The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-05-25
GREAT COLOSSUS is HERE
In Spite Of the Rain Fore
paugh Sells Circus Has
a Fine Parade.

|
| 1t is circus day, a wet, disagreeable day,
but nevertheless circus day, long awaited
! by the youngsters and many of their
| elders, and after all disappointment, for
| the ideal circus day is bright with plenty
of sun and one that is particularly en-
| joyable outdoors. OF course the event OF
the morning was the parade It was
anxiously awaited for hours by the many
thousands who gathered along the line of
march and looked on with wide open eyes
in which were intermingled expressions
of appreciation, admiration and fear.
Everything was there in line just as it
has been ever since the first circus came
to town to delight the hearts of our fore
fathers when they were still young and
enthusiastic enough to experience 1the
same feelings as those of the small boy of
today.
From Newark came the Adam Fore
paugh & Sells Brothers Twentieth Cen
tury Colossus, as the aggregation is
called, last night, and all through the
dark, quiet, wet hours that the town
slept the great piles of canvas were un-
furled and raised. in position at the Boule-
ward and ST. Paurs avenue. The scene
at that point this morning was the same
as it has been on other days. The vicin-
ity was overrun with small boys particu-
larly, and small girls not so particularly.
There were the tents with the crowd OUT
side conjuring up all sorts of ideas of
what was within. Their ideas were Of
things wonderful. terrible, fierce and
gigantic.
The parade was the first sight the pub
lie had in general way of what might
be seen in a form thousands of times
more fascinating under the canvas. tt
was curious procession and particularly
SO in the rain. 1t was incongruous, act-
ually funny to see the men and women
on horseback, in charriots, bandwagons,
a-foot and atop of massive, rain-soaked
elephants, carrying umbrellas to save
their gorgeous costumes from the down
pour. But they were not the only ones
VINO sought the protection of umbrellas
from the rain. Small boys, with bare
feet, thought enough of their tattered
garments to carry the water shedders.
The parade schedule called for the start
from the grounds al $3.50 o'clock, but even
the canvasmen and laborers with their
years of experience found it Impossible to
get things in shape by that time. Out of
that bewildering confusion there was at
last brought order a short time before
eleven o'clock and the start was made.
The vans that were used to transport the
animals from Newark were gotten in line
and gaily caparisoned horsemen went to
the front and the start was made. As
the places they were to occpy approached
their dressing tents the men and women
who were to delight the public gaze with
their presence poured out and mounted
their respective means of locomotion and
the -ealVaeade was en- railse. 81
Along the Boulevard it proceeded, soon
reaching Bergen avenue, then to Month
cello avenue. to Communipaw avenue, to
Grand street, TO Jersey avenue to York
street, to Washington street, TO Mont
gomery street, to Newark avenue, to the
Boulevard and back to the grounds The
route was crowded with people, mostly
the smaller portion of the population, but
there was also vast number of their
elders. The youngsters followed the
gorgeous line, mysterious as gratifying
and altogether most pleasing. Most of
the vans were closed tightly and only in a
that were shut up sent thrills through
one as well as those that were open.
Here one had an opportunity to imagine
that the occupants were former natives
of the jungle and forest, but they might
just as well be empty for all one knew.
Perhaps the most fearful spectacle visi-
bic was the massive lion on top of
closed wagon. He looked on the crowd
calmly, grandly, as his royal blood gave
him the right to look down on his less
royal spectators.
But what if he should get away from
the dreamy, careless-leoking guards, who
sat at his side?'' was the thought that
sent delightful thrills through the
crowds, and perhaps his very presence,
unhampered as he appeared to be- gave
the spectators more pleasure than any
thing else
Then there were more lions in cages,
and tigers, leopards, hyenas and other
ferocious beasts. After these came the
elephants, nearly a dozen of them, of all
sizes, Tapping their huge ears and swing
ing their trunks slowly from side to side,
with the LATEST, most rhythmcal motion
known in the animal world They were
followed by group of cames and drom-
edaries On top of several of the vans
were bands, and the wild creatures seem
ed to enjoy the music no less than the
crowds.
All the horses were sleek and intelligent
looking, and formed not the least attrac-
tive feature of the parade.
The crowds on the street this morning
gave promise of a large attendance at
both performances today. Doors were
opened this afternoon at 1 o'clock and
tonight they will open at o'clock. The
performance begins an hour later. There
are the usual side shows and an abund-
ance of takers of all sorts, and the main
performance itself is all that circus
should be and includes several new fea-
lures that have been added this year.
cMhcuEN AIcTTcp INV