The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-20
THE DAY OF THE CIRCUS
RINGLING BROS BIG TENTS PITCHED
ACROSS THE RIVER.
A Parade This Morning and Perform
ances This Afternoon and Even
ing-The Features.

Circus day is here. The dead walls of the
town and the live columns of the news
papers have kept it in mind for several
weeks. The sun has rolled around in the
sky to n place that makes its visit welcome,
the trees are in bloom as If they felt a
pleasurable pride in the occasion and small
boys are radiant beyond comparison. Last
summer was a dry and dreary affair for the
youngster of the family, to say nothing of
his more erect and seriously inclined
brother, because there was no Ringing
circus. Just now the circus is m institu-
ton of amazing scope. 1t comprehends
about everything under the sun that comes
under the label of odd. strange and sensa-
tional. 1t no longer represents a canvas
shelter for one ring in which acts of pre-
historic origin transpired. The circus in it's
modern development is so big that it's
features must be expressed in numerals
when it comes to printers ink. Take the
Ringing Brothers show, for instance. 1t
takes sixty-fve cars to transport is equip
ment from place to place. 1t carries one
hundred dens OF wild animals. 1t also has
a herd Of twenty-five elephants, which is
the biggest in captivity. One thousand peo-
pie are employed, of whom three hundred
are performers. While the old-time show
had but one or two clowns the Ringing
show presents forty. 1t also carries five
hundred horses. These figures make a
short way of telling a long story when it
comes TO circus values.
The Ringing brothers are American born
and full of the ginger of the soil. Their
circus is now a national institution and
separated from all others because of in
trinsic worth. The family name is a syno-
nym Tor right-doing. No one has ever
raised a finger against them to the con-
trary. When their show first came here
only a few years ago it was unknown and
generally looked upon as pretentious. The
logical result of cause showed itself for
their benefit. as ii always does where the
foundation is right. The tents now re-
CURED by them for the exhibition and other
needs of their big show cover more than
ten acres of ground, and the large canvas
under which the actual circus performance
occurs is said to be the largest ever erected.
Some idea of the vastness of this huge tent
may be gathered from the knowledge that
under il are three circus rings, two great
stages. an oval race track over a quarter
Of a mile in length and a hippodrome seat
ing arrangement for 5000 people.
In the menagerie tent are nearly one hun
dred cages filled with wild animals seldom
found in captivity. The geological collec-
ton of the Ringing Brothers is one In
which the family proprietors justly AXE
pride, and Will be of interesting study to
those who are interested I'm this subject of
the worlds queer creatures. Among the
circus features that stand out for pre-
eminence are the sixty-one-horse act of
John O'Brien, Professor Lockharts comedy
elephants. the wonderful aerialists, the
Fisher family and Dacoma family, Mile
TurnOIr Metric Carroll and Minnie Fisher
the world famous bareback riders Cecil Lo-
wanda, Edward Ship, John Rooney, Elena
Ryland, Lizzie Rooney, Julia Lowanda and
Albert Crandall. ckhart elephants do
about everything but talk, and move with
a speed really astounding to those who
have never seen the performance. The
sensitive way in which sixty-one horses
obey the word of OF Mr.. OBrien
without bit, bride or whip guidance is most
remarkable and serves as a potent and last
ing illustration of the possible effects of
patience and kindness In the education of
dumb animals. These animals are beautiful
types and nervously high strung, but Mr..
O'Brien's voice has a charm and intelli-
gence for them that results in a perform
ance all must admire and praise.
There are more than one hundred acts in
the circus programme, sometimes six or
eight of them occurring simultaneously
and to mention each would be impossible
in the limited space of a newspaper notice.
Overhead there is a maze of aerial para
phernalia upon which daring artists enact
their marvellous feats. In the rings, on the
stages and the racing oval gymnasts, leap
erS, tumblerS, clowns, acrobatS, equilibriStS,
equestrians. Roman standing riders, per-
forming animals-in fact, everything that
has been heard of as belonging to the saw
dust arena and a great many novelties
blend tremendously in framing a circus
bill that has c~aptivated the multitude
everywhere and represents the highest de-
velopment of this peculiarly loved Ameri-
can institution of amusement.
The street pageant of the Ringing shows
Is more than two miles in length and SUBJ
divided into thirty sections. 1t will start
from the Washington-street show grounds
at 8 O'Clock. Each section will be of strlk-
ing novelty and instructive as well as pleas
ing. One section will show correctly uni
formed soldiery of the important cations
of the world. Another section will be a pic
lure of Roman and Grecian splendor. Still
another a complete children's parade. with
pony cnariots and other novel effects de.
lightful TO child folk. Several bands OF
music. half a hundred gayly gflded cages
many tableau cars, open animal dens, chime
of church bells and many other unique and
pictorial features Will contribute to make
the street display supremely interesting.
Two performances will be given to-day
one at 2 o'clock and one at S o'clock. Those
wishing TO avoid the crowd may buy their
tickets of admission or reserved seats a,
the Betes House pharmacy at the same
prices charged at the show grounds.
Tn Can.n Df Eafrxf