River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-07-13

Dul SOliiC what q 81 X sum ~
men and women of other communities
who may desire to get up novel enter
tainments for good purposes.
The first man in this country to at
tain distinction and fame in the circus
business was Dan Rice, who reached his
ninetieth year only a few months ago.
His real name was Daniel McLarren,
but he will be known to fame by his cir
Gus name When he was young man
| travelling about race tracks he became
known as an athlete and a tumbler, and
was generally nicknamed Dusty Dan"
but why he took the name of Rice no.
| body has even been able to ascertain.
One of the elderly men who attended
the country circus of the Carroll insti-
tute told a number of interesting things
about Dan Rice, as we were walking
home after the performance. He said
that when quite young man Dan Rice
/ became known as a wrestler, boxer and
| prize fighter; and that his agility,
strength and scientific sparring made
him a formidable antagonist. 1t is
matter of official record that in 1928 the
| PENNSYLVANIA legislature at Harrisburg
dA lOuIBtt u NIAINSS a bONAllS iIttANh
between Dan Rice and George Kensett,
celebrated fighting man of that day.
What do you think of legislature adj
| iourning for the sake of witnessing
such performance? 1t seems almost
incredible that such a thing could have
| occurred, but it did.
The circuses which come to the peo
pie of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys
begin their annual tours on the ATTAIN
tic coast aud end their seasons along the
coast OF the gulf of Mexico. They are
already billing to appear in Washing
ton; and the little men and women of
the rising generation are saving up
their pennies in order to be sure of
funds enough to buy red lemonade and
neanuts, as well as TO secure admission.
The modern circuses are too big.
There are three or four rings, and
separate performance is conducted in
each; and all this is confusing to the
ewes and the brains of beholders. While
we are watching the Japanese jugglers
in front of us. we are at the same time
squirting at the sylphlil1e form of the
girl in pink tights at the other end of
the big tent, who is dangling on the
bareback of horse, and jumping
through hoops of fire.
These circus bills which are to be
seen everywhere now in Washington
are more gorgeous than those fiaring
old wood cuts which delighted the
imagination Of childhood a generation
ago. but they present very few really
new feats. so far as the real circus is
concerned. The vaudeville perform
ances have grown up within the past
len years, and they are also assuming
a sameness which is giving them
tameness.
Readers under 80 years Of age have
heard but little Of Dan Rice. the great
est of all sawdust showmen. but his
memory lives green with the older boys
and girls who saw his performances and
hoard his jokes. There never VS.. and
it IS not iike'v that there ever will be
sao Their such clown. If Dan Rice had
been kings fool he would have taken
place in history. outranking some of the
kings themselves. As a clown he be-
came known all over the country. and
his popularity was such that some CO.
years ago he started forth with show
of his own. Its main features we're the
maryelously trained white stallion "EN-
celsior. and Dan Rice himself. The
splendid horse and The superb clown
were the whole thing.
Dan Rice exhibited the FIRST circus
hat ever came TO the national capital
IT was when Martin Van Buren, was