Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-20
THE BIG SHOW COMING.
Ringing Brothers Exhibit the Rarest Col
lection of Animals in the World.

The announcement that RlnSHnS
Brothers worlds greatest shows will
exhibit in Rock Island Tuesday, July
z, is one that will be hailed with de-
light by every man, woman and child
in this city and the surrounding coun-
try. "All the world loves circus,
and this is especially true of the one
owned by Ringling Brothers, which
is transported from city to city IN
five splendidly equipped trains-s5
double-length cars in all-which are
equal in size and carrying capacity
to 40 ordinary cars. The Ringing
Brothers, scrupulously honest in their
various systems of advertising, have
long made the unchallenged claim of
possessing the biggest, best and most
entertaining collection of high class
novelty features and rare wild ami
mails in all the world. This is especi-
ally true of the mammoth menagerle,
which contains, by actual count, Jos
cages, lairs. dens and tanks of beast,
fowl and aquatic species from every
Jungle, plain and ocean on the face of
mother earth. Prominent among the
hundreds of perfect geological speci-
mems in this unrivaled department
are two beautiful giraffes, the last of
an almost extinct race. These ami
mails were secured at an enormous
cost and to the Ringing Brothers
they are priceless. Scientists and
students of natural history say they
are the lone living members of their
kind. In order to keep them alive in
the trying climate of the United
States they are given even more at
tention than Il baby secures from its
proud and loving parents. The gil
RATES. are transported in specially
constructed cages, the tops of which
can be raised and lowered at will.
Cages of this kind are Indispensable
on account of the great height of the
animals. The walls of the cages are
thickly padded with curled hair and
fine wire springs to prevent possible
injury to the occupants. Their food
is prepared according to scientific
rules laid down by famous veterinar-
ians. Another feature of this colos-
sal menuGerie, one that is in keeping
with the progressiveness that is
part of the Ringling Brothers success
Boo" the only baby elephant bred,
born and successfully reared in cap
tivity in North America. Baby Boo"
was born Jan. 5. 1908, is just so inches
high, weighs but 119 pounds, and is as
cute and full of life as a fox terrier
puppy. She is the pride of the menag
erie attaches and with her fond moth
er is the pampercd pet of the herd of
40 big and little elephants carried by
Ringing Brothers this year. The 40
brutes. the largest in all animal crea-
tion, are more than half of all the
elephants in captivity. The infant
member of this big herd is as fat and
as round as a butter ball fresh from
the churn, and greatly enjoys the at
tention showered upon her by the
thousands of children who daily visit
the big tent. The rhinoceros is an
other rare animal in this interesting
menagerie. 1t has been many years
since an animal If this kind has been
exhibited in either "a circus or 70
illogical collection. and the one in
Ringling Brothers circus is said to be
the sole survivor of his kind. The gnu,
or horned horse, the Gland. the yak
from the highlands of Thibet, the
monster hippopotamus, the vlack
vlarck from South Africa. the casso-
white Chinese pea fowls. and the sa-
cred cattle of India. are to be found
only in this menagerie. which also
contains magnificent specimens of
the lion. tiger, puma, hyena, buffalo
and panther. herds of Camels. 80 Spe-
cieS of deer. and other animals and
birds from every quarter of the globe.
This collection of the flower of the
animal kingdom is worth a fortune
alone and stands alone in its magui-
tude and diversity of subjects. Ring
ling Brothers present, also. Il thrill
ing 61-horse act. 375 aerial. menage.
equestrian and acrobatic artists in
their circus performance, 40 famous
clowns, and the most lavish spectacu-
lar production ever attempted, a su-
perb representation of Jerusalem and
the Crusades, in which 1000 charac-
ters are shown. Two complete per-
formances and n magnificent free
street pageant are given daily. Re
served seats can be secured as well as
general admission tickets at the Har-
per House Pharmacy. at the same
price as charged on the show
grounds, on the day of the exhibition
Ringling Brothers employ over l.
200 men, women and children. To
feed this great company of people
requires daily 1000 pounds of bread.
1,150 pounds of meat, 500 gallons of
coffee, and everything else in proper
ton. These supplies, as well as IS
tons of hay. 430 bushels of oats, and
.65 bushels of corn for the horses, have
to be secured daily in the city where
the show is exhibiting.
The horse fair with Ringling Bros.
worlds greatest shows embraces $50
specimens of the finest breeding, and
is the most valuable collection ever
brought together for exhibitional
purposes. No other circus ever own