The Portland daily press., 1894-07-28
FOREPAUGH'S SHOW.
An Interview With Manager Nc Caddon
Yesterday,

Mr.. j. 7. McCaddon, one of the proprie-
tors of the great A dam Forepaugh cir
Gus. was in the city yesterday for a few
hours. on one of the flying trips ahead
of his show that he often takes to see
what the prospects are. During the
course of brief conversation with g
PRESS reporter number OF interesting
facts transpired.
Zone of the hardest things we have to
contend against nowadays in the circus
business" said he, ais the problem OF
engaging first class performers. With
the wonderful growth of public interest
in all branches of athletics, this state
menS might seem to be strange one,
nevertheless it is stern fact that con-
fronts us each year more and more for
chilly. It is not in the quantity of per-
formers, for that has been greatly in
creased in the last few years; but it is in
the quality, where our trouble lies. The
public having Tor SO long been accus-
toned to wait for the advent OF the Fore
paugh or Barnum & Bailey shows, feel
ing sure of their seeing the best, the most
finished and the most skilled in all de-
parumenus of athletica, have become edu-
Gated toIthat point where nothing but the
best satisfies it, and any falling off in the
quality is Immediately recognized and
resented as an imposition.
There is cause for this difficulty
which year by year is becoming more
serious to circus managers, and it lies
in the three, four and five RUG circuses.
Those unwieldy, unsatisfactory affairs
are themselvessthe result of the frenzied
competition between the managers of
the two great shows.
There is no longer any school in this
country, the home of the circus, for per-
formers, and 1t is the multi fringed
monstrosity that has killed the school.
That.is the reason for the difficulty we
experience in finding new talent.
"You see with the three or more ring
circus we used to give different per-
Torrance in each ring at the same time
or similar character when possible, and
of necessity all three acts were limited
to the same time of continuance, and
regulated by the tap of a gong operated
by the ring director. AS no two, to
say nothing of more performers do ex-
actly the same tricks, 'the length of their
acts naturally differ. For example, take
the riders, one in a jocky act, another
menage and the third bareback act.
They all start on even terms, at the tap
of the gong each must stop, no matter
whether they have finished all their
tricks or not. Whatever applause comes
fromssthe public is unsatisfactory to the
riders, because no matter how conceited
they may be individually, no one can
take it all to himself. Consequently no
individual is able to go to the manage
ment. and abiding in terms of pride to
the success of his act. demand more
salary. Thus having no incentive, neith-
err the plaudits of the public, nor the
consee uent increase in salary, performers
during the reign of the monster many
winged affairs have lost enthusiasm and
spirit.
"In an effort to counterfeit this and re-
establish the school (Which is and must
be the One Ring circus) that we have
taken the initiative and discarded the
senseless spectacle and cumbersome hip
podrome, and devoted our time.and mon
ely to improving the legitimate circus :,
and have more and better performers and
a more complete menagerie than ever
before.
1.-The tremendous success that has at
tended our departure" concluded Mr..
McCaddon, as he stepped into bis car
riage to 90 to the train, and the salts
faction expressed by both the press and
public wherever we have been, is the
best proof ofssthe wisdom of the.move and
the only thing l fear is too many imita-
tors.n