The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-30
SPECTACLE WORTH SEEING
The Accessories of Barnum & Bailey's
Great Show Seen Under Canvas.
Press Agent Pearle Extends COurtesies to
Newspaper Representatives--Fines Spec
linens of Animals in Captivity.

If there Is one omen indicative of fair
weather not down on the signal service
horoscope it is the advent of the circus. A
circus certainly has more to do with the
preparation of holiday schedules than the
the blistered sun-gods themselves; at least
it would seem so. The unloading of the
Barnum-B Bailey combination in this city
yesterday drew q large crowd of the Curl
Gus. The camels looked across the COM
mons toward the circus ground when they
came out of the cars. then at the sun, as If
to reassure themselves that there was no
caravan tramp in store for them. and then
stretched their lank structures out in In
dolent strides toward the spot where they
were to take seats along with the skeleton
man and the albino pomade for observa-
ton purposes. The elephants are max
ing q kick" for v%estibuled cars, and insist
hereafter on having an egg shampoo before
entering the big tents. The entire LOT OF
animals OK expressed some little ~disappoint-
ment yesterday afternoon. from the fact
that Mayor Sullivan was not present at
their disembarkment with a tailor made
speech OF welcome. The cage or leopards
were not in the best spirits. The attend
ants say that these animals have felt bad
ever since they entered the corporation
llIe, U6Cdusb 6OIlc WAX Oh u UybIb tOlu
them. cOniidentially, they had been spot
ted by Chief of Police Colbert.
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Pearle, the
press agent of tie great show, waited oil
representatives o. all the daily papers Of
tho city with carriages and at 3 o'clock the
doubtful crowd. through such courtesies.
was enabled TO see the circus i'll what
might be termed its transit. And. indeed.
from such q point of view q great many
interesting things were seen that do not
amman np Tho yauular prnnropn " a ag Tho
performance.
The huge canopies appeared IN the dis.
lance as though a colossal conclave of
BedOuins had all at once determined to
hold O national convention. n had a
their provisions accordingly. While all of
the worlds fair might not. seriously speak
ing, be sheltered under these mammoth
tents. still q great deal of it could be. The
first tent entered on leaving the carriages
was the one where the animals are guar
tered; the Gagged animals around the ring.
and the ponies. camels. elephants, Zebras,
etc.. in the center. This tent is as large al
that OF all the Others put together in an or
binary circus. The first feature that at
tracted attention aside from the natu-
raj collection was MIR. ConkliD, the famous
llOn-tamer. who was. with the assistance of
two other men, trimming the toe-nails of q
young lion. The little fellow was being
held to the ground under protest while a
pair of nIppers were being applied to his
claws. This performance was not alto
gether satisfactory TO the cubs mother.
who led, paced to and fro in her cage
near by and CRASHED her teeth with rage.
The menagerie Is full of new acquisitions.
including "a numbe of rare specimens that
have never before been seen i'll this city.
A cage of kangarOOs was noticed, including
five animals. counting the one In the
females pOuch, that Jumped up and looked
ont at the newspaper men as though 1t
would like a notice at the top OF the
column next to pure reading matter" One
of the curiOs belonging to this animal is
the strength and size of its tail. Its tail
serves the purpose of a fifth leg when
reared back. The little Kerry COW. fresh
from Ireland. six years old and only two
feet TALL. looked ont of her cage with a
smile. A gigantic hlppopotamus was
ice water with the ability of an assembly
man from the Sixth district was
his ~neighbor. a huge polar bear.
The zebras are still wearing the stripes
and are quartered comfortably. A nest OF
pOrcupines was found In one cage by the
side of u wart hog. both of whom were
about as nncongenial neighbors as ever
fought their domestic differences to a finish
down "a back alley. There is a fine alpaca
that. like 1.-The despised contemporary"
protects itself by splitting. One of the fin
est cages of lions "a man could wish TO be
thrown into is OH exhibition. a grizzly
bear that can stand up and knock n ball
further than the hardest batter in the
w 6SIcIu League uCIlaIlt5 puollC 6iicIltlODs
A black leopard, with almost lmpercepti-
BILE brown spots. and u pair of South Amer
lean tapirs are two of the menaRerie's
r~aritIes. The tent to the extreme west.
which Will contain the spectacular per-
formances. is the largest ever stretched.
1t covers an area of about two acres. along
one side of which five scenes are prepared
that are two hundred feet in length. This
show carries with 1T $50 performing horses.
seventy draught horses and about forty
ponies. ,
In the magnitude of its business and va
riety of its performance this show certainly
deserves the distinction it has earned and
faithfully susIains. The PECULIARLY that
distinguishes the Barnnm n Bailey show
is the fact that ench specimen of the ami
NAL kingdom carried IL the finest that
time. patience and money can procure.
The same can be- said with equal TRUTHFUL
ness of all the other accessories. The
horses carried represent a good sized fort
nne. After showing in Chicago Barnum AZ
Bailey Will return to this State and show
IN Fort Wayne. Muncie. Terre Haute and
other cities.
The street parade this morning will oc-
cur at 10 O'clock. and is in itself worth. the
price of admission to the show.