The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-05-15

How lie Sells Brothers Have Gained The Pinnacle
of EmInence.

Some people have the impression that
a circus man is a crude. hard, coarse
person. The trouble Is, likely. that the
public judges the managers and execu-
tive stan from the mirror held up 10
view rejecting the persons OF the host
lers. candy butchers and reserved seat
peddlers. This must be the case. else
things would be otherwise, although il
is rather hard. at times. to account for
Impressions.
The proprietor of foundry is not
judged by the necessary untidiness OF
the coal shovelers. or a ship owner by
the deck moppers. Big enterprises.
which require brains TO run successful
~, do not<usually have behind them
low-browed and desolate individuals.
although coal shoyelers and. ship mop
pers are not unusually such. A big cir
Gus may not he the prettest thing i'm
the world to run; but where you find
one that is a success, that is conducted
on business lines. il Will be discovered
that the men managing IL are OF good
sterling character; men who, in their
own communities are accounted up
right and honorable citizens.
The brothers Sells are "A case i'm point.
They make Columbus. Ohio their home,
in which city they were born and raised.
These brothers are among the biggest
property owners of their native city,
every dollar OF their big fortune having
been acquired In the circus business.
-'fney rucfr- fruve spfrrrdid- homes and
cultured families. and are altogether OF
the top notch people OF the town. IL
may seem rather odd TO some people
N
are regular attendants at church with
their families and are leaders in all
works of charity. In this respect they
are like the great Barnum.
Just why the Sells Brothers, with
such great wealth and power remained
away from New York until this season
Is a mystery. For nearly thirty years
they have battled with the Barnum
Show in the West. and were never once
put down. The Barnum and the Sells
Brothers Circuses. by the way, were
organized the same year. in 1871. The
Columbus concern. instead of working
to the east. has kept its own in the
western country. They have. however.
repeatedly visited upper New York
state and New England. extending
their territory TO include Australia,
which country they have visited re-
peatedly. having come i'm competition in
times back with James A. Bailey. when
lie was the owner OF Inc treat l$Onuoil
Circus" Mr.. Bailey, now the owner OF
the Barnum Circus, was the business
rival OF the Sells for nearly thirty years
lighting them tooth and nail, first with
the Cooper and Bailey, then with the
Great London Circus" and subse-
quently with the great power of the
Barnum and Bailey circus. But the
Sells Brothers have withstood all these
onslaughts. and now, after so many.
many years of unceasing opposition. he
is their business partner.
If Sells Brothers were not of the
right sort of stuff they would hardly
have passed through over quarter of
century of business hurries. storms
and quicksands, to find themselves in
the end opulent, and powerful in their
calling.
Men who have weathered such opposi-
ton as these men have had. are usually
found of morocco bound quality.
Mr.. James A. Bailey's introduction
and recommendation, however. would
have been sufficient for New Workers.
The Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Cir
Gus will exhibit in this city at the Res
ervior avenue grounds on Thursday,
June L.