The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-06-13
THE CIRCUS
COMES To
TOWN

The travelling show has always in tho
past, and will always in future years,
hold n secure place In the affections OF the
people Of all classes and conditions. Its
beginnings in America were small
AMI iraught with disaster and frequent
great hardshlps but IL has steadily in
creased in quality. diversity OF make up,
and general magnitude so that today its
hardships are practically wholly gone,
and II stands as a very powerful and ty-
plcal American institution having for IT'S
field OF activity the entire civilized world
Its periodic appearance Is everywhere
awaited with a simple enthusiasm ana
good uatured attitude of expectation that
Is awarded 10 no other occurrence From
the day when all available wall and
fence space In the vicinity is literally be-
smirched with the livid and gorgeous
creations In reds, yellows and greens.
that reflect such great credit on the
genius that conceived them, young ana
old alike revel In the glowing promises or
a display OF pomp and splendid pageantry
OF unsurpassed magnifcence, an unpar-
alelled collection of rare and curious
beasts birds and reptiles. and an aggre-
cation Of sensational performance unri-
vailed in the annals OF circusdom. Until
'circus day" has come and gone IL
claims the admiration and attention or
practically the entire community.
Providence is no exception 10 the gen.
eral rule; and when, weeks ago. the In
evitable bright hued posters made their
appearance throughout the city TO dazzle
and whet To keenness the imaginations OF
all that should gaze upon them, there
commenced the equally inevitable buzz
and murmur OF excitement; and queries
concerning the many wonders set forth
for public scrutiny and consideration be-
came broadcast. Coaxed along by the de-
tailed allurements OF the newspaper ac-
counts, this contagious and far reaching
enthusiasm has reached It's climax today,
I'm the eager throngs, OF all ages, crowding
the streets to gain glimpse OF the gilt
tering cavalcade as II wended Its cir
cuitous route through the down town Sec
tion this morning, and II the promise of
liberal attendance at the performances to
be given this afternoon and evening. To-
morrow the circus will be n thing OF the
past. and Providence will settle down TO
its ordinary prosaic condition and walt
until another spring shall bring new and
more marvellous show bills.
The parade, which Is the first feature
to occur on Circus day and which is free
ly offered TO the view and indulgence Of
leave the circus grounds on Pawtucket
avenue at $50 this morning. proceeding
by direct route TO Market square, from
there to tour the down town section
Long before theh our for starting had
arrived. the streets commenced to fill with
idle crowds. content to indulge I'm good
natured raillery and apparently without
any deeper purpose for the time being,
than to witness the SNOWY display when
It should arrive. Conspicuous among the
crowds were the numbers Of school boys
end girls ready TO risk the penalties or
"bunking rather than TO miss the pa
rade. The ever present balloon man"
wandered here and there seeking a mar
ket for his delicate wares.
Th windows and doprways gradually
filled with spectators. and at 10 o'clock
the parade swung into view from Dor
rance street. those taking part could not
have desired a more apprecfative or de-
throng than that which tined
Westminster street on either side.
A platoon of mounted police rode in adj
vance and had little difficulty In clear
ing the street for the passage OF the pro-
cession behind them. A circus parade
crowd IL distnctively an orderly crowd.
The parade occupied 20 minutes in pass
in, and In makeup was typical and COM
pete.
The many richly ornamented closed
wagons gave ample opportunity for con-
lecture as to what each might contain,
and the well groomed and sleek appear
ance of the horses was noteworthy. Tho
bands, OF which there were three. not to
mention grotesdue band which fur
ntshed n liberal amount OF noise" played
IN a manner we'll worthy of commenda-
ton.
Prominent at the hear of tho line were
five groups OF uniformed soldiers, riding
four abreast Each group was represent
ative of a certain period In the develop
ment of the United States army There
were shown the soldiers OF the Revolu
tion, the War OF 1912. the Mexican and
Civil wars. and the spanish-American
war. This is new and attractive ac-
QUESTION TO the parade.
The elephants. 10 In number. and the
camels OF which there were 20 or more,
created the usual enthusiasm in the
crowds and presented most neat and or
derby appearance. Truly the circus parade
would fall Nat without these patient crea-
lures to do their part
The open cages in the procession were
restricted 10 the display OF several fine
specimens of lions. llonesses and num-
ber OF polar bears. These latter have
never figured so extensively i'm the cir
Gus parade Dclofe Inc customary userS.
hyenas and monkeys were very
much missed
The Barge CT Cleopatra" passed with
out special notice. the larger number OF
the people not knowing its interesting his
tory. Before the advent OF trolley wires
I'm the city street the barge" was thing
OF supreme magnificence, we'll equipped
with towering sails and snowy trappings
10 delight the eyes OF all that came to
gaze upon II. I'm the year 1855. Mr.. Adam
Forepaugh announced n competition 10
determine upon the most beautiful among
womanhnd. prize OF $4,000 was offer
ed and the choice was 60 be made by
New York newspaper men Tho outcome
was .hat a Louise Montague. now upon
thSstage, was selected. and was promi-
nent in the circus parades thereafter az
Cleopatra seated IN her luxurious barge.