Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-05-07
INCIDENTS Of CIRCUS Day.
The Big Canvas Show Exhibited to
Several Thousand Persons
At the Old Fair GroundsS Yester-
day-The Parade in the Morning.
Accidents at. the Matinee-The
Wild Man Broke Loose at Night.
A Creditable Performance.

The Forepaugh and Sells Bros. shows
at the old fair grounds yesterday after
noon and evening. There is something
about the canvas tents and the sawdust
rings which appears to possess necu-
liar attraction, and those who vowed
last night that they would never go
again" will no doubt be found in the
front rows at the next circus perform
ance. The usual crowd of country folk
was in to see 1.-The elephant" and as
rival attraction they fairly divided in
terest with the circus. The number Of
patrons from the rural districts has
frequently been much larger. The
weather was excellent, but it was also
good weather for blowing, and many
regular circus goers spent the day
down on the farm
The show was late in arriving. 1t
came from the west over the B. & o.
The trains were unloaded about eight
o'clock, and as the distance to the
grounds is considerable, some delay was
experienced. Il was nearly one o'clock
when the free street pageant" arrived
on this side Of the river The crowd
on the sidewalks has never been larger
at a circus parade. The procession was
long, but it differed very slightly from
the ordinary parade preceding can
vas show. Many expressed themselves
as satisfied; others were disappointed.
The attendance was only fair The
main tent is very large. In the after
noon the seats were little more than
half filled, and the crowd at night was
somewhat larger. It was evident to
the visitor that in effeCting a combina
tiOn of the two shows, considerable at
tention was paid TO economy. The
menagerie was not much larger than
either of the shows separately had
heretofore.
In the big tent there we're three rings
and an elevated stage. The usual fea-
lures were presented, in bareback rid
ing. tumbling, juggling and trapeze
performances, as well as the inevitable
races. The features which might be said
to come under the head of same as
usual were up to the standard. One
OF the most remarkable performances
was given by the trained sea lions. This
alone was worth the admission fee.
The bicycle speciality was good and was
much appreciated. The rough riding
of the cowboy was another good fea-
ture.
Tho dow u-as pot without incidents
of an unusual nature In the afternoon
one of two sisters who were giving
trapeze performance had a fall which
injured her slightly, but she went on
again at night The trap broke from
some cause, and she fell to the net be-
low. This act was then cut from the
programme. In the clown race in the
hippodrome, one cart was overturned
and it's occupant sent sprawling on
his head, but no serious damage re-
suited.
The most exciting incident occurred
in the side show during the night pei
Torrance. One of the curiosities is a
so-called wild man. hideous look
ing negro who is chained to a stake.
Before the performance commenced in
the big tent there were several hun
ord persons in the side show. When
| the lecturer reached the wild man"
that individual pulled up the stake and
| made leap toward the ropes. In a
second all was CONSERVATION. The tat
tooed couple dropped from their perch
and crawled under the tent. The snake
charmer hunted a place of safety. The
giants and dwarfs began to manifest
signs of uneasiness and in less time
than is required to tell it the crowd was
massed at the entrance. The lecturer,
! however held on TO the chain, and the
wild man" was pacifed before he die
any injury to the freaks or s!ght-seers.