Evening journal., 1889-01-24
MOVING A GREAT CIRCUS.
A sNLLFUl MAN WHO DOES NOT
SHOW IN THE RING.

Brain Work of the Railroad Contractor.
A Man of Large Experience and Burden
some Duties, who Is Not as Well Known
as the Clown.
There has always been more or less mystery
surrounding the sudden arrival anddeparture
Of sill large circuses, and even the newspaper
man, who is supposed to know everything
and more too, often stands aghast at the
will-oi-the-wisp manner IN which the great
Barnum g. Bailey shows manage to make
tour Of the continent year after year, exhibit
ing in a different town nearly every day,
scarcely ever missing an exhibition, and al
ways on time.
'How is it donef asked Times reporter
OF an old Snowman whose hair had grown
gray in surveying the tented field.
"Well. it is Just this way,n replied the vet
eran, as he lighted fresh cigar and leaned
back in a comfortable position against the
wall. HYou see, the first man that starts out
in advance of the circus is the railroad con
tractor, as he is termed, and he must not only
be man Of vast experience, but walking
encyclopedia as well. Among all the agents
and managers connected with the great army
Of circus and theatrical enterprises, few of
them understand the art of successfully pilot
ing a large show over the country and so ar
Eanging everything that it is plain sailing
FOR the several advertising cars and the many
railway trains that follow afterwards, as in
the case of 'Barnum's greatest show on earth
First Of ALL the proposed route for the entire
season is carefully mapped out by the man
ager, who must determine upon the territory
he wishes to visit, and then the railroad
contractor is called in TO lay out the
route and arrange the order of towns, or
stands, as they are called in show parlance.
CONSIDERING ALL THE DETAILS.
"Here begins the brain work of the route
agent and the deepest study Of the successful
manager. II is no easy matter to even take
a map and jot down the best and most prom
ising show towns in such manner as TO make
the runs easy and practicable. A thousand
and one questions win arise, and they must be
answered then and there. 1t viii not do to
make double run'-that is, pass over two
distinct roads in going from one show stand
| to another-as it usually doubles the price of
| transportation and often causes serious de-
lays Therefore the route must be SO ar
ranged that only one line is used ON the same
day and this often necessitates making pc
culiar geographical courSos in order to bring
the towns TO be visited in proper rotation,
and whenever it is necessary TO make a long
jump or use two railroads in making the
run it must be done on Sunday, in order to
| give ample time TO make the transfers and
reach the place of destination before daylight
on Monday morning.
IAN the while you must be looking far
enough ahead to bring the show into a GER
tain part Of the country just at the right sea
son of the year-that is, avoiding an agricul-
tural district in planting time or harvest,
catching the New England and coast country
before the regular excursion and picnic sea
son sets in, swinging back into the wheat
growing section after the grain has been
gathered and the farmers feel flush and ready
for fun, sweeping down through Illinois and
Indiana when the frost is ON the pumpkin
and the corn is in the shock, and later on
vending its way through the southern states
just in time TO reap a rich reward for the
pains and foresight of waiting until the last
bale Of cotton is marketed and the festive
darkies are willing TO give up their last dollar
for 'yaller keard 10 the cirkis.
ARMED with all this knowledge the rail.
road contractor sets out to negotiate with the
various railway managers for the Transports
ton Of the show in the order mentioned
Nothing daunted, he approaches the genera
manager or general freight agent Of given
line-probably renews old acquaintance
and at once proceeds TO business. With sur
prising facility and quick precision he state
| Just what he wants, and often astonishes tn,
railway mAgnates themselves by giving then
! information about track facilities and theil
connections with other roads at certain points
which they could not vouchsafe without call
J ing In the general traffic manager or tele
graphing 10 some distant place for the desireS
knowledge. He usually knows every sid,
track from Bangor TO San Francisco, and By
some kind Of psychological reasoning is abb
to tell whether there is W at Cranberry
crossing and If it Is possible to make trans
fer Of the entire circus train at that point and
reach Growler City before a. m.
NO TINE FOR PLEASURE.
Having ascertained that everything is II
perfect order and agreed upon terms. b,
whisks out a blank contract, fills it up II
short order, gets the official signature Of th,
( road, obtains sufficient documents and orders
to pass the advance agents and advertising
cars over the road, extends his best compli
ments-perhaps ! should say complimentary.
to the officers Of the line, bids them good
day and departs. No, he does not 20 anC
play billiards after that He has no time fol
such pleasures. The car orders, transporta
ton and other information has to be maileC
all details Of the runs must be sent TO til,
manager, and a letter Of instructions writer
to the master Of transportation, who has tn,
show in charge from the time that it is ready
to load upon the cars until it is unloaded a
the pext show stand.
"Then, too, be must consult the maps ant
! guides and determine upon the extent Of tn
excursion routes TO be made and notify tn
excursion agent who follows closely in hi
wake and arranges with the passenger agent
OF all lines centering at the place Of exhibi
ton for special trains and low rates Of far
on the show day. The contractor and excur
sion agent are closely allied, and much IN
, same methods apply in perfecting the al
I rangements Of both. Few persons unfamilia
with the duties Of these dignitaries realiz
= the many details they have to look after Q
thse necessity Of immediate action an
thorough investigation on their part. The
= are the forerunners Of a great event and q
Z necessary to the circus as the center pol
. itself. J. A. Bailey, Barnum's equal partner
r has always insisted upon having the yer
y best men that money could obtain to fl
these positions. New York Times.
u Singular StOmachs.
II Nofr1ra ,,raeanfc "a rY,rfnno ,y,rfatxv