The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-05-02
THE RINGING PARADE.
A Procession That Astonished the
Natives.

In the many years that circuses nave
come TO Washington and the small poS
has starved himself into training Tor
wholesale digestion of peanuts and ab-
sorption of red lemonade no better ex-
ample of the visiting shows magnitude
has been given than was embodied In the
street procession sent out this morning
by the Ringing Brothers. The circus,
which is practically new here, arrived
late. and Il was nearly o'clock before
the tents had been pitched and things
put in readiness for the days pageant.
Shortly before 9. however, work ceased
on the grounds, and preparations Tor
the parade began. 4 large huTry-up
force was put on the formation, and
about half past 9 the heralds Of the or
ganization rode out and began the pre-
scribed route
Long before time for the procession TO
start the streets began TO be crowded
with people They seemed to come from
all directions like bees in a hive, and
within a very short time the sidewalks
were packed and street traffic seriously
interfered with. a large force of police
was required to keep the way clear, but
the crowd was EOOu-n dluTcu anu iAo dtAliA-
age resulted. Possibly the biggest crowds
gathered on Pennsylvania Avenue. though
+ Street had its share and Seventh Street
was damned with great mass OF hu-
manity Some slight Inconvenience re-
suited from large gatherings in streets
over which other circuses have been used
to going but which the Ringlings avoid
ed. but the crowd finally compromised
on racing down town and meeting the
parade there Many people, after seeing
the procession on F Street. walked down
and had another look at it before going
home.
Undoubtedly the parade was the longest
and in many respects the richest ever
seen in the city The wagons were not
separated by anything more than nee
essary distance and yet the line was con-
siderably over a mile in length. The
route which had been given before took
in from Seventh to Fifteenth. where
it turned down into the Avenue. So long
was the procession that at the time the
latter half was passing Ninth on + the
former could be seen at the same To-
cality on the Avenue.
The organization has Just begun it's
season and the showing made was most
excellent. The horses, all beautiful ami
mails, looked sleek and wel-fed. the waS-
ons newly painted and gilded. the ban
tionally gorgeous. The menagerie appear
ed to excellent advantage. over sixty
cages being in line. together with great
herd of fine elephants. one OF camels
a division of Shetland ponies. and a
combination of many other brutes judged
able to navigate themselves. white
elephant and hippOpotamus were the
observed of all observers.
Another pleasing novelty were the
horseback riders. Besides the usual num-
Der of mounted performers a band of
knights. division of German and Ameri-
can horsemen and cavalry band were
in the parade. A wagon of chimes and a
steam caliope, together with a Scotch
bag piper and four bands furnished the
music, while one of the funniest arrange
ments possible was an orchestra of
clowns, which discoursed the most inhar-
monious and discordant selections that
ever greeted mortal ears. A long line of
wagons, horses and riders, fairy tale
carriages, floats. and other material of
a circus completed what is undoubtedly
the best circus parade seen here in many
years.