The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-18
"OLD CIRCUS DAYS. y
DAxxrMs PARTNER INDUCES IN
SOME "REMINISCENCES.
Liaeevisg IN Fond Memory OveY the
Osd Josrneys BY Rosd Before the
Days of Raifresding and Special
Trains-some Of the Improvements
MsAs In Mechanism, Lighting and
Accessories.



heard my partner. that famous American
Snowman, the late p. T. Barnur. tell how
ne entered the circus business IN fs5i aE
treasurer OF old Aaron Turner'S circus,
and how, though BE left IL soon after
wards 20 engage Ia the museum business.
be never los. his tondness for II. never
ceased 10 keep . close watch upon H. aud
always noted very carefully all the
changes IL underwent during the nearly
~ years that sntervened before he again
engaged Ia IL as the proprietor OF Bar
sssrD's circus ia Is73. though as early as
7ssl ne had exhibited large caravan OF
wild animals and many cariosities all over
this country. but n that time there was
no circus performance connected with the
exhibition. and after travelling with this
caravan for nearly four years. he sold cut
the entire establishment.
Turner'S circus. sitn which Mr.. Ba-nun
acted as treasurer in 1881. was she largest
ara beg; OF It's day. I1s magnitude for
that time will De appreciated when / stats
that as late as ls2s the largest circus trav-
cling tn this country consisted OF only
nine men and seven horses. The combined
receipts and combined expenditures OF all
the csrcuSss In America for e. years from
the time when the FIRST circus perform
ance WAS given liz f1ss1. would fail far short
OF those OF any one OF the present NAM
sfsFtA %8R&E ADE = SfE&kAf HF1&Jsfs ia kttF
early days Of which i am writing. circus
men had no LOT rent nor license TO pay.
One small poster would bin al entire
town. There were 30 tents 20 put up and
keep I'm repair. temporary fence being
erected about the ring instead. This and
other work CONTESTED with the show being
done by the performers themselves. The
music was furnishd hy hand organ. q
ciarione; and bass drum Performance
the largest towns where d fe@ candles
could lie procured.
all these things changed very gradually
for the better, and ln ss@0 there was or
gained what was known as Purify, Welsh
& Co.'S circus 1t vas considered bold.
almost foolharay enterprise, and the pub
Lc regarded rs tso them dazzling mag
nlEcencs ana boundless extravaganc.
with feelings similar 20 those experience
~ the Queen Of Sheha on the occasion Of
her visit 10 King solomon This mann
moth aggregation comprised "a horses and
brass band Of eight performers. Its en-
tsEt&-niGtDts were given in tent around
the ceniss pole Of which was frame work
containing candies. This venture proving
a success. Turner's circus. organized In
the following year. 1881. Was on a some
"aat larger scale. having. as / have sala
above. a company of 81 people From that
-
and steadily increased in size until IL has
attained dimensions which would have
seemed fabulous even - years ago
IN those days nearly every circus tray-
es.d by wagon. 81 they continued 10 do for
many years afterward. Even az late as
fsss there WAS scarcely a circus In this
country that Travelled by rail. They were
all wholly conveyed by wagons and
horses. Now there Is scarcely a wagon
hay ia At
them from those that patTonize the rail-
roads. IN existence. IL is only the vast
growth Of the present day tent shows
which has caused them to utilize tho draw
Ing powers Of the iron horse To trans
port by wagon such immense clrcuses as
We have today would be utterly impossi-
bls. IL would require such a vast army OF
men and horses as would devour the prof
lis and lmpoyer,sh the country through
which It Travelled. Then. again. such
shows require immense patronage for
their support, and they must. therefore
have vast population To draw from
Consequently they can exhibit only in
large cities aad towns. and the distance
would be muca too great TO be covered by
horses within the required time
The labor. anxiety and possible loss with
even the smali-sized wagon shows or the
past were terrible. Sometimes The roads
stick until the horses became completely
exhausted IN trying to pun them out and
would have 20 be left 20 die Day after
day the show would fail 10 reach towns in
which y was billed - appear. In very hot
weather the drives we're made at night 10
SPARE the horses.
iraNe!'ng with wagon show was much
pieaSAutcr for The performers. however.
Eaan the present system OF rallroaafns-
A n a IA a H.
own conveyance. So song as they reached
the different towns In season for Their
performances they were allowed 20 choose
thnlr own time for making the JOURNEYS
ana x was by no means unpleasant to
drive a ffne horse over A good country road
IN the cool 81 a summer morning rror, -
10 ~ mics. " hlce was about the range OF
she distances between stands. For such
performers a. did rot have their own con
FeNsnceS, tae management .Savided what
vas krc- as the Performers wagon d"
mere was often a great deas OF fun IN
SFAFe.ing ~ 5his VealeIe Some OF fh,, per
'0fnrfs I" ou4a carry guns with them. ana
shoot "Ct from the wagon al hir3a ans
other game as taey Passed along
Inc way through tie country WAS found
~ IN" mea who preceded the Show IN
Nha' vas eaAtd The laying out buggy 80
Aided ~ = sSneps.s 81 the rol.e f,,rn rshes
'hctn by snc advance agent. they f-ssr,t-..t
ihc way ana nsafkes! toahtrai rsrfs ~ 49,,
fH%a "Hh r2+ss taken from tha nelxbbor-
.nE tsHF"s- A. ooe 1sue fhera were a nnrs,-
hey IT circHsSs which Travelled ~, srs..,,
scat. and exhibited Only ia river TOWNS
p1t ~ ate wars tbs enterprises seems IN
have been almost wholly Abandoned
Ehe circus ysaE ~ ghc present 4ev "a
Sf''ti'4 'i.sFFF'nt fron' What lt VAS II, the
days 50 Aaron T1raev's c.scas ana f.y
many Svars after hgs tue. Il thrn .-..,.
sisted az a wooden cstFh uC8lR ia Sections
: n'i'ar ytngs are stiH uee8 WHOM n~erte
eAfcftai nusenta are gives upou the N+s~a
in taeater$. These rings are very ta7~e--
Gus from she AatHty ~ }erf,rr,s~a ~,
raj Or 'uwp on ghe lrau stakes "A flf-h 4,,,.-
Eof' 'An wooster e'nE TIE iatraauc.ten
,1e 1't' Hha Sfs aaei r.ag az present tu
No<nc was a great Improvement
fhoseh the street parade vsx .r.~..,,,,..
very primitive. consisting vr.,,.>s.,sr,,- -
,ho oAnd wass8 AMI a few p..-rla 5,r
"tf SFp& =. y rss always been = -, t,,-.
81 eTN@s ~1ees eTgr since 1 can ~o.-,s--,.
ttF. rs eirc7SaS grew r s.xe arf A.~e,
20 ma - necessary 90 have -ur.,f,.~ -
" asoi-S Go transport thet- a~.eAs~,s+s,
q Saw 0@s"N ~ ANNALS ~ s~e pere,~-,.
- ~"4 FN"@f3 fe11tlT fssere horses r,r eve
rtnx, these were stseI ~ tba r-e>es.,,,.,
hN@f yncdN - zuttar wth the r,~...-..
n magnificent street usessYfs Shove a.. .,
sreAt cirrWsez 80 t@sAy. svhsrs a., -.
sooi show sn tsesasessss v-tA -l..-.
p~rt'sy s.Aded eg&rt0fs e. hrt-a,t, a-.,..
as "tAh.eau ears suanv 81 49,, -.
UY elephants asa c4rnt.s ara ,s, 49,,
N@seA OF aHtE7a+S f1tnF sWcs Art novel,.
bet ot every csaretNs s--e t.7ers~t.ar
Tasrs hAxe hrea vsan sr-y,.t l..,--...
raastS ia sAo }l@sting 90 -.r-ss .r-.. s.,
ses ear'y Gays 81 r.rcuers Tn t--.-t,-t
~ zen az ssNa~-< ar lars nms