The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-22
GREAT WILD WEST SHOW
COL. CODY'S ENTERTAINMENT LARG-
Err AND BETTER THAN EVER.
Fully Twenty Thousand People Saw
the Two Performances
Splendid Features.

The presence in the city of the great
Buffalo Bill Wild West Show was made
known early yesterday morning by the
blare of trumpets and the sounding of
bugles, heralding the passage through the
principal streets of the striking pageant
that is such a prominent feature of this
famous amusement organization. The pa
rade created a sensation. showing plainly
dis it did that Colonel Cody had brought
TO Indianapoli the best show of his entire
career and the best Wild West show ever
seen here.
- The afternoon and night performances
drew crowds just like those seen at a
circus. The big tent is said to hold twelve
thousand people when it is filled. If this
be true, then twenty-five thousand people
saw Buffalo Bits show yesterday in this
city, for the seating capacity was not great
enough to accommodate the audience at
the night performance. A noteworthy fea-
ture of Colonel Codys organization is the
admirable manner in which it handles even
the largest crowds. Not a complaint of
rude treatment heard at either per
Torrance yesterday. There were plenty
of polite ushers who understood their duties
perfectly, and the seating of the people
was accomplished with as little confusion
is observed in a theater.
The performance began with what might
be termed a parade of rough riders of
the world, and this was an imposing and
beautiful international spectacle. Mounted
men of almost every nation and tribe on
earth, TO the number of several hundred,
dashing recklessly up and massing them
selves beneath the glare of the electric
search lights, each group bearing its na-
tional flag, presented a picture that Will
rot soon be forgotten. After the dissolv-
ing of this spectacle the programme pro-
ceeded rapidly and without a single hitch.
Miss Annie Oakley gave a remarkable ex-
hibiton OF fancy rifle shooting, the more
remarkable last night because the sighting
OF the gun had to be done in the unnatural
glare of a search light. A thrilling per-
Torrance was given by a detachment of
Company b, Fifth United States Artillery,
showing exactly how a cannon is brought
on TO the field of action, put into position.
loaded and fired. A number of cowboys
demonstrated the old-fashioned method of
exhibition of lasso throwing and rope man.
ipulation given by Mexican vaquero was
received with enthusiastic applause. John
ME Baker displayed his proficiency with
"a rifle BY doing some difficult and rapid
shooting that could scarcely be eXcelled
Mr.. Baker provoked unbounded enthusiasm
when he broke ''puffDalls with his gun
while he stood on his head. A troop of
Arabian acrobats furnished fifteen minutes
of extremely sensational feats performed
on the bare ground. During the entire
time the act continued a whirling Dervish
kept up his bewildering gyrations on a
circular platform in the center of the field
n new feature of the show, and one
that made a decided hit, was the life-sav-
ing crew brought from Sandy Hook and
Monmouth Beach. These men illustrated
the method of rescuing people from d
wrecked vessel by shooting a lifeline out
OF cannon and with this as a basis ris-
ging up rope TO support an aerial car
rier. A band of COsSackS gave an eXhi-
bition OF rough riding such aS has never
been attempted in a circus. The familiar
feature or Indians racing on ponies, cow
boys picking up objects from the ground
while riding at full speed and the Indian
village and war dance pleased quite as
much as the first time they were ever
shown. A series of beautiful eVolutions
were performed by troop of United States
cavalTymen. Then came the ever popular
stagecoach act, in which band of Indians
was put TO ignominious rout by band Of
cowboys and scouts. led by the redoubtable
Buffalo Bill in person. Colonel Cody sits
a horse with as much apparent ease as
he ever did, and IL is a notable charger
that is used by this prince of scouts and
sbowmen. The distinguished Indian fighter
then gave his famous exhibition - rifle
shooting, done from the back of d horse
dashing at top speed around the field. Adj
vancing age has made necessary the use
of spectacles, but the eyes behind the glass
es are just as true as ever The last act
before the closing spectacle was a buffalo
hunt, in which a herd of real buffaloes
was employed Just prior TO the exciting
episode of THE Capture of Picking" with
which the entertainment concluded, there
was a brilliant assemblage of troops of
the allied powers" before the walls of
the Chinese capital in which the men
marching beneath the stars and stripes
and the British flag came in for prolonged
applause. The attack on the city spir-
tied, and formed a fine ending for uni
formly good performance.