Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-17

M m OW many people who attend circus
ever take the trouble to consider what
sgigantic problem is involved in the
conduct and transportation of such a
town under canvas, which. with its
1000 or more human inhabitants and its collec-
hon Of tame ana wild beasts, perhaps equally
numerous, must be conveyed over q vast
continent from city to city by the light Of the
moon, as one might say, making nearly all Of
its stops for one day only, giving two exhibi-
tons each twenty-four hours, travelling 150
miles on an average between pauses and carry
ing its dwellings and means Of subsistence
with it2
II you had been on the grounds when a GER
tain big circus struck its tents here in Washing
ton night before last you would have witnessed
an extraordinary spectacle. NosOOner had the
last strains of the concert that follows the
regular performance died away than 100 stall
wart workmen began a Simultaneous attack
upon the emptled seats, while even yet
the audience was making its way out
Before ten minutes had elapsed the entire
structure OF benches, accommodating 10000
people, had disappeared and the demoIshment
had begun Of Nero's Rome. Ten minutes more
and the enormous main tent was prone upon
the ground, the supporting poles having been
pulled from under 1t, and was being swiftly
taken to pieces by skilled hands. By this
time the menagerie tent also had been
they had vanished completely-fat women,
bearded ladies' dwarfs, giants, snake charmers
and all-each of these exhibitions having re-
moved its own fixtures. To receive all this
paraphernalia, thus reduced to its primitive
elements, one might say, eighty teams stood
ready harnessed in the open, each drawn by
four or six horses that neighed and paved the
ground IN their eagerness to be off. In charge
OF all these teams was a boss, and 1t was his
duty to
DIRECT The SMALL ARMY
engaged in loading them. Every movement
that he made was initiated simultaneously by
400 men. If he took hold Of piece of tent 400
subordinates sprang to do the same; when he
lifted box and put 1t upon a wagon 400 pairs
OF hands were at once applied to like task,
and SO with everything. Thus so wagons
were loaded as quickly as one wagon
team was ready to start for the
railway four score heavily freighted convey
ances stood prepared, their drivers waiting
with uplIfted whips for the word Coz The
animal cages. of course, are built covered
carts with wheels, and 1t had simply been nee
essary In their instance to hitch horses to
them As for the elephants, camels, Zebras,
dromedaries, ring horses and other beasts not
Gagged, they had been sent on ahead III charge
OF their own attendants.
Thus loaded upon wagons the circus was
ready for departure. A whips touch and it
was done. Precisely forty-five minutes had
elapsed since the close Of the great show, and
the little city under canvas. lately SO popu-
lous-its tents alone covering eleven
acres-had vanished like dream. The
harlng lights were out, noise had been
succeeded by silence. people and vehicles had
taken their departure and naught was left
where all had been so bright and noisy and
Joyous a few moments before but dismal ex-
panse of partly soaked ground and sawdust,
with here and there pool Of water.
Where had the circus gone? 1t was on its
faaD NatW rNNN.N hnA TzG.
before morning and give street parade at
1880 Am Therefore 1t must sleep Ell route.
Circus people have 20 do all their sleeping
pretty nearly at the rate of from 80 to so miles
an hour. For Its accommodation the show had
to have
THREE LONG TRAINS,
which followed each other as closely as posi-
bic. On board the first train were the l. 100
persons employed by the exhibition. They
occupied sleeping cars, but these conveyances
were not on the Pullman plan; they were
designed for business rather than luxury,
and those who enjoyed IN them the re-
pose which their laOors of the day had SO
well earned were packed as closely possible
In tiers OF berths. The graceful ballet dancers
and slave girls who take part in the spectacle
OF Nero" were tucked away III rows by them
selves, the male Romans having their own
quarters. Seven hundred of these men and
women there are who appear nightly IN the
festivities which precede the burning of Rome
Most Of them are Italians-all, III fact save
about one hundred, who are English. They are
Kept as far as possible separate from the peo-
pie OF the circus proper. The second tram
carried the beasts Of the menagerie and their
care takers, while the third train conveyed all
the tents, scenery, costumes and other para
phernalla- All three OF the trains belong to
the show and the freight cars used are MANY
Of them sixty feet long-just twice the length
OF the biggest sort of freight car ordinarily
employed by railways.
When the circus got TO Richmond Yesterday
morning early, every one OF the people had
been walked IN time to dress and be ready for
dlsembarklng. No sooner had the three trains
pulled into the station than the work Of load
ing their contents upon the four score wagons
was begun, the task being performed with the
same rapIdlty and system as before. Within
few minutes the entire show was on wheels and
started for the grounds previously hired for it
Most OF the performers and workmen rode on
the carts, the tops of which were aswarm with
them, including the closed
ANIMAL CAGES AND THE G1LDED cHARrors.
These last vehicles, by the way, cost great
deal OF money, often as much as Sc, 900 or 81 900
apiece. The elephants, ring horses, camels
aud zebrss had to walk Once arrived at the
show place the canvas citykprang into exist
ence IN its new location almost as quickly as
II had vanished in Washington the
night before. The big tents were put
together, uplifted on their mighty
IO4es duu stdhtu INTO shape. L d went the
skeleton structure of benches and the Nero"
scenery under the main canvas: the animal
cages were quickly run into their places around
the menagerle department. and the side shows
with their flaming pictured banners illustrating
unheard-of monstrosItles, grew up like mush-
rooms on every hand. Not an hour had passed
before the canvas town was full grown.
Then II was time for breakfast and in three
enormous dining tents the /, 100 performers and
workmen sat down to their morning meal
which the cooks had been preparing for them
The meats were cooked on three ranges
which occupied a big wagon, and there
was . fourth range put up outside on
the ground to help. Four huge CAL
drons hanging over bonfire in the open were
Tor the boiling Of vegetables and the brewing
OF soups. In a supplementary tent the carving
and dish washing were done. All the crockery,
cutlery and tin ware had been taken out Of
solid wooden boxes with hinges and locks and
each performer or boss had a china plate bowl,
cup and saucer. The worKmen had tin plates
and pannikins, but the fare was the same for
all IL 10 served by contract with the circus at
% much for the season
AFTER BREAKFAST.
Breakfast over, there plenty of work to
be done before the parade was to start at
1O3o-grooming Of horses, feeding OF wild
beasts, cleaning Of cages and chariots sorting
out OF costumes, Arrangement of properties"
ploughing Of ground for circus rings &C. &c
Then came ride OF many miles III procession