The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-08
At THE CIRCUS GROUNDS.
Ringing BROTHERS Pitch Their Tents
West of the River.

Ringing Brothers circus reached the city
yesterday morning early, and during the
day part OF the canvas city was erected
on the show grounds west of the river The
show came to town on five trains, over the
Big Four road, and most of the unloading
was done from the Belt. near the grounds.
Two or three of the smaller tents were put
up yesterday, but the big canvas was left.
for to-day. The Ringlings allow their en-
ployes as much rest as possible on Sundays,
and only necessary labor is performed on
that day.
Many people visited the grounds yesterday
afternoon. The horse tent was open to the
public, and the sleek, welI-groomed ami
mails attracted a good deal of attention.
The ponies were especially interesting to
the crowd, and women and children fairly
Rugged the little animals in an excess of
delight A trip through the animal tent
is sufficient to convince one that the Ring
lings are never caught mapping when some
thing new for the menagerie is to be had.
This year they have added some new fea-
lures that seem to attract all who visit the
show. The Ringlings claim the distinction
OF owning the only real white elephant in
this country. The beast is known as Ike
dah," and he is said to have belonged to
the royal herd Of Siam, 1t is claimed that
hard cash. There is a troupe of twenty-five
elephants with the show, "Baldle," an i'm
mense beast, being king of the herd. There
IS an old story of how a man once fed an
elephant tobacco and years afterward the
brute found the man again, and remember
great trunks Mr H RngnS %6n 6s
the tobacco story a fake" He says the
elephants with the Ringiing show often take
tobacco when 1t is offered them and some
of them are fond of the weed.
There are over zoo people employed by the
kingling Brothers in operating and present
ing their show. A dozen sleeping cars are
required to transport this army of people,
and two culinary departments of the most
systematic character are conducted for fur
nishtng the necessary 2,1O0 meals each day
to satisfy the appetites of actor folks, SUI
perintendents, musicians and working peo-
pie that compose this big travelling village.
The performers, musicians and heads of de-
partments have their meals served in a din
Ing car, while the other employees are fed
on the grounds in the cook tents.
A trip through the dressing rooms of the
circus Is an interesting sight In the mems
dressing rooms are found sixty trunks, each
representing an individual Each day these
trunks occupy the same relative position.
AT the beginning of the season the eques-
TRAN director assigns to each performer his
place in the dressing room, and the chief
property man numbers each trunk, and
throughout the tour of the show there is
no variation in the placing of the different
pieces of baggage. The aisleS between the
different rows of trunks are, during the
course of the season. named. The nomen-
clature OF dressing room streets Is unique.
in the Ringing dressing room there is
Rotten Row." Paradise Alley and a
Fools Retreat" as well as an Easy
street" all deriving their names from some
personal characteristics of the performers
who occupy them.
The pad room of a circus corresponds
to the green room of theater On Sunday
there is much to be seen that is not in evil
dence during week days. The horses and
other performing animals are made ready in
the pad ROOM for the ring On Sunday
these receive attention
There was much activity in the pad room
of the circus yesterday afternoon.
The Ringing Brothers show is even
larger than ii was when here two years ago.
There were 400 horses on the grounds yes
tardaY.