The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-06
PARADE WASLATE
People Stood on Streets For
Hours Waiting.
Was 2 O'clock Before the Bands
Appeared.
DELAYED IN ARRIVING
Was Noon Before the Cars We're
All UnlOaded.
Afternoon Performance Did Not
Begin Till 3.

8eOple STOOD on the streets from 8
o'clock until this afternoon waiting
for the circus parade. The streets were
jammed from early morning with an
eager throng, many of whom went
without eating. Seats in the restaurants
and hotels were at a premium from IL
o'clock until 2.
But at o'clock the parade came
down Harrison street and turned on to
Kansas avenue at Third street. The
parade was the most gorgeous and
longest seen here in several seasons.
The pageant was followed by mob of
shouting and enthusiastic boys.
Like all Ringling's parades it was
complete in every detail.
The circus did not open until 3o'clock.
It was nearly eight o'clock this morn
ing when the first section of Ringling's
circus train pulled into the Santa F'e
yards here. This unusual delay was
caused at Kansas City where the show
was Monday. The burning of the Ex-
position building there occasioned the
detailing of a great number of the show
employees to guard against fire eand
thus prevented the usual number of
men to do the work of loading. There
was no damage done the circus through
the fire owing to the efficient service
of the employees and f1remen. It is
claimed that had a high wind been
blowing the whole circus would have
been burned. The train did not leave
six o'clock this morning.
The afternoon show here was delayed
on this account but the evening per-
formance win be given at the usual
hour.
Mayor Hughes was on the scene of
action at the Santa F'e yards at an
early hour this morning. Colonel
Hughes was here and there and every
where experimenting the unloading Of
the circus. He explained to a reporter
that he was trying to prevent a block
ade- Things We're rather cramped at
the railroad crossing at Fourth avenue
and Mayor Hughes voluntarily acted as
dagman, warning the drivers of car
riages and drays when they could safe
ly cross the tracks.
Sixty cars are required to transport
the wagons, horses, performers and cir
Gus paraphernalia of the Ringling's
circus. The train is divided in four Sec
tions. Two sections bearing the heavy
wagons containing the canvas and
poles and other heavy paraphernalfa
were set on the switches in the yards at
Fourth avenue and were unloaded near
the freight depot The section carrying
the horses, ponies, elephants and camels
were unlOaded south of Fourth avenue.
The men were greatly hampered in
unloading the circus by the enormous
crowds which gathered to witness the
novel scene. Young America was there
in numbers Not a few boys We're up
at three O'Clock this morning to '-see
the show come in All the early risers
were disappointed. They waited and
the size of the crowd began TO grow
and soon after daybreak it began to
take on prodigious proportions.
People generally have no conception
Of the magnitude of the circus business
Each of the three or four hundred en-
ployes of the circus knows his place
and what to do and what is more i'm
pOrtant when to do it.
There is perhaps no business better
Systematized than is the show business.
1t is absolutely necessary. Imagine the
amount of detail in beginning at
O'Clock in the morning to unload a. cir
Gus, carry the parphernalia to the cir
Gus grounds, sometimes many miles
distant from the railroad erect the
tents, and the properties for the use of
the performers; start the parade and
give two complete shows, lasting until
IL o'clock at night; afterward taking
everything apart, folding and reloading
the immense amount of property and
being transported to the next town all
In the space of "a hours, and ready to
repeat the performance.
A noticeable feature in these latter
days of circusdom Is the discipline with
which the circus attaches are governed
There is ne curSing nor drinking as
was once the order of things. For the
past several years there have been
strict rules against such practices in
all the larger and best regulated shows,
and this rule has been specially en-
phasized with the Ringing circus. It
to be heard cursing or drinking
The large crowd which witnessed the
unloading this morning may testify on
this point While the horses were being
un1oaded other men were preparing the
gangway planks from the end of the
string of fat cars containing the wa
CONS Each man knew what piece of
lumber to place in position and it was
all accomplished in an incredibly
short space of time. By the time the
blocks were taken from under the
wheels of the first wagon, the horses
already harnessed were ready to haul
the wagon down the incline to the
ground and on to the show grounds.
As soon as one car is unloaded, heavy
steel plates are laid across the inter
venire space from one ear to another
and the wagons in the rear cars run
out over the entire length of the train
and unloaded.
At the same time the herd of ele-
phants. numbering %, and the camels
and Shetland ponies and other animals
are being unloaded and led to the show
grounds.
Meantime the surveyors have gone to
the show ground and laid out the canp
They leave the train upon its arrival in
a city and go to the grounds They
play an important part in the exhibi-
| ton of a circus in a city. BY the time
the first WagonlOad of canvas and pO e5
and stakes reaches the ground markers
have been placed in the ground Wher
| ever a stake is to be driven. All that
remains is to distribute the stakes.
This work is followed up by gangs of
men with heavy sledges to drive them
into the earth. Meantime the material
around outside the line of the big tent;
t1,o canvas has been uuIOaded and IN