The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-13
CIRCUS |NVADES
QUIET RICHMOND.
John Robjason's Combined
Shows Here Yesterday.
THOUSANDS SEE The PARADE
Broad and Main Streets Blocked for
Hours Yesterday With Foiks-The
Circus Draws Large Crowd and
Peases-Many Visitors.
THOUSANDS SEE The PARADE

Of the may multitude John Robinson 5
Ten Big Combined Shows and Three
Menageries and Punch Wheeler came ~
town yesterday. and ere they departed
day surfeited with surprises ana peas,
ures had been spent by thousands o.
Richrlonders and visitors who thrQhsed
the city.
The sleeping town aWoke yesteioas
morning to find erected near the CITY
limit on Broad Street dozen or more
canvas tents, and in less time than II
takes to tell the small boys, the curious
men and sight hunting women were NOV
ing in a perfect stream towards the SNOW
grounds. where from early morn until
nearly noon they awaited the start of
the mammoth parade, and then tneS
Joined the procession, falling in with the
band wagon.
Naturally the parade was. the one top
ic Of conversation along the streets
through which it moved long after the
last note of the steam caliope fad died
away Broad and Main Streets we're awe
early in the day and as the time are"
near for the approach OF the procession
people had accumulated in such NUMBERS
that both thoroughfares were perfect
mass of moving flesh, men. women ana
children. darting hither and thlther over
the broad sidewalks and into the street
in a mad effort to gain a better point
of vantage that they might view the
wonders of the circus parade, wonders
they have seen from time inSmemorlal.
MANY PEOPLE OUT
From the City Hall to First street on
Broad, people were lined on either sue
three and four deep, while the WINDOWS
in all of the buildings were packed and
ctrs
blocked with wagons, carts. carriages
and vehicles of all other descriptions
Trolley car traffic for a time was sus-
pended. the motorInen being afraid to
put on the current for fear of a serious
smash up.
On Main Street from the Chesapeake
and Ohio depot to Fifth the sight was
much the same as on Broad, and the
procession proper experienced no httle
trouble in winding its way through the
conglomerations of horses, vehicles and
people that lined the thoroughfare.
THE PARADE.
From the point OF attendance the pa
rade was huge success. There is no
doubt as to this, but as spectacular
pageant it was not the biggest success
ever seen in Richmond. But it is not the
purpose of this article to pick to pieces
the parade, for 1t was on an average
with the general run Of circus parades.
the one objection being the lack OF lnu-
sic Probably no procession of like kind
ever before seen III Richmond had so lit
tie music, and this is to be regretted, for
the people wanted genuine circus mu-
sic. Instead, they were treated to few
renditions by a band or two, and then
a bag pipe quartette used up much space
on mammoth band wagon, while on
still another vehicle of the same kind
were some four or five drummers With
more genuine saw-dust and canvass mu-
sic the parade would have made a much
better impression on the populace.
THE SHOW PROPER.
AS the hour drew near for the begin
ming OF the real performance under the
big tent the street cars We're again in
good opera ting order, and from noon un-
Ill the show was half over every coach
was packed and TANNED with people
anxious to contribute fifty cents to John
Robinson for the privilege OF. seeing his
elegant elephants, smooth seals, lusty
lions, tiptop tigers, curious camels,
giant giraffes. heinous hyenas and gay
galaxy of ring and mid-air performers.
Long before the show commenced every
seat was taken, an6, when the perform
G1lcS liictlAS DCSdil with tiiG ht'HtAh ~
cesson around the ten people We're to
be seen in every available place and
standing room was at q. premium. So
great was the jam that before the chart
OF hippodrome and bareback races. with
which the show closes could be given,
the track had to be cleared and the folk
pushed back behind the ropes.
The John Robinson's circus IS on a
par with the best ever seen here, some
of the ring performers being far above
the average. Probably the most remark
able feature of the entire show was the
work of three tight-wire walkers who
did their stunt directly in front of the
reserved seats. This act was the best of
its kind ever seen in Richmond and eli
cited all kinds of applause from the spec
tators, who followed every movement
from the time they first appeared until
they were recalled.
Nearly every railroad running into the
city brought a special excursion train
early in the day, and on this account
there was an unusually large number OF
strangers in Richmond. They all clam
ored with the balance for admission. and
many stayed over in order to see the
show again last night, when the atten-
dance was equally as large as it was
in the afternoon.