Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-18
ACTS THAT NEVER
FAIL TO PLEASE
ATTRACTIONS THAT REALLY
ATTRACT
Such a Program Is Promised by Man.
ayers Of Circus Which Exhibits
in Los Angeles This
Week

Among all the attractions Of circus
few appeal to the heart and imagina-
ton of the spectator as does the grace
ful act of the bareback rider and his
prancing steed as they lope around the
arena The very name of circus"
calls up visions of dashing horses and
skillful riders, who ride them as to the
manner born, leaping hurdles or
jumping through fiery hoops, turning
somersaults in the air, or mayhap,
standing on their heads as the horses
gallop around the ring.
With the Norris e. Rowe circus and
hippodrome is young man who stands,
on horseback, today among the first in
skill and fame as a bareback rider.
Naturally he is with the Norris & Rowe
circus, for these young circus mana
gers have spent fortunes this season
to secure the best performers in the
world. This daredevil rider Of bare
back horses is Edward V. Hocum, who
has spent more time on a horse than
anywhere else, outside Of his bed, and
could we'll be named the Human Cen
taur."
One can see by the picture that Mr..
Hocum is perfectly at home on the
hurricane deck of his Pegasus. He sits
upon the bulwarks as nonchalantly as
though there were no chance of his
falling off. There would be a suspicion
that he was glued there If it was not
that the next minute he will jump
to the quarter deck and steer his
equine craft around the ring without
striking a rock. This picture was taken
at the winter quarters of the circus
at Santa Cruz and shows Mr.. Hocum
with his beautiful trained Arabian
stations a la tandem.
Only Ono of Many
But the act of Mr.. Hocum is only one
of the many startling features which
go to make of the Norris &5 Rowe cir
Gus this season one of the finest in the
land. From California the show will
go to Mexico, and after touring the
United States 1t will exhibit in Canada,
the only circus to show in three coun-
tries.
Norris &, Rowe resolved last season
that if they had a successful tour they
would equip an all new show and en-
gage the highest salaried artists OBJ
tainable.
They seem to have kept their prom
Use, If famous names count for any
thing The brightest lights of the cir
Gus arena are under engagement to
them, including the three Merkle sis
ters on the flying trapeZe; Frank and
Dolly Miller, in a beautiful four-horse
carrying act; the Marietta troupe Of
horsewomen and aerialists as well as
Ed. Hocum, the clever and principal
rider.
The ten Sugimoto Japanese troupe
of men and women, aerial acrobats, are
the first and only troupe of Japanese
to do an aerial number. Then there
are the six flying Sterlings, daring
mid-air performers; the four Casting
Leslys, a sensational mid-air act; Hugh
Carrays, Abott Banks and Miss Edith
Howland, in one of the prettiest num-
1ot. riTn
that of a giant revolving ladder, lighted
and operated by electricity.
Graceful Young Women
The Misses CoIgrove, Pringle, Keaton
and LaLonde are four graceful young
women on the aerial bars; the seven
wonderful st. Angmon family of aero
bats. the act over which England
waved when it was first presented at the
London Hipprodome; the five Sisters
Rexos, daring gymnasts; the four Jug
Cling Devinos; the aerial Magnani
troupe whose double trapeze act made
it the most sought for act among all
circus owners.
1t took lot of patient hard work
to secure these artists, for European
acts can secure all the engagements
they can accept at home without trav-
cling clear across the continent. How
ever, when Norris & Rowe were as
sured they were to have highly prof.
table tour last season, they quietly
dispatched Chas. Sasse. one of their
New York agents, to Europe and gave
him carte blanche as to expense. That
Mr.. Sasse succeeded is shown by the
superb program which the Norris &
Rowe circus will exhibit four days this
week at Prayer park, beginning to-
morrow with two performances and
IL street parade every day.