The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-01
THE ELKS' BIG SHOW
Details Being Arranged for Most
Elaborate Carnival.
STREETS ARE TO BE FENCED OFF
Within the Big Enclosure Will Be
Booths ana Some High Grade
Midway Attractions.

Minneapolis is to have an Elks' Carnival
Gin the leafy month of June" The affair
will be of gigantic proportions and will
take on the complexion of a great north
western fair. Excursion trains will
operate within a radius of $50 miles of
Minneapolis, and the low rates promised
by the railroads are expected to make the
fair and carnival glorious success.
According to it's enthusiastic promoters,
the carnival will be miniature Pan
American exposition into which Mime
sofa will empty her treasures of the art
and industrial world The displays will
be made by local merchants and manu-
facturers, and some magnificent exhibits
have already been promised.
The booths will show the latest novel;
ties in artistic architecture and will
eclipse anything of the kind ever at
tempted in the northwest. In short the
local lodge of Elks proposes to do things
ness of Minneapolis. The carnival grounds
will be made bower of life, light and
color by innumerable features caught
from carnivalS in other cities. The cleo
trical pyrotechnics will far surpass any
thing ever seen west of the Mississippi
and will throw a rainbow over broad
entrances, noble arches and set pieces of
statuary, ~.
The place selected for the carnival is
that portion of Sixth street N from the
rear of Masonic Temple to Second ave-
nue. N, also First avenue N from Fifth
street to Seventh street This space will
be enclosed by high board fence of ar
tistic design, and will be devoted to the
Industrial exhibits and special features
for the entertainment Of the crowds.
But as a street fair or carnival without
a Midway would be like an egg without
salt, the management have arranged for
village Of htgh-class shows in the old
ball park just back of the West hotel. In
that big plot of ground fifteen separate
novelties and "A-1' vaudeville turns will
beguile the amusement loving crowds
when they tire of the 'store" displays.
1t must be understood, however, that no
naughty midway anticssof the "Hooche
Cooche" variety will hh permitted. In
other words, no wriggling French or Ger
man maids will stain their faces and put
oriental holiday Everything must be
clean, wholesome, even sweet, to secure
place on the midway.
To guard against imposition in this all
important matter, the Elks have opened
negotiations with the Boston Ferari
Mighty Midway Carnival company. of
which Frank G. Bostock, the animal
king" and Francis Ferari, the carnival
king" are the directors. Their represen-
tative, Harry B. Potter, chief of the de-
partment of promotion and publicity, has
been In the city several days. and has
made the Elks acquainted with his com
pany's attractions.
Mr.. Potter says that if he secures the
business" he will provide an animal show
worth travelling miles to see. One feature
will be a collection of sixty trained wild
animals, which will include twenty-five
performing lions. which will be exhibited
in an immense steel arena. The lesser
shows will comprise such features as the
"Crystal Maids Fair Japan" London
Dog, Monkey and Pony Circus "Old vi
emma, "Trip to the Moon" and the opal
ace of Illusions
At every turn in the spacious grounds
curious and amusing features will be
shown. Trained elephants, patient cam
els, performing seals, mischievious mon
keys, educated hogs, trick ponies, in fact,
an endless variety Of attractions.
The intention is to make the carnival
the biggest event of the kind ever held
in the northwest, and no expense will be
spared to make it the success such af-
fairs have been in other cities notably
Cleveland, Louisville, Nashville, Toledo.
Mr.. Potter says that with favorable rail
road rates assured. the Elks June car
nival should bring from 100000 to 200, 900
visitors to the city. The big show will
run for two weeks and will have special
days and special programs. so that Min
neapo1is and ST. Paul people can see a
new show every night. il they choose.
The executive committee is COMPOSED OF