The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-19
HOW THE BhRNUM SHOW
HAS GROWN IN rs YEARS

II has been several years since the Bar
mum G. Bailey show has been seen In
this city, and next Monday and Tuesday
should be record breakers An old circus
man who saw the Barnum g. Bailey show
in this city % years ago said:
'It is difficult to realize that the pres
ent gigantic institution is the outgrowth
OF that comparatively small circus of
quarter OF a century ago. At that time
the Barnum show had virtual monopoly
OF the field. There were no other shows
OF sufficient magnitude 10 compare with
IL, and yet, compared with the Barnum a.
Bailey show of today, Il was quite small
affair. 1t was not until Cooper a. Bailey
pushed their circus TO the front and
Gus competitor that the Barnum show
really began to grow,
Its greatest growth, however. was In
augurated with the association or James
A. Bailey with Mr.. Barnum. Mr.. Bailey
was pushing, tireless, progressive man
then, just as he was 10 the day or his
merely a good circus He wanted great
circus-a circus whose reputation would
encircle the world-and II was not long
before he had converted Mr. Barnum to
This kind of a snow, however, involved
too strenuous life for 4. L. Barnum,
and he soon retired from active manage
ment and left the sole direction OF the
show to Mr. Bailey. Under the manage
ment of the latter the show continued TO
grow, year after year. always keeping
well ahead of competitors, and always
offering something new for the public to
talk about and for the other shows TO
copy the following season.
twenty-five years ago circus with
30 cars was considered an immense insu-
tuition. That was In the early days of
railroad circuses and 80 cars seemed
long jump from the overland days When
cars all the wiseacres shook their heads
and predicted dire disastef-fer show
II not only won. however, but year or
two later 10 more cars were added.
THE year the Nero spectacle was pro-
duced-and. by the way, this was the first
Of the big circus spectacles-the show
utilised 6 cars, and all the rest OF the
circus world was aghast. Such a thing
had never been heard Oft was impossi-
BILE TO handle it-no railroad would ac-
cept such a show-these were some OF the
comments. Nevertheless, the show was
handled without friction. and in spite of
the heavy expense OF such q great insu-
tuition IL made more money than during
any year OF its career UP 10 that time.
I'm Europe the show had about 81 cars,
but they were shorter than the American
cars and did not carry so much parapher-
MALTA For the American tour Mr.. Bailey
planned a show that would require at
least 50 cars TO transport H.. His plans
were carried out but instead OF so cars
there are actually SO used by the great
'sThe difficulty OF handling such a mann
moth Institution is evident, and the work
during the early days Of the season was
at times almost disheartening, but under
Mr. Baiieys indomitable leadership the
task was finally systemauzed and when
the show comes TO Providence those who
see the trains unloaded and the great
tents erected will not see any more ap-
parent effort put forth than though It
was a one-ring circus with n single train
OF cars. instead of FIVE. This years show
IS the fruition OF many years OF effort
and experience. and would not have been
possible 25 years ago"