barnum has SIX cars
with thirty men to a car, following one
another at intervals to renew the DIS
and keep things warm, for rival circuses
have way of tearing down and cover
ing up each others paper in samall towns
in a manner which exacts vigilant work
When circus train rolls into a town
the cars containing the performers are
side.tracked, but the flats carrying tine
property wagons aud cages are into po'
sition for immediate removal. A long
pair of slSids are placed at each end OF
the line of flats and the spaces between
the cars are bridged by smaller pairs. In
loading. the material is so arranged that
the first thing needed will be the tirst
to come off. The wagons being towed
along the top of the cars, are taken down
the incline with the brakes down, where
one or two teams, the animals having their
tails doneup in burlaps to avoid having
them worn off or eaten, are in readiness
to be hitched TO the wagon, when 1t is
whisked of to the grounds. During this
part of the programme the razor
backs" as the trainmen are called, are
obliged to hustle, but they have an easy
time when the others are at work.
The spectacle of the great fabric OF
spars and canvas going up in the course
OF an hour or two is something worth
witnessing. After the preliminary
measuring man steps around and indi-
Gates where stakes arc to be driven by
planting little wires tufted with red. I'm
mediately in his wake comes man with
a stake, and with him group of drivers,
who range themselves about it, each COM
mencing a regular swing with big iron
maui. They follow each other with blows
so closely that it almost looks as though
a continuous stream of iron were striking
the stake, which is sent into the ground
with steady motion, as if from an even
pressure, and not succession of blows.
1t takes forty-five seconds to drive a
stake and to accomplish what would wind
an ordinary man. While one is puzzlinp
himself how the tent is going to be put
up, the great expanse Of canvas which
has been unrolled on the ground com
mences to rise in the center, and 1atten
out as the guy ropes are made fast to thu
outside stakes. The roof is further braceC
by wall poles, which have previously beer
laid under the canvas. Then the WALL
go up, and the tent assumes recognizable
! shape. Expert canvasmen receive &3(
to $50 Per month and board, and bosses
zone tor each tent 800 to $500 pei
month.
Meanwhile the ordinary actors, side
show freaks, fakirs, candy butchers, and
Others have crawled out from their quar-.
tiers in some old worn out coach to suit
their purposes. 1t has rows of hunks or
either side, four deep instead of two al
usual in sleepers. Calico curtains adorr
the front of the hunks, which are rarely
drawn, as seclusion goes at heavy dis
count. The higher-priced performers
travel in somewhat better style.
The common herd always eat at the
mess tent, and frequently the better class
of actors in places where hotel accomda-
tons are not the best.
All contracts call for board and trans
portation. Trainmen get $25 per month
teamsters $40; animal attendants, SIS
per week or less; "lion tamers," $50 per
week; ring performers, $25 to $500 per
week; female trapeze performers, $50
to $3.50 per week, according to reputa-
ton; riders, male and female, SIS 10
SO per week, unless they have National
reputation or own their own stock, which
Is frequently the case, when these prices
are increased according to the value and
number of horses. These figures were
given by Snowman, who may have
stretched them somewhat for the glory
of the profession, and they are for the
common run of performers, having no
reference to stars, whose salaries are
regulated by competition among man
ayers.
1t is to be remembered that these sala.
res do not last the year round, though
the people usually make dates with
variety theatres or dime museums. or 90
south during the winters. Performers
are required to furnish their own cos.
tunes and properties. though the suner
mas his supplied by the manager. Circus
men, like actors, have cold. FLOODED
way OF lying about their salaries. tits
neheved TO he to the interest of ner.
former and manager to do this. and the
habit has much TO do with the mislead
ing glamor thrown around show life
This professional fiction is freouen,Iv
backed up by dummy contracts. which
are ornamented with generous figures
and are ilashed upol the innocent nno1
the slightest provocation. Inter. Or s"