The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-31
THE BALLYHO Man
AND THE PIKE
HOW FAIR VISITORS ARE GIN
vITED', TO SEE swoNDERs.''
..Side Show Street a Bedlam When
the Bankers, Human and Inhuman,
Get Started = The Place Is One of
Fantastic Sounds and Scenes.

"The .Ballyho Reduced to a Science"
is the best description of the now
famous pike" as it first impresses the
casual observer: Beyond doubt il, is
mony must be dulled indeed If he is to
escape the awful consequences Of the
first invasion Of Pikedom when
Manager Bushea s aggregation is in
full swing.
streets, lined with gaily decorated
stages and tents, looks innocent enough.
But instantaneous transformation
marks the invasion of the crowd. Then
bedlam breaks loose and the time has
come for the earmuffs and the nerve
| tonic.
Brass bands, handorgans, big gongs,
monster cowbells, steam whistles,
stentorian voices, suffering gas en-
gines, squaking orchestrions and all
kinds of vocal efforts are mingled in
one avalanche Of sound before which
women faint and strong. men turn pale.
There are all sorts of attractions on
the Pike and the manager of each vies
with his neighbor in the Enthusiastically
Of his ballyho and the vigor of spiel
upon which depend the income of the
various shows.
1t is the, Emusic" Of the merrygo-
round which first assails the ear Of the
e aaa If the eIgan and swiftly
en- animals do not rivet the attention
instantly, the engine whistle breaks
loose in ear piercing shrieks. Escap-
ing this, one Of the un-numbered bands
wrecking the atmosphere Of the en-
sEsssnt y sn Of tas 5Ssa
armed men assisted BY the
the RSp" artists e'n' brought 6 fo a1a TO TO
be beheld by the open mouthed,
pink complexion dances about with a
tWelve-foot serpent in her arms.
;. The mgrystal Maze, !" marvellous in
barker loudly assures 4S til the eexpeeseta11t
ladies Of brilliant hueahigh toned, din ii
fact give a brief exhibition Of the
skirt dance, ala Papinta, magaphoned
I man sings in company with gro
5 tesquely attired young woman, and an
other man heartily. pounds an open
hearted piano, oblivious to the protest
the Ferfis s Wheel. directly M' in 0p9 'front.'
Then, if one should happen to run the
/ gauntlet of this enticement to entel
Creation the Beautiful he finds
himself facing the plantation singers
the burden of their song, albeit they
Z are at times heavily. handicapped bJ
: the wailing of the fageolet at tn,
neighboring Turkish village. At tn,
same time. and directly $, aer re the way
proportions calls attention to the strons
man IS. mighty feats Of arms, Thu
twanging of many banioes indicates tn,
presence of more colored talent, and
performing monkey attracts many mor'
to the Mexican village next door TIL
vinces the hearers that the pony shoy
lis the real thing, and the tanning
of another brass band convinces Thu
ticket buyers that the stadium, or cir
Gus proper, is the only place for them
The mob rushes hither and tthithe
porarily browns the noise from an
other. People fall over themselve
and each other in their mad rush Il
get something for nothing, clothing i
general trouble is on hand. In tn
meanwhile Turkey, the Jap, walks tn,
lwire overhead, the big elephant and thu