New-York tribune., 1903-03-19
HooP LII THE CIRCUS.
TTs III There, a World Of Wonders.
So4ae New, Under One Root.
a ypgterday began the circus.

And yesterday began the circus.
W2fh0es paTa18 Il came. @ofry handicap On any
circus. even the greatest shew earth," and at
o'clock yesterday afternoon the Yseformence De-
Ean In tAe Madison Square Garden, Ike any other
theatrical production. There was huge crowd On
hand al day. and 80 many people went into the
lobby az the Garden Theatre 10 get tickets that Mr.
Sothorn manager Is having large sign painted 70
hang over the box once window saying: This Is
aat ctFeus!'
At the rear OF the Garden, where are the doors
for the horses and chariots, a stin larger crowd
gathered, thick with small boys, and watched the
bIanketes horses being LED UP and down Twenty
ee1enth-st or driven with shouts up the Incline
to take their cues The circus smell fioated out to
the street: peanut vendors gathered on the cor
ners: a not dog" man appeared But there was
no Ieznonade, and single block away one was
pathet1cany reminded that, after ALL the Garden
!s not tent in lonely grandeur IN a vacant lot
The true way is 20 get inside as soon as PoSSt
BILE
This everybody was engaged IN doing last night
The ticket spectators deserted The Sultan OF
Sulu" ana came down to assist. Once inside, It was
discovered that the freaks are comfortably housed
in the large room at the southwest corner OF the
building, and 1t may be stated at once that they
ehould be visited before anything else The reason
for this is that all the freaks are members OF the
AnaAleaInated Order of Natural CHraosites and re-
fuse to work, even for Barnum & Bailey. more than
tNo hours q day. So though the performances OF
the circus which begin at and every day. last
8. OF course. one hardly expects the sword Swai-
lower to keep UP her act all the afternoon, or the
rubber skin TO pull his face ali day long; but
it does not seem unreasonable to ASK the tat woman
or the great giant to remain on view for more than
an hour at a time. However, these bankers ana
lawyers of freakdum make their own rules they
know they cannot fail to lure the public so they
carry matters thus high-handed.
OF the freaks one hesitates to make detailed
mention. They are jealous lot. and the omission
~ TS,Ih1a cannot
refrain from mentioning. however. that the living
skeleton hears the terrible and warning name OF
J. W. Coffee. and that the fat woman. beautiful
Marie. the human mountain who is native OF
England. fat, fair and half OF forty, is SAID 10
BE- the largest femsle exhibition since P. L
Barnum his museum at the corner OF Broad
way an6 Ann-st. She is a bit modest eooIt ner
weight. ii is said. and has not been on the scales
for long time. The last time she weighed 6lS
pounds but she has grown since because OF GER
tain kind OF br~akfast food fed to her with
pftchfork which she thought would have counter
effect.
In the odorous three ringed arena, familiar with
its network nf trapezes and ropes and bars alof1
and the tanbark and sa wdust the hoor, the same
familiar drama is enacted that employs the pest
skill and the utmost strength and the very lives
of hundreds of and women and dump pedsIs
The clowns 10 be sure. we have always with us
witness the leading comedians in Mr.. Blue Beard
Snt hoTses ina qanfe nc oosnd a1u men and women
rssd by fe ractice to double their bodies
iRhumsn knots swing through space with m un-
errfnE directness to distant tiny bar or co%h- % n
stretched hand: and elephants and tigers ana otheF
wild animals except in Parksl ve have not always
with US And when all these things are under one
roof and united IN one sme-weli. 1t is the circus
That is ultimatH.
The show this year opens with parade around
the arena called The Tribute of Balkis." 1t is
10 he sure "a glorious Illuminated page from an
Gent history, ,''unique and most tTanscendent
beautiful introduction the regular performance
Tody Hamilton says 50. Phornicians, bgyptians.
Africans ara hians. hosts more. are there. while
the Pniistines look down from the boxes The three
herds Of trained elephants Immediately follow TINS
superb and sublime spectacular prelude. And
from then on the usual equestrian acts, the aero
batfc feats the clownish Esmhos, the races around
the arena and all the rest follow with the precl-
sion and skilled execution Is accustomed to IN
Barnum e. Bailey's circus. The ueatest act was a
circular pyramid of trained horses. revolving In
opposite directions the different STANDS. The
most sensational was bicycle whlrl in which three
riders rode at once. IN imminent peril OF mix up
and to the great delight of the excited audience.
Downstairs the nenaserte is of the usual quality
and size Last night. however the animals went TO
sleep early. They have not yet got the New-York