The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-12
IT TAXES BIG MONEY.
How the Finances Are Managed
Running Big Show.

Running Big show.
1T costs snug little fortune to run
such circus every day that it is on the
road" said Mr.. c. L. Dean, press agent
for the Barnum & Bailey show, to rep
resentatiye of the Morning News.
You can imagine what it must be when
there are over 700 employees to pay, about
200 animals to be fed and cared for, IL
censes of $500 to 5000 to pay for every day
we show, besides land rent, railroad bills
for three special trains comprising sixty
four cars, and a thousand and one Incl
dentals that are coming up all the time.
our expenses are in round figures 5000
a day actually paid, and when the expense
OF going into winter quarters is considered
there is an expense for the days we are
on the road of about $500 to be pro-
Vided for"
Mr.. Dean was disposed TO argue how
ever, that circus does not carry away
much money from a town such as this.
lie said that large part of what was
taken In was spent where the circus
showed. 1t is estimated on the other hand
that 1900 people saw the show, of whom
about 5000 occupied the reserved seats
at 81 each. This would mean Sll, 900 ex-
elusive of side shows and concerts, which
probably took in $1,000 more. Even
though the days expenses of 5000 had
all been distributed here there would
still have been 81, 600 taken away, and the
chances are that not more than half this
amount was let out in the neighborhood
OF Savannah.
"One thing. however" said Mr.. Dean.
that may be of interest is the exactness
with which the accounts are kept. Every
penny is watched, and there is not a
more accurate and detailed set of books
TO be found in any business. This is neces-
sary, especially at the present time, as
an accurate report has to be made to the
court where P. T. Barnums will is in
litigation. The ticket sellers there at the
wagon are the most expert. They sell
with both hands, and yet have to handle
all kinds of small change and with great
rapidity. If they make a mistake and
come out short it comes out of their sal
airy, and vice versa, When they are over,
they get the benefit of it. They take in
an immense quantity Of silver in denomi-
nations below a dollar in fact more than
enough to pay the bills every day. and it
is found necessary to get the banks to re-
lieve us Of it, which they do at a cost of
from $3.50 to 50 per $1,000.
1T was announced in the papers some
time ago that Mr.. Bailey had completed
negotiations with the Barnum estate, ard
was now the sole owner of the show. Such
however, is not the case. The deal has
been made and the papers signed, but
Mr. Bailey does not become sole owner
until the end of the present season or
about Nov l."
There was much interest in the feature
of the congress of nations, and Mr.. Dean
was asked how these people were secured.
Some people who saw them supposed they
We're attached regularly to the show like
the animals, but such was far from being
the case. That would be nothing more
nor less than slavery and would hardly
be tolerated. They are secured through
contracts made through foreign agents.
and the contracts require that the cir
Gus people who employ them, shall send
them back to their own country about
Nov. l.. Within three weeks time, Mr.
Dean said they would all be on their way
home across the seas.