The times., 1898-05-09
The WILD WEST CAMP.
How the Members of the Big sho,
Spent Rainy Sunday.

How the Members of the Big Show
Spent Rainy Sunday.
"Of all the places in the world, a camp.
on a wet day, Is perhaps the least at
tractive," said Col. W. F. Cody to a
party of newspaper men who called to see
him at the Raleigh yesterday morning to
get permission to visit the camping
grounds of the big show corner North
| Capitol and l. Streets. You viii have TO
excuse me, gentlemen, l have an appoint
ment with Gen. Miles" and the great
scout sailed forth to stop an Avenue
car.
AT the grounds everything was put in
its place with precision and accuracy,
the result of perfect discipline.
The behind the scenes" at Buffalo
Bills Wild West Show is nearly as in
terestlng 10 the layman as the show it
self. To see the immense fence of can
vas put in position, the large horse tents
erected, and the wonderful electric light
plant established, makes the uninitiated
open their eyes and wonder what will
come next. As Col. Cody said. the camp
was a dismal looking place from the out
side. Everything was wet and soggy, the
ground around the canvas was cut and
plowed up by the numerous horses that
had gone in and out hauling camp
equipage, feed for the stock and the
properties used in the arena.
Unlike a circus. the Wild West Show
does not take place in a tent The entire
performance is in the open air. The seats
for the spectators are covered, however
and are waterproof, in order that the
show may go on rain or shine.
Mr. Fellows, one of the representatives
of the exhibition took a Times reporter
in tow and piloted him around among
the people of the various nations that
are represented in this Heterogeneous
collection.
The most interesting of these by far
are the Cuban veterans, who are all
members of the Cuban army and are in
some way incapacitated, for further SER
vice in the field for a time with the army
of Independence, but who have never
ceased to work for their beloved island.
This is the first time that a band of the
Cuban cavalry has been seen in America
and it will give the people of this country
an opportunity TO see what a real Cuban
insurgents looks like. They are all intelli-
gent men, of good physique and only ex-
pect to stay away from the army during
the rainy season. Four of the men left
the show last week and joined Gen Nu-
neZ in his expedition and the rest of them
have offered their services to the Gov
ernment when the army leaves Tampa
to the public at this time is the light ar
tillery drill by squad of men from the
Fifth United States Artillery. The evolu-
tions of battery OF light artillery in ac-
ton are not very well known, but are ap-
preciated wherever seen. The horses go
ing at full speed are suddenly stopped,
the guns unlimbered, loaded, fired, and
the men on the move again so quickly that
it is hard to believe that they ever halted
an instant
The members of the various cavalry de-
tachments were busy cleaning their ac-
couterments in the dressing tents. The
German uhlans were helping the French
chasseurs burnish their breastplates,
and an American Indian was seen fast
ening a strap on a saddle that belonged to
a Russian Cossack. The Germans wore
uniforms of pure white, which they keep
clean with pipe clay. The cleaning pro-
cess is peculiar and is known only to the
members of the Kaiser's crack cavalry
corps.
The horse tents are one of the aston
ishing features of the exhibit. 1t seems
impossible to realize that these perfectly
appointed stables are erected and torn
down in so short a time. In one of the
horse tents the buffalo are kept. There
are seven of these animals with the show.
One of them is just a week Old having
been born in Philadelphia last week
w on you stay ana nave ulnner. the
reporter was asked.
''where?" was the interrogatory in re-
ply.
Step this way"
Over in one corner of the arena is the
big dining tent, where everybody employ
ed in the show get their meals To wat
on such an army requires the services of
numerous cooks and walters, exactly the
same sort of force employed in a modern
hotel, with all the paraphernalia that
goes to equip modern kitchen and din
ing room. The quality Of the food served
is the best that can be bought
Near the kitchen is the portable cleo
trio light plant, one of the most wonder
ful inventions in the realm of electricity.
The machinery in this plant furnishes the
power for the hundreds Of arc lights that
light the grounds at night. Mr.. Fellows
explained every detail Of the big show to
the reporters. ard said that the euiv way
% properly appreciate the result ~ the
work ln af these departments was q
come au1 see re snow.