New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-26
A CIRCUS IN THE FIELD.
PLANNING IT'S SUMMER CAMPAIGN.
STORIES OF THE TIcKEr-wAGox AND THa
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TO BEAT
THE SHOW,


THE SHOW.
The same order of genius and geographical knowN
edge required to project and carry out the summe
Journey Of great American circus that Is expendea
In planning military campaign. On December q
last James A. Bailey, OF the Barnum Bailey circu4
had the route for his greet show during tie present
season all laid out. Tie work gone through with oet
fore that result reached involved variety OF deta
of which the average man has little concepuon'
There were questions Of transportation; the show
cannot travel more than 80 many miles night, ana
close watch must be kept on the railroad map TOT new
lines and connections There was the question os
forage there are many places where 400 horses =
score Of elephants and 1900 people could not I'VE
day. There was the question Of patronage; 1t wong
do TO show in half dozen big towns In one week an
then have month of slim business ha'terS n"'Ss
be regulated so that each weeks receipts VIII average
as nearly as possible the same There Is the qesUop
Of crops and payday. Large manufacturing Town.
should be reached soon after payday. Agricultural
communities must he visited after harvest or oetweea
the first and second hoeing II tobacco secnon'
corn raising comfy or a wheat-growfng state Is Wis
tied In the planting or harvesting SEASON. uo e"'1
upon the circus exchequer IS marked ana dsas'rous'
1t Is an interesting affair too, the travelling treasury
Of circus. the big red wagon with It's saie ana
ticket racks it's folding tables and heavily DATES
doors.
@when we get that thing backed mp against a Grove
on a hot August day. down in the region where tney
drink bad wliskey and never use pain tuo' ~
effect is awful" said old ticket seller VINO rag
lapsed into reminiscent mood the other day Inc
sensation Of standing up there with crazy no"
ing sweating mob struggling shove their money AZ
you is q curious one
There is type Of IDIOT who grasps the stanchon9
that support the wagon roof with one hand to puu
himself up while he holds TO his money tightly VII
the other One of rules is, never pass out ncke1
till the money is laid down the counter but tner9
Is little use shouting this fact at the crazy country
man. He's afraid 10 let 90 OF his money.
II remember one tall lank stockraiser who almose
drove me Wild last year out West He hung on 70
the stanchion with one hand waved fstful OF silver
at me and howed for two full tickets and two haivesf
l yelled at him again and again TO put his money
down. but he held to it like grim death while SOLO
a hundred tickets 10 Others who pushed by him ana
planked down their money. Finally endurance ceased
to he virtue, and putting my hands through the
ventIator openings In the roof Of the wagon drew
myself I'D and let 90 with my boot heels at his brown
fingers clasped around the stanchon. lie stood the
first kick, but at the second and more vicious one h
fingers relaxed and he fell back in the struggling crowq
and swept away like man dropped overooark
l never him again.
Do We carry arms No, not as general thlns4
We always hustle the money into local bank as soot
as possible That taken at the afternoon performance
can be deposited before the banks close and we can
generally make arrangements with the receiving tehA
to open up for In the evening got caught once
however, where would have given worlds for glns
II was down at Newport News in Virginia, one awful
hot summer day. We did good business afernooh
and evening. There no bank convenient; 50 mao
the strong.box full Of hslfdoars which had raked
in from perspiring crowd OF negroes The hrst Y
was In the ring for the evening performance and hnd
Just begun TO count my money. when cyclone sVepy
down on u.s. heard the roar and stuck my head out
OF the window Just in time 10 see the round top ai
call the root Of the centre tent, lifted high In tha
air and then hurled down the ruins OF the entire
structure. The gasoline fights set FIRE 10 the mass and
the halfsmOthered panic stricken spectators had u
fight for their lives
Il had seen enough to prepare ne for the wrath toy
come. I shut and boIted every door and window Of
the wagon, put out the light and sat down In the
corner almost afraid to breathe. Pretty soon the ex
pected happened. There trampling Of feet
knock on the door and voice saying:
".Mster mister. gimme back money. atnt
seen no show dam ole show burn upP I,
"The demands grew louder and more frequent. but
never stirred. Then there was evidently a CONF
sultatlon. and somebody proposed:
"'Let's tn old wagon in de crck-datl drowd
him out
"Ths was getting interesting. The show owed ms
5000 back salary. I showed that amount Of bills
in my pocket ard determined to open the door and
jump at the first movement Of the wagon. and leave
the rest to the darkeys. But help was band. II
came In the shape of terrific coudburst Of rain
The negroes broke and for shelter and was left
In possession OF the wagon and Of the field.
For forty-fve Of the longest minutes Of my nfe<
time sat still as a mouse In that wagon. and not
soul connected with the show camc near me. Finally
there the sound Of footsteps and another knoci
kept silent but when the newcomer spoke, knew
the voice TO be that Of the head doorkeeper. Thef
slipped the bolts back, opened the door and tainted,
ave have 10 keep our eyes open for all sorts Of
schemes 70 into the show for half price. or tot
nothing. Many time I've seen countryman putting
and perspirng under the load OF a twelve yesr-old
boy he had uggsd up TO the tentdoor trying 10 msks
out he was under seven so he ought 10 pay only halle
price for him.
The Great Moral Show always sends complimentary
tickets TO the clergymen in each town. At first the
tickets read, the Rev. Mr. S0-and-So and family. II
would make your stick out 20 the size of the
family turned out. They must have written for all
their relations In the State. There were never less
than nineteen In family. When we tumbed 20 tbs
changed the tickets 10 read, tile Rev. Mr. Soand-eo
and Wife,
super. one night last spring The rngmaster spotted
good looking clubman with pointed beard who
came in supers ticket at the stage door but he
slipped from him before he could put him out.
The next night he turned up with another alleged
super. in dress suit and diamond stud. THIS waa
showing the thing little too far. The boss canvas,
dropped on to the pair they were sneaking on
toward the menagere, took their tickets away uou
th0m, and fired EN-