Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-02-01

y reporter dropped into the rink CT
sixteenth street while the various
members of Ships indoor circus com.
Jany were at their daily practice
work that is studiously and almost
rel;giousIy gone through with each
Gay. no matter where they are. The
engagement in this city continues d
week. opening tonight. The perform
ers had Just completed setting the
runway for the leaps under the su-
peryision Of Peter Bell. the double
5umersauItist. Much care is used in
the erection Of this runway. as the
I slightest deviation frCm the establish
ed way of setting would subject the
| performers TO bad fall. In order TO
/ accomplish successful somerSault.
/ the performer must hit the board AT
| just a certain angle and by doing this
( he gets the best lift and this enables
I him to get the proper distance and at
| the same time control his body. To
De a good leapcr requires years Of
practice and then an Unstinted sup
ply of nerve. Peter Bell has had Il
long and varied experience in this line
and some Of his stories are thrilling.
Mr.. Bell halls originally from Italy,
where he was for several years Il per-
manent member of CircO Pagini. He
He began lcaping with this aggrega-
ton at an early age and he accOmp-
lished for the first time the double
sOmersault. which at that time was
considered an impOssiblity. He toured
all over the continent and then came
to his country for the great Barnum
d Bailey circuSes at handsome sal
airy.
Rather Il strange comparison. There |
are tricks Of all trades. but some are !
much harder to master than others |
and the different branches of circus |
business are all separate and distinct
and all have their secrets and systems.
For instance. the difference between
performing an aerial act and an aero
battle act is as great as that of the
trades Of the carpenter and the black
smith. Both must be learned and with
Il system and understanding "a the
public calls for tricks in the present
day and age that are much more haZ-
IrdOus than in the early days of the
circus. Mr.. Da Coma. the elder MEM
Der of the Da Coma family. cites cases
where many good performers. in days
gene by. had met their fate through
neglect or failure to properly learn
and understand the tricks they were
about to perform. Probably the most
dangerous vocation around Al circus is
hat of the acriaIistS. but Mr.. Da Coma
boasts with pride that no member of
Iis troupe has at amy time met with
single mishap and he attributes all
l.. - h., 4.
aiIs of his rigging and his years of
in handling big aerial acts.
lis wife. Rose Da Coma. i considered
he most daring and accomplished ,
aGy aerialist in the world. and this is
aging great deal. a. ii holds this .
title 10 an American born and bred. I
The Da Coma>' act consists of what il
lnown a. a return act in which the
ldeT Da Coma hangs on trapeze and
atches the various somersaults his
wife makes through the air and he
hen throws her back to her original
rapiu" place.
In case of fall or characterization,
hey have Il large net spread To catch
he lcaper and it il in this event that
o many of the best performers have
net their fate. Probably the most
,rumin"nt aud one that il still fresh
n the minds # circus folks * the
ase of Bobby Hanlon. a member of
he HaHlou family who fell into a
ct and struck on his forehead and
.as instantly killed while performing
he identical trick that the lady mem
er of the Da Coma family il perform
nc this week. Dave Hawley and Art
L. il fat and rnlInT-
,sS performers of lesser fame have
.iveu their lives to this particular Vo-
alton but Mr.. Da Coma has 50 studied
ne art that he claims IA serious acct
ent To he an impossibilitN and sure
|, 10 witness his performance would
onvincc the most skcptical. The con
luSicn of his act, which j. profession
lily known as casting act. II awe
aspiring to the extreme. The younger
lembcr of the troupe il thrown from
ne end Of the ring To the other iIi
II manner IF shapes and Invariably
IudS back to the hands Of the elder
D acknowledge the plaudits of the
prctators. This little artist halls /
rom California and has been aSsoci-
ted with Mr.. Da Coma for three {
ears. His name j. Ernest Clorie nd !
Ir. Ia Coma predicts great future
or him. a. he j. particularly apt and /;
right and finds real pleasure in his &,
erial flights.
All the world j. stage but John
'on>ol. one of the principal actors
18th the circus. has part that MOI I
lauN would care to TIE east for. The ,
FORK i too hard and the responsible
les too many. John doesn't mind il !
hCu"h. He has come 10 regard 1t 4 {
art of his life. Imagine having to {
tand up and wre>tle and lock arms {
With big Russian bear standing 6I2 i
Get high. That's the part he ha~
'aNed for the past II years. Sig. {
: the boys around the circus call him {
tarted as an animal trainer years
90 II cnInnS IL kiIr, natmrallN- a.