The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-10-16
RUNNING UP A TENT.
t.ow IT IS DONE BY the EMPLOYEES
OF A BIG CIRCUS.

JOB In forty-nve Minutes-Esch Mar
H.s . Special Thing To- Do and Does II
svto,y and surely.
The night providing the advent Of the
circus Is generally n restless and some.
times slecpless one for the average young,
ster Visions OF massive SPREADS of white
canvas, golden chariots. mountains OF Gle
plants and gayly prancing steeds excite
his brain
just such a boy one morning stood az
the edge Of a bare field Of pasture ground
wet with dew and covered with slight
mist. In the gray, uncertain light OF the
early morn There was not the slightest
evidence that anything unusual was going
90 happen there.
Az $50 the strained ear of the watcher
detected the approach ~ a railroad train.
and few moments afterward the first sec
ton Of the circus Nrain came laundering
into sight Instantly the cars came Ia "a
standstill; every soul on hoard was aroused
The horses were making lively tattoo
with their hoofs upon the fiours Of the cars
Wagons were being run of the flat cars, N
the boss canvasman, with 20 brawny as
sistants, each carrying bundle of iron
II takes but moment for the trained
eye OF the boss to select the most favorable
position for the main entrance. which is az
one end of the menaeerie tent, and one OF
the iron rods Is stuck I'm the ground to
mark the spot While one man holds the
end Of the tape measure az this point an
other walks In straight line 20 a point
s7I feet away, and another rod is stuck In
e,t eh.., q.
first center pole. Continuing on this line,
rods are driven every 90 feet apart, 10 mark
the places for five center poles
Using the first and fifth poles rs centers,
a man measures 81. feet and walks
around n half circle, followed by men with
the iron rods, who thrust one into the
ground every three PAGES, thus marking
the circumference of the round ends of the
tent The sides are measured in a straight
line, using the rods, each of which has a
white rag tied to its head, except some
with red rags, which show where the 80
foot middle pieces join and are To he laced
together. Tho survey now shows that the
top OF tho menagerie tent is made up OF
four center pieces, each 30 feet in width,
and a round piece, l75 feet in diameter,
which Is divided and used for the round
ends OF the tent.
With mathematical accuracy the boss
canvasman locates the main or "big top"
the main dressing room and wardrobe
tent, side show and freaks dressing tent,
cooks tent and dining room tent. Prompt
ly, silently and with perfect system every
stake, pole and rope IL distributed TO It's
proper place
The boss now blows whistle, and n
~ nit ell y 4,
weighing Is or 20 pounds is divided into
three gangs Of eight men each, who COM
mence 10 drive the stakes Where an iron
rod stood the leader of each gang starts "A
stake so that IL will stand alone. Then the
men rain heavy blows In rapid succession
upon the stake until II is driven well into
the ground. Each man averages blow "A
second; so the stake receives seven blows
each second.
The stakes are about feet long and 8
inches in thickness, and there are over
] 900 Of them TO be driven, task which
would take ordinary laborers half day to
but which is easily done by
these men inside of 40 minutes
Again the whistle sounds, and the men
spring to the first Of the center poles, which
have beeniaid by the pole Triggers into posi-.
are attached three long ropes which are
allied the "main guys" The boss calls:
= All hands on the main guyl Up with
herl'' And 20 or 30 men pull on the 200
eet Of rope, while dozen Others are lift
ng with shoulders under the big pole.
which is kept from slipping at the base by
! crowbar in the hands of the boss canvas
nan.
ia Of h.a hla A.
the pole is brought to a precise
perpendicular, when he orders the mon TO
make fast the main guys, and the pole
tands erect and firm, 80 feet from base TO
lip. In the meantime six huge rolls of |
anvas, each section of the tent, have
zen dropped from wagons and lie near the |
'ases OF the poles. AT the signal the mon
unfold roll of canvas and spread 1t into
'osition upon the ground Then the men
eparate into small gangs, and, commence
ng ut the outer edge and working toward |
he center, lace the canvas together
The canvas Is laced to the heavy bale |
ings which encircle the center poles and |
re raised by ropes which run through the
'locks at the top Of the poles before the |
acing reaches tho center poles the five |
angs Of pole Triggers elevate the bale rings |
we or six feet and stand under the canvas
nth hands on ropes until the lacing is fin
she'd, when they hoist the canvas 10 or 12 |
set, and the pulley blocks creak under the /
train.
Farther than this tho men cannot lift |
he ponderous weight until the canvas is
urther raised 10y the quarter and side
oles. The side poles are next hoisted
aising the middle OF the trough 80 feet
'om the ground. The weight of the can
as and the pressure of the air on its enor-
lous surface makes this feat no easy one,
nd In wet weather the task is greatly in
rcascd 1t requires the combined efforts
10 mon 30 pull with ropes these quarter
oles, bearing their weight of canvas, into
oeition. Now the lifting of the canvas TO
10 full height Of the center poles is easily
The building of the tent Is finished by
utting up the side walls. Only three
uarters OF an hour have passed since the
rst stake wagon reached the lot, and the
'nvas structure stands complete, covering
n area OF 800 by 100 feet.
The whistle sounds again, and SIS men
ash 30 the center poles Of the "big TOP"
very few minutes only are required TO
lise them into position, when the men.
18th appetites sharpened by their brisk
ork, scamper of TO the dining tent.
ew York journal
ADDITIONAL CITY NEWS.