The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-17
WALLACE SHOW PLEASED
PROBABLY EIGHTEEN THOUSAND
PEOPLE SAW PERFORMANCES.
Glenn and Free from Fake, the Circus
Was Thoroughly Enjoyed
Some Strong Features.

"Hi"' yelled dirty-faced. bare-legged
kid at Wallace's circus. last night, as he
wriggled and squirmed in an ecstasy of de-
light. Hill Amt this the real?"
According TO their temperament 10000
people echoed the youngsters yell Of APP
prevail. for that was about the size of the
crowd that witnessed the second perform
ance Of the day. Even the most staid and
circus-weary found something TO applaud
and get excited about, and the very many
who never grow tired of the shifting. bril-
liant scenes of the circus slapped their
neighbors on the back and were glad they
were there
Like all big circuses, Wallace's began
with a roar of sights and sounds. A band.
the typical circus band. blared away in its
corner and brazenly reiterated the joyful
sentiment that rip Van Wrinkle Was
Lucky Man and that mo Coon Can Come
Too Black for Me-" The property men,
like "a cloud of bees. swarmed in apparent
confusion over the ground getting things
In shape for the trapeze performers with
accurate speed. Over in the entrance to
the dressing tent there were fascinating
glimpses of gorgeously attired men and
women fidgeting on one foot awaiting their
call TO the rings. The grotesque clowns
were tumbing and falling over one an
other getting the crowd into good humor,
and the vendors of pop corn and lemonade
went about with their cries: Call out or
whistle and I'll come to ye!" The right
atmosphere was there-the kind of atmos-
phere that makes the blood Jingle with
peasurable excitement, the kind that is
peculiar TO circuses, full of electricity and
ginger.
ANTICS OF TRAINED PIGS
The announcer, in stentorian voice, called
out from time to time the appearance of
features never seen under canvas be-
fore and didn't forget to announce that
there would be concert in the big tent
after the show was over One of the first
features he introduced TO the crowd was
Lii karsake's trained pigs-a cleverly-
coached bunch of rooters that balanced
and answered the whistle of the trainer
with such accuracy and intelligence that
blow was given to the old saying las
dull as a pig" small grunter In the
capacity of clown, caused bowls of laugh
ter by overturning trestles and chairs as
the trainer put them in place
Herkenrath's trained trio-a baby ele-
phant, horse and a dog-performed some
lar being remarkably responsive to the
trainers motions. In the first ring at the
same time, trained goats caused little
folks 70 lean forward, with staring eyes,
oy balancing themselves on the tops of
chairs walking the tight rope and dancing
on their hind legs.
One of the best features of the show was
the performance given by the Stark fam
lily, expert bicycle riders. On the stage
erected in the center OF the tent space the
eight members of the family rode old
fashioned high wheels in bewidering
fashion Some of their feats were new to
circus rings and all of them were excellent
A little later on the programme several of
the Starks raced around the inverted side
OF STAT track built at an angle Of forty
five degrees.
The four Collins in whirIwind dancing
also gave an entertainment that is new
to circus-goer The two men and two
women of the turn danced like whirling
Dervishes, performing feats of strength as
they danced with grace and precision.
They closed their turn with whirlwind
or motion. throwing themselves through
the air in twisting circles.
The Silverton trio-two men and a woman
did clever work on taut wire rope. The
woman and one of the men cake-walked
on their slight support while the band
played ragtime, and the three afterwards
turned handsprings and somersaults with
much careless sureness of motion if
they had been on solid ground. The woman
of the trio while balancing herself with a
Japanese parasol leaped over a table and
chair held by one of the men and recov-
cred her balance after a series of jerks and
contortions that put the crowd in a fever
of nervous excitement
THE EDDY FAMILY.
The best acrobatic feature seen in cir
cuses in Indianapolis for some time was
that of the Eddy family. Their exhibition
was amazing in its way and up TO the an
nouncement that they were the best in
the business"
In the rings there was turn after turn
of good riding feats. Big. broad-backed,
handsomely groomed horses galloping sure
ly around the sawdust tracks were plat
forms for exhibitions of clever riding Or
rim Hollis. the star bareback rider of the
Wallace show caused round after round of
applause as he turned back somersaults
on his horse as II went at full speed around
the ring. Blanche Reed and Herman
Griggs in one ring and Winnie Sweeney
and st. John in the other, all dressed in
colonial costumes, gave graceful exemplih-
cations of the fact that bareback riding
now is something quite different from bare
back riding in the old days of circuses.
During the day IL is estimated that 1900
people attended the performances. There
were about 5000 people at the matinee ana
10000 at the night show. The majority OF
these patronized the sideshows, which were
of unusual excellence and free from fakes
In the dig SlueSnOW a COHllluOuo
performance and the Venus Samson, the
strong woman, entertained. The menagerie
with its display of well-kept animals proved
to many the most pleasing part OF the
show, and hundreds used 1t as an excuse
for being there at all. Its so educational,
you know" they said as they went from
cage to cage with youngsters Juggling at
their hands
The big parade yesterday morning fur
nished a free show that was enjoyed by
thousands of people who lined the streets
and leaned out of windows along the line
of march, 1t was remarked that the horses,
the trappings and the wagons showed that
careful attention had been paid them, ana
that the performers were better looking
lot than is usually found in circus parade
The children were pleased because many
of the animal cages were open ana LasCl-
Da,in9 pIimpses could be obtained of the
strange creatures sulking within.
.--o anynaT nDnTrNn