The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-18
ON CIRCUS DAY.
The Whole Town Turns Out to the
Big show.

The great combination, Sells Bros. and
Forepaugh circus, has come and gone.
and although people paid far higher
price than would be tolerated by the circus
going people of the East, the show is gen.
orally admitted to have been a good one,
not only as 20 the menagerie. but as to
the performance in rings and on the stage
\ feature OF the show is the strict at
tention to detail and the consistent and
appropriate dressing. Every attache, down
TO the humble man that tauts the ropes
and drives the stakes. is dressed in an at
tractiye manner, while the performers are
elegantly eostumed, the blending of colors
being a feature In itself. Especially was
this noticeable in the street parade, which
was undoubtedly one of the best street
pageants ever witnessed in Seattle.
As early as IL o'clock people began to
flock TO the grounds many OF them taking
in the side show before purchasing tickets
for the performance. The barker on his
little perch was telling the multitude OF
the wonderful freaks Of nature mat were
to be seen in the side show, while the dis
pensers of peanuts and terra Gotta LEM
onade rent the air crying out their goods,
and OF course did a good business, for
what would a circus be without terra
Gotta lemonade and peanuts. They are as
indispensable as the fat man and the
giant The crowd did not linger long about
the side shows after the doors opened Tor
the big show, but fled into the menagerie
and then into the main tent, where "a
scramble was made for vantage seats.
The performing sea lions are perhaps
the most marvellous feature OF the kind
ever witnessed in the West, or IN the
world for that matter. The herd OF trained
epeohants were also very 1ne, their
ouadriue dancing being a good example
for many human beings 70 emulate, not
from a point OF grace but for precision.
Rasides these there were features too
numerous to even think Of mentioning.
Special mention should be made of the
premier FUN maker. Ryan, the man with
the funny little bunch OF whiskers on his
chin. who walked about with photo
graphic outfit and shot the unwary Reu-
hen his cousins and aunts. This turn was
entirely new and mtrth provoking. espe-
cially when that sleek photographer
would pose the country cousins and then
leave them standing where they were 20
The delight OF the crowd. Ryan did a
number of other clever things besides this.
In the evening the tent was filled. fully
10 epo people passing through the main en-
trance. II il probable that the attendance
would have been larger had * not been
FOR the fact that tickets were not on sale
early. and would-be spectators had 10 pur-
chase OF outside dealers. who added COM
mission, no doubt for the benefit OF the
show people. a good many were thus
prevented from seeing the menagerie be-
fore the evenings performance. Strict at
tention was paid 10 age. and many people
from the country with children found the
entertainment beyond the reach Of their
purses without having been previously
notified as 20 prices The show altogether
- a Ere one. hat Il is distinguished by the
usual clrcus attributes.