The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-30
GENTRY'S ANIMAL SHOW.
History Of a Unique Amusement Enter
nriSe.

prise.
Because of the wind and rain yester-
day and last night the attendance at the
Gentry trained animal show was not large.
The weather, however, had no effect on
the excellence of the performance From
here the show goes to Butte, where it will
open tomorrow.
The story of the rise of the Gentry
shows is a peculiar one in the history of
amusement enterprises in the United
States. The shows had their inception II
years ago, when red-headed boy named
H. B. Gentry left his home in Blooming
ton, Ind. and went with Dan Costello's
circus. A few years of experience devel-
oped the knack of animal training and
then, with a troupe of ~ dogs. he started
on the road, giving exhibitions in opera
houses and schools in small towns
through the Middle West. The trip was
great success. Another year and % dogs
composed his company. His brother, W.
w. Gentry, who is with the show here,
then Joined him. At the end of another
prosperous season they added six Shet-
land ponies to the troupe. paying therefor
all the money they had saved. A summer
was spent in training the ponies and in
the fall the company went on the road.
BY the time it had reached Kansas City
the boys had made and saved enough TO
buy a car. With it they played through
to the coast and back to Indiana, netting
$4,000 on the trip.
Two years more in opera houses, and
the show, better than ever. and the boys
got the circus fever. The first tent was
bought and two brothers left their stu
dies at the state university to go into the
business. The show was then increased to
IS ponies, As dogs and, for the first time,
few monkeys.
Another car was purchased and in the
spring of 1891 the new show played with
pronounced success in all the largest cit
les from Galveston to Winnipeg. Four
mere good seasons followed.
In the spring of 1896 No. 2 show was or
CARRIED, with ]. w. Gentry in charge
Then came In rapid succession, as fast as
the boys could train the animals, the No
8 and No shows, and they have all been
money makers.
There is a vast difference between the
shows of now and five years ago. Then
a score of ponies and half hundred
dogs was a large exhibition. To-day each
of the four shows has twice that number
of animals, and in addition has monkeys
and elephants, and each show travels in
its own special train. A large stock farm
al Bloomington provides the animals and
there a corps of trainers is always at
work
This week No show is at Butte, No.
Boston and No. at Milwaukee.
OF all the animals the ponies are the
most tractable and the easiest trained
Next come the dogs and Gentry has some
handsome dogs. too, in his company. not
because poodles are brighter or more IN
telligent, but because they are prettier
sight than a mongrel cur would be- The
dogs with the shows consist mainlys>of
pocdles EsquimauX, coach dogs. terriers
ane greyhounds. Spaniels, settlers and
bulldogs are prohibited on account of the
mischief they provoke. Pugs. as rule,
are thought to have very little intelligence,
yet Gentry has few bright ones with his
shows. Monkeys, of course, are very in
telIgent; they are quickly taught, but
| their learning is not as easily retained.
Last year the brothers had their first ex-
perience training elephants. 1t was at
first thought by them to be hard propo-
stion, but they have been greatly success
full in that line.