Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-21
SEWICKLEY'S SUMNER CIRCUS.
Tho Pretty Villages Athletic Association
Goes Into tho sawdust Ring With Gr,at
Eclat-A Country Fair Which Crowds

Tho Pretty villages Athletic Association
Goes Into tho sawdust Ring With Gr,at
Eclat-A Country Fair Which Crowds
Enjoyed.
The Sewickley Athletic Association ha
the reputation OF never doing anything by
halves, but yesterday they rather beat the
record. If they Lad painted the sky them
selves 1t could not have been bluer or
brighter. 1t was an ideal day for tho country
fair and circus, and nearly 1000 people en-
joyed the al fresco entertainment
in the beautiful grounds Of the
association at Sewickley. The Off
cial programme promised a wonderful
lot Of attractions, from the very necessary
ice cream and lemonade booths to wild
beast show and circus with a real ring and
dashing riders, and the promises were well
kept. The non-arrival OF the band for a time
delayed the beginning of the fun, but about
O'Clock the circus procession and the band
wagon hove in sight, with all of Sewickley
that was not already inside the grounds in
their train. The cavaliers dressed in gor-
geous Mexican style, the generous display
OF color running over into the caparisons
of the horses, were not easily recognized
as Messrs. Ed. B. Coffin, Harry B. Jewkes,
John E. Bishop. George c. Johnston. NJ.
Baker, W. G. Cochran. Fred McMillen,
Eugene Murray, Joseph. Mcdonald and w.
w. Osburn; and in the conventional cos
tune of a circus clown Mr.. Samuel X. Will
sons identity was completely hidden as he
drove tiny pony in red and yellow
wheeled cart. The band-wagons advent
and rush began for the fnclosure literally
covered with startling play bills, in which
the performance was to be given.
Gsnuine Circus, sawdust and All.
But that heavens canopy instead OF
canvas covered the stands that rose from
30-foot ring deep in sawdust. it was for all
the world an old-fashioned country circus,
in which Mr.. r. T. NJ. McCready cracked his
whip as ringmaster. All the stands were
filled before the show began and pretty
made them very good to look at within a
shining circle OF big forest trees and shady
orchards. What followed was not exactly
the nss s lst1s GHdsr psin'sa Sus f1r
more laughable and amusing tnan
performers" as the equestrians modestly
called themselves, filed into the ring first
and went through a series of evolutions
that were the more credIta BILE by reason of
the cramped quarters. The mounted men
danced quadrille in capital style before
they gave way to the other performers.
Youngsters came next for the sack race in
which John NJ. Miller won the flrst heat and
Nathaniel Naylor the second, while the lat
Ter finally carried or the prize. w.. S.
on the prize in the barrel race, and then
came the more serious matter of the tug of
war.
East Enders Win ths Tug of War.
In this the Sew1ckley team'was composed as
follows: Messrs. Scovel, Bishop, Mcdonald
and L. c. Beatty were pitted against the East
End Gymnasium team, in which were
Messrs. Ritchey, Jones, Musgrave and
Moore. The East End men were a powerful
set. heavier and better trained than their
opponents, and they won the first heat
rather easily by seven inches. In the sec
ond heat Sewickley won by three inches.
The final ting was postponed till evening,
when the East End men again won with
ease.
An interval of two hours was allowed the
spectators, who had fatigued themselves ap-
plauding and laughing. for refreshments
from to O'Clock. A capital supper was
served on the grounds, and with renewed
took themselves to the circus ring. Amid
roars of laughter W. 5. Miller finally cap
tured the prize in the barrel rolling race. af-
ter Watson 'Adair and Eugene Murray
had each won heat. 1t was dark
when the gh-jumping contest be-
gan, and the athletes were greatly
at disadvantage in the narrow ring under
a very uncertain electric light. The con-
test, however, excited the audience greatly,
William P. Mcvay and James Brown enlist.
ing the support Of the greater part OF the
stopped at feet inches, and James Brown
at feet inches, while Mr.. Dubarry. of the
East End, also refrained from trying for a
higher record.
The Fun Was Fast and Furious
It must not be supposed that these events,
as they were, constituted all. or
like all of the fun. In the inter-
WI.
Rider Haggard"-the latter q popular
Sewickley banker-supplied broad fun in
big doses, eliminating. in Mr.. Haggard
C--ws being packed into barrel and
roll ed out of the ring. The audience also
lent itself thoroughly to, the genial
s1e perfopmers and ind applauded ss'o az evsrs srS
possible chance. pretty little
advertisement was afforded in the perform
ance OF a couple of Shetland ponies, little
with cunning ways, hardly out OF
the nursery, so to speak, and yet already
able to perform several amusing tricks,
thanks to the training given them by their
owners. MI; IT. Joseph W. Wa, Warren and DR.. H. s:
the little beasts to swell the circus contin-
gent.
Nor was the circus and athletic sports all
the attraction offered. A wonderful col
lection of wild beasts-stuffed and innocu-
ous-formed side-show, the beauties OF
which Colonel w. w. Fullwood expatiated
upon with great eloGuence when he was not
sending up balloons. In the heat of the aft
ernoon and the cool of the evening the vari-
GUS refreshments booths were hberally pat
roniZed.
Tho People Who Did the Work.
Mr. George A. Gormley presided over the
luncheon arrangement, with the aid of
large staff, and the other departments were
assigned as follows: Ice cream-Mrs. Rob-
ert A. Franks and aids. Candy-Mrs. Joseph
w. Craig and aids. Country store-Mrs.
Clara G.. Campb ell and aids. Lemonade
booth-Mrs. James C. Chaplin and aids.
The omnipresent and indefatigable
genius Of the whole affair was Mr..
Frank Osburn, upon whose shoulders
most of the work fell, but there were
: score of others, such as Mr.. Joseph I.
Nevin, Hon. George H. Anderson and Mr..
Henry Bishop. who lent their best efforts,
and tho Sewickley Athletic Association has
the satisfaction Of knowing that til cir an
nual fete was great success from all points
of view-fnan cially among others.
CHICAGO sHABB1LY TREATED.