Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-04
AROUND FOUR RINGS.
Thirty-TwO Thousand People Take in
the Wonders of Barnum's Circus.
A LITTLE POKER GAME SPOILED.
The Iron Exchange Building Narrowly
Escapes Scorching.
SNAP SHOTS AT SEVERAL CITY SCENES

Barnum's show broke with the dawn over
the two cities yesterday. Those who slept
late on the route of the great parade were
wakened by the noise of many bands. Major
Mckinley seeing from the window OF q
Cleveland and Pittsburg car Federal street
choked with people, Eorsemen and golden
chariots, marveled exceedingly. That was
at 10. O'Clock in the morning. The parade
was on the last lap then, and the
crowds that lined the curb and admired
the cavalcade in Allegheny we're nothing to
the dense mob that turned out to enjoy the
free show in Pittsburg. Barnum and Bailey's
circus is hardy annual but it is blooming
with greater vigor and variety than ever.
This may have surprised some people, be-
cause P. T. Barnum, the patriarchal manager
of the circus, is no longer with it except
upon the bills. But the fact is that the ac-
tive head of the show, j. A. Bailey, is still
in control, and the circus is all that it has
been and something better. The circus has
become such a solid institution that time
cannot undermine it, and it is bound to run
Al years longer. no matter who or how many
of its proprietors die.
SCENES ABOUT THE TENTS.
The circus pitched its tent, monstrous
canvas temple $50 feet long, in Exposition
*,
about it. Thither in the afternoon men,
women and children, and especially the two
latter, proceeded till apparently every seat
was taken, and according to the manage
ment's figures 5000 people were present.
The weather was threatening, too but the
rain that fell was trifiing. 1t was satis-
factory to know that the canvas roof of the
great tent was waterproof. but the audience
was not sorry to accept the assurance with
out direct evidence.
Major Mckinley and his wife and Mr.. and
Mrs. Porter occupied seats in the press box
in the afternoon. They enjoyed the per-
formance greatly, although Mrs. Mckinley,
who has barely recovered from a serious
illness. was nearly overcome at one time by
the heat. When the camels came out for the
race a newspaperman touched Major Nc
kinley on the shoulder and bade him note
that his rival (Campbell) was humping him
self in great shape. Yes, l see," said Mr..
Mckinley, "and he's making good time, too."
The Ohio statesman took and gave in
bantering spirit very goodnaturedly. He
said he enjoyed looking at the immense
throng OF people as much as the show; q
more orderly crowd of its size he had never
seen. Not few of the people sitting near
Major Mckinley recognized him, and he
came near riyaling the lions and tigers as
sight to be stared at.
The sights proper were very well arranged.
lou could see all the wild animals COM
fortably before entering the circus tent.
They were not huddled together as they
least occasion for anyone to confuse the
gentle emu with the tiger, or to rely upon
the roof garden about its neck for the identi-
hcation of the giraffe.
EVERYTHING IN GOOD ORDER.
Everything was in ogder, the animals in
cluded. They looked as clean and comfort
able and happy as Gagged creatures can; and
the tigers and lions especially did not seem
to be heart-broken because they could mot
mingle with the crowd of spectators, ms
those lordly rulers of the jungle usually do.
If there we're nothing in the geological eX-
hibition but the cage of lions it would be
worth going to see. There are three full
grown male lions; one has already been inn
by great painter, Gerome, it is
said, and all of them arc pictures of majesty
and strength. The curious creatures beside
are too numerous to catalogue but from the
great white polar bear to the ruddy rhtno-
ceros they are all very fine specimens.
Atnight the promised rain having failed
to fall the streets leading to the circus were
once more filled, and before O'Clock no less
than Ho0o people were seated or at alf
events lodged in some shape or fashion
under the great tent. One could see that
the auditorium was filled from the outside,
for in the space between the caves of the
people in the top row of benches were
so closely ranged together that they
looked like the knobs on an
iron railing. They. had their fill
diverted the eye and mind of the beholder in
q double sense. If you looked at one it was
only to learn the next minute how much
YOU had missed at another Still in Il tent an
eighth of a mile in length with less than
four rings somebody would see nothing.
ONE THING ALL COULD SEE.
The triumphal march of horsemen, fair
equestrians, elephants, camels and so on,
with which the show began, all could see, at
least. Then as the fantastic scenes in a dream
the long programme of wonders unfolded
ITSELF An Abyssinian donkey with a
dog-faced monkey upon his back ambled
about one of the rings; while four beautiful
black horses and two equally talented,
spotted Arabian steeds kept the other arenas
alive. About every five minutes the scene
was shifted in all the rings simultaneously,
and it is out of the question to enumerate
the bareback and trick riding of the Meers
sisters. These three graceful girls of En-
glish birth danced and leaped upon their
horses horses as if if the latter's r,bi backs had
4 veteran circusman, with a hat of the
vintage of 81 or thereabouts, acted as ring
master. Miss Rose Meers, in particular,
displayed great skill and daring as well as
grace in her headlong leaps upon horse at
full speed Besides the monkey and donkey
already mentioned, William Conrad eX-
hibited the trained baby elephant-about
two tons in weight-that Jumbo once saved,
and troupe OF performing dogs. There
we're trained sheep. goats and other animals
Is well. The wonders in the tumbling and
lcrobatic line were very numer us, and it
would not be fair to omit mention of the
great rider, e. W. Fish.
THE CLOSING SPECTACLE.
When the races between horses and dogs
md camels and men, most realistically run,
we're ended, Nero and the destruction of
Rome" closed in upon the view. This re-
spectacle works a great deal
smoother than it did last year. The ballet is
unique in these parts, both in
,iZe, exquisite dressing and skill as dancers. |
over 100 young women, every one of whom |
,an dance is i'll this ballet, and the pictur- |
,sque tableaux that they form, and the real |
poetry OF motion which they attain are more |
lotable this year than they were last.
ANOTHER pESTnR AOOEn