Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-30
KICK OF A CORYPHEE.
Nero's Pretty Ballet Girls Promise
Lively Times for Kiralfy.
THREATEN TO STRIKE AT ONCE.
One of the English Maidens Tells Of Poor
Pay and Many Fines.
SPIES WHO WATCH THEIR EVERY MOVE

As John L. Sullivan would say, "Dey is
tough times for the high kickers in de ballet,
seel' Imre Kiralfy's great spectacular,
Nero" is the backbone of Barnum &
Bailey's circus. 1t is the attraction of the
show that draws the crowds. Its success is
greatly due to the 80 girls who compose the
ballet and the chorus. They are nearly all
English maidens, who are bright
eyed, fair-skinned and pretty. But,
alas ! they have learned a
a kick never taught them by the great
Kiralfy, and which is more powerful than
the flash of pink silk hose, if not so enter
tanning. They claim they are poorly paid,
tyrannized over, unjustly fined and not given
proper accommodations.
For these reasons the girls are on the
verge of revolt Two Of them left yester-
day, One will break her contract with the
"only greatest show on earth" at Wheeling,
tomorrow, and probably several more will
keep these company. At GAINESVILLE, O.,
the whole ballet now expects to refuse to
perform.
NOT THE WORK OF DAY.
The girls now employed have spent their
lives in the business, and yet it took months
of work to bring them to the stage of per-
fection in grouping that has made Kiralty's
Nero" famous. Their places could not be
filled for weeks.
The causes of their dissatisfaction were
CLEANED yesterday by DISPATCH reporter,
who was fortunate enough to have an
audience with half dozen of the girls.
They were talking of their grievances.
There were some American girls in another
group. They had just returned from the
scene of Nero's feast. One, who spoke for
the party, said: .,
"We came to America with the under
standing we were to be we'll treated. Mr..
Kiralfy only directs our movements, and is
paid a salary by Mr.. Barnum. All our
contracts are made with Mr.. Bailey. We
English ballet girls were to get 81 80 a
week and our expenses. The chorus girls
are paid $40 week. The Italian girls re-
ceive S12 week, while the American dan
GERS only get Sc. The wardrobe mistress is
always plling up expenses on US. and then
we have to pay 81 month for the care of
our luggage. In no opera company do they
ever make any charge for luggage. They
even charge us cents apiece for each
months slip of stands.
"But this IS not half OF our trouble"
cried the indignant girl. "We are watched
every minute by spies and fined outrage
ously, for imaginary as we'll as real offenses.
I will admit that in party of 80 girls some
of them are not all they should be. some
rule is necessary, but it IS not conducted
that way. We English girls all like
mug of beer after the show,
but none ever become Influenced by its
effects. Yet we are fined frequently for tax
ing glass. For not wearing head-dress
we have been fined 81 for each offense. Our
fines eat up our salaries. I know one girl
who has been with the company since Octo-
Der and has only drawn one full weeks sal
ary in all that time. Another, only child,
was insulted few days ago, and in her
only about 25 cents, on the floor and tramped
on it. For that her whole salary was with
held.
NOT MR.. BAILEY's FAULT.
"These fines cannot be attributed to Mr..
Bailey He has employed a man named
Harvey to look after our baggage, and he
does this work. I suppose in order to re-
tain his position he must find some errors,
and they never lose anything by the time
he has told them to Mr.. Bailey. He listens
and orders the girl fined a weeks pay.
Society cries down the immoralities of
circus women. Our English dancers are all
good girls, but they cannot do without pin
money. Many of them have mothers and
sisters in Britain, whom they support
Every week they send back so much money,
to buy bread for the rest at home. Cut off
that supply, and what are they to do? To
leave one without cent is not encouraging
to morality.
"We had a strike once BEFORE" she con-
tinued. "When we came here we were
promised hotel accommodations for Sun
days and at all two days stands. We were
not given those accommodations, but had to
live in the cook tent. At Birmingham,
Ala, we were flooded out. and still we were
not taken to hotels. At Louisville, KY,
we had a similar experience, and we re-
fused to eat breakfast or to go to the cook
tent. Mr.. Bailey came to see us and we all
declared we would not 60 on that day unless
we were provided with proper lodgings. |
Our demand was granted and we have en-
joyed hotel fare ever since. The manage
ment has no legal rightto fine us, and unless |
the fines are remitted not a satin slipper |
will be lifted at GAINESVILLE"