Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-06-26
Circus.

Howes so called great London rail-
way show arrived by train from Au
Sable Sunday. Eight cars were re-
quired to hold the circus people and
outfit. The circus was mammoth
affair, on the show bills, but on the
grounds it was but an ordinary circus,
and the menagerie was hardly worthy
of the name. During the forenoon
the work of erecting all the tents,
except the main one, was done, and
the operation was watched and criti-
cised by hundreds of citizens, who
took advantage of the fine day to enjoy
few hours out of doors in the pleas
ant weather that prevailed during
Sunday. The general expression was
that the circus had a seedy look, and
opinions to that effect were showered
out without any ceremony. The cook
tent attracted the most interest. The
chef was a colored man with very
delapidated overshirt. His cooking
range was sort of camp fire. The
menu consisted of beefsteak, potatoes,
onions, bread, cabbage, and other
eatables, and it was quite evident to
the spectator that the bill of fare was
very enjoyable one to the circus
men. The banquet was served in a
tent in which was long board table
and short one. The table cloth had
not been returned from the laundry,
and they had not time to unpack
their silverware, so tin dishes were
used. A number of dogs lowered
about the outside of the dining room
and gratefully received the fragments
of the beefsteak. The higher class
of the circus men, and all the women,
took their meals at the Golling house.
The employees who eat in the tent,
were the tent men and camp follow
ers. The food served was abundant,
and the men did not appear as if they
suffered with dyspepsia. About one
half were negroes. During the after
noon man opened up shooting
gallery, and seemed to do a good
business. The tent was set up on
Eighth street, between Saginaw and
Plains streets, at which place there is
about half a block vacant.
Early Monday morning visitors be-
gan to arrive in the city, and, by the
time of the parade, there were many
hundreds of people assembled on the
streets along the route of the parade.
1t was a great day for the youngsters
who were enjoying themselves as only
children can at circus. The ele-
plant, as he travelled along the streets
bringing up the rear of the procession,
was attended by swarm of young
boys, the ambition of each seeming to
be to get nearer to the animal than
any one of the rest.
The performance in the tent was
fair. Some acts were done exceeding
ly well. The program comprised ira
peze performances. work ON the hori-
zontal bar, balancing on a wire rope
and trapeze, trained dogs, monkeys,
ponies and a little tumbling. The
seal exhibition was well worth seeing,
and was novelty here. The seals
performed number of feats showing
their wonderful training. The con-
tortionist was good, and so was the
work on the swings and horizontal
bars. The collection of wild animals
was small-two lions, one elephant,
three seals and two boundaries CON-
prising the principal part. In the
evening there were 1920 people pres
ent and the attendance in the after
noon was still smaller. The circus
can not be considered first class one
by great deal. Most people say it
was rank.