The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-09-25
THE CIRCUS
Il Costs $4,000 q Day to Run Z
Big Show and Menageria
Stories About Snowman Barnum
by One OF His Associates


istence. We travelled By wagons from
town to town In those days, haltiug
on the outskirts OF the town 10 enable
the circus people to pat on their show
clothes aud prepare for the parade.
We were to show in small town in
pennsylvania, aud had noticed that
bridge over which the wagons were
TO pass was weak. sent word 10
Mr. Barnum TO put the rhinoceros
wagon at the rear, but ho did not do
go, aud as It was in advance it broke the
bridge. The show did not reach the
town IN time to make much Of a parade.
THAT night Mr.. Bnruum was seated
IN the village hotel whun an angry lot
Of people who we're disappointed at
the size Of the parade, waited upon
linn aud told him that he was fraud
a." How 30 p snid Barnum.
" Well replied the spokesman for
the crowd, 'you advertised two miles
OF parade aud there was only one
Yea replied Barnum, there
was one mile OF parade and another
mile Of fools following it. That makes
two miles, doesn't it?'"
A rhinoccros is the most expensive
animal in a circus. A well-bred and
well-deyeloped rhinoceros costs So, 900.
The Barnum show recently lost a rhi-
noceros and was compelled TO cable to
Hagenbeck at Hamburg to send on
another at once. HagenbecI is the
largest animal supply agent on earth.
He furnishes the Geological Gardens
OF London and similar gardens in the
capitals of Europe. Elephants are
quite common these days, and half a
dozen Of them could be bought for
the price OF one rhinoceros.
The elephant is the meanest animal
that the show people have to deal
with. Everybody is afraid of him,
for no one can tell when the big
brute will take one unawares TO
crafty some long treasured or fancied
grievance.
A few years ago the show was in
Rochester, when the elephant keeper
went into the elephant car to see that
everything was secure before the train
started. He fastened the rear door
ami thoughtlessly passed through the
car to examine the front door. AS he
was passing the elephant, the brute,
realizing that he was alone with his
keeper, crushed him to death against
the side of the car. The elephant is
the biggest coward of all animals, and
never undertakes to get the better OF
his keeper unless he can take him of
his guard.
1t costs not less than S., 900 day to
run big circus and menagerie. Not
withstanding this seemingly large out
lay frst-cla show is usually a sure
winner. Before starting out dis
count for rainy days is made by aver
aging the rainy days during the past
ten seasons. While this is not by any
means reliable, it affords a pretty fair
test
Storms and tornadoes of late year.
have interfered very much with the
profits of circuses. Last season the
Barnum & Bailey tent was ruined
by cyclone at Des Moines Mr..
Bailey at once telegraphed to Cincin.
natl for a new tent, for which the
dimensions we're given, and in three
days it was made and erected by tn,
show. All the sailmaker4 in Cincin
natl we're employed in making tb'
new canvas.
A new canvas IS made every year
and the one used the previous year i
carried along with the show for emer
gency. Onthe OCCASION alluded t.
the old canvas was left behind, an,
the show exhibited three days in
tent without top. Fortunately tn
weather was fair,
An idea Of the magnitude of a hi
show can be gained from the fact tina
1920 persons are employed in tn
Barnum & Bailey show. The syster
observed in putting up the big canvas
taking it down, and packing it in tn
cars, and in putting all the rest Of til