The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-31
THE BIG CIRCUS DAY
EIGHTEEN THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE
CROWDED UNDER THE TENTS.
Barnum & BaiIey's Shows Witnessed
by the Largest Crowds for Many
Years-The Features.

1t was a great day for the circus and a
great circus for the day. The standard of
the Barnum & Bailey show is always
maintained, and the public, therefore. is
never disappointed in the exhibition. As in
former years, its only fault is that there is
altogether too much of it for any one pair
Of eyes TO take in at one time. The several
rings and platforms are kept going for
nearly two hours without intermission, and
by that time the spectators have absorbed
circus enough to last them some time. 1t is
of a quality, too, that spells them for an
inferior exhibition. When they see the Bar
mum & Bailey show they get the very
cream Of everything in the circus line.
Several thousand people came in from the
surrounding towns during the morning and
added their forces to thousands of In
dianapolis residents, who were taking an
equally lively interest in the big show. The
parade in the morning was Witnessed by
enormous crowds along the line of march,
and when 2 o'clock came the immense tent
was literally packed with perspiring but
happy humanity. The opening Offering was
a procession of the nations, in which the
worlds representatives passed in review.
This pageant was followed by one of the
most wonderful acts of the circus, namely,
the exhibition of trained wild beasts In a
steel-barred arena 1t was similar in many
respects to that given by Hagenbeck at the
worlds fair, lions. panthers, eopards, bears
and dogs being put through their PAGES
with as little apparent difficulty as is ex-
perienced with some of the more intelligent
docile animals. TWO immense African lions
were made to passively see-saw on a board
in a fashion superlatively absurd for the
king of beasts. A big black panther
leaped over the backs of the great Danish
hounds and ran under their bodies, for an
other succession of leaps, and various other
acts were accomplished without the mani
festation of the slightest ill-feeling on the
part of the animals. They knew their
places and their turns. and were as prompt
and as well up in their acts as the circus
people themselves. Three trainers were III
the big cage, and were closely watched at
all times by their fierce-looking companions
as they welded their Whips The whips
did not have to be used TO drive the ami
mails but, probably, served a most impor-
tant purpose in keeping them on their good
behavior.
The greatest elephant trainer Of this age.
William Newman, exhibited a herd of the
ponGerous beasts in one ring, while his as.
s%istant,. George Bates, put another lot Of
them through similar performances in an
other ring: They did all and more than
elephants ever did before, revealing a Won
derful susceptibility to training. The
chronological Congress was then shown by
a parade of the strange nations compris-
ing that interesting portion of the big
show. The queer procession was headed
by an Algerian woman, who whirled the
entire distance around the rings without
the slightest apparent effort or any evil
dence Of giddiness. The music was a
strong reminder of the Midway, and had a
worlds fair sound about it that took ev-
erybody back just a year and put them on
the Plaisance again for a few moments.
A modified form of the danse de ventre
NVrn nrnGnnfn6 in fhio nrnnnCCinn hr N
Arabian girl. The Esquimau baby, hauled
In a sled, and the Burmese boy, carried in
a litter borne by two camels, were inter
chronological Congress.
The leaping, tumbling, trapeze work and
aerial acts in general were all of a char
acter to entertain and astonish. The bare
back jockey riding of Rose Meers was one
of the equestrian features of the perform
mum q Bailey show for several seasons,
and Is a skillful and daring rider. The
a 5Tain the R nonfes c aT9 T the mHG chil dPmlraf TRe
baby elephant caused the usual amount cf
merriment and b a couple of tr trained piss pig
from the ring on the back Of a big, fat hog
was something SO unusual even for a circus
that it attracted the attention Of every
one in the vast crowd near enough TO see
Tob@tie acts ATHLETIC feat a.o,.,l bal
Japanese bamboo oddities and other Won
derful features made up a programme the
equal or which has never Deen seen mere.
Linda Jeal'S hurdle equestrian act and the
riding of Messrs. Seabert and Herbert and
Misses Robson and Arlington were greatly
enjoyed by those who believe a circus can
not have too much in this line. William
Showles and William Demott gave a bare
back exhibition of fast riding that ranked
we'll up with the sb best on record 9Gd numerous
seasons past been made the closing feature
Of the .Barnum & Bailey show. were as
act has been introduced in this portion of
the programme, namely, an exhibition OF
daring riding by, cossacks, who are well
known the world over as thorough mas
ters of the saddle. The cossacks with Bar
nun & Bailey do a lot of seemingly reck-
considering the apparent rIsK. They pick
up handkerchiefs from the ground while
riding at "a u 6reak- Ii%iIar pa circu S5and 9n
ride backwards, standing up and in almost
every conceivable posture.
for this big show are well versed in their
business. They do not tire anybody with
long-drawn-out stories or acts. but simply
work in as part of a very busy, bright and
entertaining exhibition. which is never al
lowed TO lag for a single instant.
the main tent holds 5000 when filled, an!
yesterday afternoon it was more than
F fqhfyit ten wa thousand witnessed the ps show.
the crowd being probably the greatest in
the circus annals Of indianapolis. Last
making the day a red-letter one for the
greatest on earth" SO far as Indiana's
ty5ical circus one, hot and clear. The big
show is at Anderson to-day. Marion to-
m n4ofrfSy, end end W {Ren it travels psw soW into ro 0hi f.
thence north as far as Sault Ste. Marie.
then TO Milwaukee and around to Omaha.
Kansas City and various other points,
IS ftrik May t Eas sou3 NS other rt S Of tnis c sfnts Sg
with il in magnitude and quality.