The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-17
THE CIRCUS
IS HERE
And With 1t the Gorgeous
Parade and C0miCal
Clown

( SO dear to childhood, Its prancing stseds
numbering elephants, lroaring lions and
tigers, monkeys, camels, and the wild
kangaroos. There was no flare of trump
cts or clash of noisy band to attract at
| tention. but the tented world -GaIns quiet
| Union streets, and IN an incredibly short
space Of time hid all its wonders, for the
day, beneath acres Of billowy canyas.
II needed no noise or public deinonstra
tidn to attract a crowd. however for the
thl long that came to view the circus
very soon filled every available foot in
the region OF the tents and lined the
stren's leading thereto.
The arrival of e circus of the magnitude
otthe Adam Forepaugh and the Sells
Brothers United Shows looks to tho on
locker as if no human mind could ever
conceive a method by which order could
be brought out Of tho chaotic wildness of
tumult made by hundreds of men, horses
and wild animals.
Tho show arrived in this city on long
lines Of specially constructed cars in the
order in which they were to be unloaded.
This fact marks tho beginning of the Won
derful system which goes with aD enter
prise of this character Tho first wagons
to drive off before the trains are NIL in the
yard are the wagons bearing canvas for the
stable tents and these nre put up with
wonderful celebrity, for the prime princi-
pie of the circus man Is to take care of tho
animals first Then along comes another
gang with wagons and paraphernalia, and
quick o. wink up goes tho cook tent and
tho dining tent, for the regiment of men
employed in the enterprise must also be
fea promptly
1t Is q wonderful sight to set the dispatch
and neat ness with which the big tents are
erected- Hugo wagons, usually g1idsd Or
briEAtfy painted iron bound boxes or i'm
mense trucks, drive up swiftly. and as soon
as they stop. are surrounded by couple
of hundred sun burned mon of muscle
WHO proceed to pull out, poles. ropes,
chains and tackle, and dump them on the
grohnd, then the wagon drives away.
Scures OF these wagons drive to the grounds
and dump their loads in apparently end
less confusion. But there is q system in it
nll Every bundle Of canvas, tent pole and
rope is where it belongs and the workmen
know it. Like magic, the poles go o their
places, ard tho canvas is stretched. Theu
one after another the cagos containing the
animals disappear under the tent, not to
he seen again, uutil the gorgeous parade.
work Of unloading the animals and wag-
ons from tho trains. There was no noise
and no unscemly disorder. Every body
stood at his post, and thA apparently end
less tGsk was done in trice. The unload.
ing of the elephants altract cd the most at
tention. There are fifteen of these mon-
sters and they travel about the country in
immense box cars that are exceptionally
heavy and strong. Whenever one of the
big brutes started to come out he carefully
tested the gang plank with one foot before
he would trust his whole weight upon it.
After they had nlighted from the cars they
were lined up in a row. and amid the
plandits of small boys wended their way
to he circus grounds.
Tho morning street pageant of brilliant
ly-arrayed men and women aud gaily-
cnparisoneu horses, calnels and elephants,
together witt many ferocious animals dis
played in their cages was witnessed by
crowds who lined no sidewalks and well
coined the c1ming of the circus.
There were many people on hand this
afternoon to sue the first performance
of tho combined show with all it's diversi-
fled features from the gun spinning sons
of Arabia to the man who balances Oh a
pyramid OF chairs.
The opening display was spectacular
as elnby Of the animals and acrobats and
others In parade; then followed the Gay
nell Company Of statue artists who pre-
sem cd some famous painting, "the land
ing of Columbus" and "Uncle Sam"
"Crowning the Goddess Of Liberty" being
cXcop iOrally good.
Following this came Peter Bell and a
score Of athletes, who turned somsrsaults
like SO many wheels. Display No. 4 con-
tained, among mahy things, the Damnnn
Sisters, who can walk moving globe az
easily MS most people walk OH terra tiEmp;;
Mks Minnie Co iello. who want4the fHnxth-
OF thsii,animoth tent on flying rings;
Patrick Kplly, who did all manner of tricks
on swinging trapeze, and Miss Mamie
Kline, wfo demonstrated tho possibilities
OF Enhancing on Il slack wire.
There is a Melville in the circus which
was what he calls IN animal conglomsra-
tion,4 This includes 'Cuba,' a baby
elephant two Hungarian ponies, and a
dwarled zebu. They are all comedians,
and 60 through hodge-podge of anus
ing actions Then there arc dancing ele-
phant', elephants who cau order and enta
dlnnsr and elephants who can add figures.
The equeStronnes, Miss Marietta Corea,
Miss Sally Sticanoy and Miss May Davon.
port, are daring and COmely MesSrs. Du-
cIa- and Dutandel race thoroughDreds in
tandem-fours. Barney Otton balanced on
his head ON swinging trapeZs, and the
Melfoses rode bicycles on wire.
The clowns were innulnprablr, and fur
nished real COMEDY They burlesq qued John
Philip Sousn, murdered his music by each
playing in adiffcrent key. and really gain
ed genuine Eusic.
Altogether it was very elaborate and
very ell ertainlng program, ons that is CAL
culated to please every patron, from the
small boy who hustles for IL front seat to
the les, denonstrutiva adult patrons of he
arena circle The same program will DO
repeated Al $50 O'Clock Tonight.
Gas stoves connected free of charge.
7 I