The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-08-01
Early Circus DAYS.

Many years ago, when the circus bust
ness in this country was in it's infancy
and before it assumed the immense pro-
portions of modern show, says the
New York Graphic, the tents were
comparatively small and dingy, and
with the tent packed to its utmost limit
at the prices of admission no more than
$500 could be crowded inside. While
the theatrical business In this country
can be traced back to 1856, when an un-
successful effort was made to institute
theatrical performances in New En-
gland, the history of the circus in the
United States dates back only TO 1910,
when two Italians named Cayetro came
over and first installed into the mind of
the American small boy an admiration
for the young woman in tights, who
foated in mid air or was whirled around
the sawdust arena on prancing steed,
one of the half-dozen belonging to the
establishment Newburyport, Mass, was
the first stopping place of the Italians,
but they did not get much further, and
a financial failure caused their return to
sunny Italy at an early date. Another
venture in the sawdust line was made
in 1923 by one Hank Bailey, of West
chester county, New York then came
an Englishman named William West,
and another by the name Of Tattnal.
All three showed in New York City
only.
The second attempt and the first to
establish permanent circus was made
in 1918 by Pepin and Burchard, two
Frenchmen, who put up building for
the purpose on the present site of the
Walnut street theater in Philadelphia.
j. Purdy Brown organized company
in New York in 1924, and for many
years thereafter he was favorite in
the South.
In those days circuses had only one
tent, and small one at that. Dressing
tents were unknown or menagerie ac-
compartments, the performers being
obliged to dress or make up" in some
hotel or house near where the tent was
pitched. 1t did not pay them to remain
In town, no matter how small, less
than week at least, and daily process
sions were made on horseback.
BY and by the business, like every
thing else, improved with the growth
of the country, and with 1t came great
competition. The posters now so glar-
ing and expensive, and such an item OF
the outlay of the modern show, con-
sisted of small, one-sheet poster with.
out pictures of any sort. They were
tackled against fences and dead walls,
and taken down after the show to be
used in the next town. Circuses began
to assume greater magnitude when such
proprietors sprang up as Henry Rock.
we'll, June, Titus * Angevine, l.. p.
Howe, Avery Smith, G.. $. Spaulding,
Charles Rogers, II. p. Sands, Van Am
burg, l.. j. North, William Lake, John
Robinson, Raymond a. Warning. John
Nathans, Fogg & Stickney, Antonio
Brothers, Whitbeck, Dar Costello, l..
b. Lent. Dan Rice, Welch's Hippo.
drome, Baruum, Forepaugh, w. w
Cole, and many others. Not many years
ago railway cars for circuses were un.
known. The first move in that direc-
ton was made in the shape of advertis
ing cars, which used to attract people
.tofailway stations who regarded them
as curiosities. Nowadays all first-clas:
circuses have their special trains, and
the best employ armies of men in the
various Departments.