St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-05-31
NOVEL FEATURES
Is the Combined Adam FOrepnugh ans
sells Brothers, Circus.

The combined Adam Forepaugh and
Sell Brothers Circuses inaugurated the
present season in Madison Square
Garden, New York. In reviewing the
first performance, the New York Tribune
said -
"The circus has hard row to hoe,
because the New York public has been
taught for so many years to believe that
there is only one circus in the world.
Bnt the circus will hoe its row, because
in is a good circus. Also the row is ripe
for the hoeing. 1t may take a little
time, for the public is slow to learn some
things; or it may not take long, for the
public is quick to catch the realities Of
other things. The audience Of last night
at Madison Square Garden seemed to
indicate that the town would soon dis
cover the worth OF the show, and the
applause which was bestowed seemed to
indicate that what there were there had
discovered it already.
There were many people on hand last
night to see the first performance Of the
combined Adam Forepaugh and Sells
Brothers circuses. and they were well
repaid. 1t had all the elements that are
necessary for a varied and amusing
show, and it had some elements that
were novel. AS is usually the case, some
Of the principal hits were made by feat
ures OF which perhaps least was expect
ed. The burlesque musical performance
Of the clown band was extremely funny,
and delighted the audience more than
some of the really remarkable feats of
acrobatics and riding. Another of the
best acts of all was that of Woodward S
trained seals and sea lions. They have
been seen here before, though not in a
circus, and they cannot be seen too often
by those who enjoy exhibitions of animal
training. No more remarkable instance
has ever been seen here, or perhaps any
where. The Hagenbeck show was a
wonderful show, and there was good
deal of it, but there was no one act in it
better than this of Mr.. Woodward s
seals. They do not do all that trained
dogs do, but they do some things trained
dogs never do.
The aerial act of the Hanlons has
long been known here and elsewhere,
and has seldom been exceled. 1t is done
as smoothly and as effectively as ever.
There is too much expert riding to be
mentioned in detail. This department is
under the direction of Frank ]. Melville
who knows all about it, and the Mel
viles have been circus riders and direct
ors of circus riders since the memory Of
man goeth not to the contrary. Both
the Forepaugh and the Sells Brothers
shows have hitherto made speciality o.
trained elephants, and so the elephants
become an especially important feature
of the present aggregation. A herd O
elephants has usually been looked upor
merely as so many tons of bone ano
hide, worth so much for exhibition anc
including so many receptacles for the pea
nuts sold by the man who paid for the
privilege. But the managers of the pres
ent show look with sort of contempt
on an elephant who is not also an actor
and speak of him in d sighting manner
as if to say: we don't quite remember
what we hired him for
"Such are two big African elephants
which are worth gong to the Garden tc
see, but no talent to speak of, except fol
the storage of peanuts. African ele
plants are not domestic animals, lik,
the Indian ones, and they have no pretty
little ways. There are plenty of othe
animals, including some particularly fin
tigers"
Tuesday, June 13, is the date booked
by General Manager Peter Sells for tn
exploitation of the Forepaugh- Sells Fed
Grafton in this city.