The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-31
CANE TO SEE THE CIRCUS
THE ELEPHANT DIDN'T WALK, BUT
TIE CROWDS TAKE IN TIE CITY.

savannahians Put Out = Little, Blu;
Able to Live Through It Incom-
ing Trains and Steamers Crowded
The Centrars Lively Time With the
Rxcursionists-The Little Folks and
the Colored Population the Most
Disappointed-The Way the Day Was
Spent.
There were thousands Of disappointed
people in the city yesterday when they read
the announcement in the MORNING NEWS
that Barnums long expected circus had
cancelled its date here on account OF wrecks
and other circumstances and would net
exhibit in Savannah.
big circus doesn't strike Savannah very
often. and hundreds and thousands OF peo-
ple had made up their minds to take IN the
show. and numbers of staid business men
had announced their intention Of taking
the children 70 see the animals. A good
many economically inclined consoled them
selves with the reflection that several thou
sand dollars were left in the town that
would have been taken out by the circus.
Tue school children felt the disappoint-
nent keenly, as they had male up their
minds to see the show if possible, and many
of them refused to believe that II would not
be here until the day had nearly passed
and no circus appeared.
The colored population was disguised at
the failure. and many of them announced
their doubts that there was any such con
Germ as Barnum s. Baileys circus In the
country.
"De white folks is Just tryin' to dimmy
crat US. ~ one old fellow sagely remarked,
and another declared that the white folks
Just did it to lay 1t on the republicans and
beat Doyle at the next election.
CROWDS OF VISITORS.
Notwithstanding the fact that there was
no circus nearly 8, 900 people came to the city
from the country and adjoining towns.
the larger portion of whom were greatly
disappointed. The agents along the lines
of the railroads had been notified Of the fact
that Barnum would not be
here, but the people had gathered
at o number of small sta
tons where there were no telegraph Of
fees and boarded the trains with the full
expectation Of seeing the circus. Even at
the points where 1t was known that there
would be no show, the people came on TO
Savannah anyhow, having made up their
minds beforehand to come. One conductor
said to MORNING News reporter that the
people had worked themselves up 20 the
point Of coming 70 Savannah, and could
not bear the idea of not taking advantage
of the cheap rates. They wanted TO ride
anyhow he said.
About 800 people came in by the Ssvan-
nah, Florida and Western and Charleston
and Savannah lines and about l 200 by the
Central. The Savannah, Florida and
Western maintained its cheap rates adver-
tised for the day, which explain the large
crowds brought in by that line. Large
numbers Of people came in from all over
Southwest Georgia, from cambridge,
Thomasville and that section. The steam
ers Alpha and Bellevue came over from
Beaufort. S. c., crowded.
BoUED TO COMB iANY WAY.
The Central railroad had Issued orders to
its agents revoking its cheap rates, but the
people for once were moro powerful than
the railroad. They boarded the trains in
crowds at every station and gave the con-
ductors to understand that ii was special
rates or none at all, and most of them came
on special rates and some without paying
anything. At station No. 8, in
Screven county, about fifty miles
from Savannah, 21T people boarded
the train.t They expected TO ride at
the rate of 81 for the round trip, and most
of them did. 1t was useless for the con-
ductor to argue that the special rates had
been revoked. It was 81 or nothing. A
number Of people on the different trains,
however, paid the regular fare and took the
conductors receipt for it. These called in a
body at the passenger department OF the
Central and made the lives of Passenger
Agents Shaw and Kershaw very unhappy
for the greater part of the morning.
People passing by the Office got the i'm
preston that the circus was being
held inside, from the number Of
people outside. The argument was made
that the road had advertised its rates for
the day and was compelled to adhere to
them, circus or no circus, as the people had
made up their minds to come to Savannah
by the inducement of low rates. The peo-
pie carried their point as usual. and agents
and conductors were Instructed TO accept
the rates advertised for the day, and those
who had paid full fare were informed that
the amount in excess would be returned to
them. The Savannah ticket agent was in
structed to sell return tickets to the excur-
sionists at the rates first advertised for the
day.
SEEING THE SIGHTS.
The people who came in did not see the
circus, but they took In the town all the
same. They saw the sights, all that was to
be seen. A large number Of women and
children were in the crowd, in fact, whole
families came along together, the
three children, baby occasionally, and in
some instances a dos They filed the reg
listers Of the hotels The large majority,
however, did not stop at the hotels, as they
were only in town for the day, and ate at
the restaurants, If they did not bring their
lunches with them. Fried & Hicks, at the
market, were crowded all day, and at
breakfast and dinner the restaurant was
actually blockaded with the crowds that
poured in.
A large portion Of the people that came
did not come with the intention of simply
seeing the circus, but brought enough money
along to lay in a supply Of winter clothing
and quantity of other things Of miscella-
neous character, which can only be secured
in city market and on circus day.
The crowd spent several thousand dollars.
They patronized the clothing stores and dry
goods houses freely, and were on the lookout
Tor a bargain OF any kind. The
barrooms came in for their share of patron
age, and the ardent was freely imbibed
The jug trade was especially heavy.
QUIET CROWD OF PEOPLE
Comparatively little drunkenness was
noticeable, however, and the crowds were
generally good humored and orderly. The
police made only four arrests during the
day, and only one of these was
white. The street cars were
literally patronized as the visitors were
evidently intent on getting good view of
the city. The toy balloon man looked rather
out OF place on the streets, and the three
card monte, and his brother fakirs, with
their now you see and now Won donit'