Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-26
HOW MODERN CIRCUS EXPLOITED BY AGI
~ APPLYING ALLURING AMAZING Al

really too ignorant to realize their own IL
llteracy, possessed practical knowledge Of
the show business and a good supply of
nerve. There are some such agents to-
day and some such showmen, but they are
happily growing more and more exceptional
year by year.
James A. Bailey's appearance In the
circus world demonstrated that originality
in advertising Ideas after all is really second
to method. His method was to bill the
show with as much care and particularly
as If each season were its first on the road.
Not a point was left uncovered, not
sheet of paper disposed of by chance. The
press agent is but part of the grand
scheme, section of the method.
This circus method of advertising, in
stead of becoming modified and restricted
by time has grown steadily with the shows
themselves, and has been seized on and
improved by all other kinds of business.
The feature of the press agent has been
added to the billboards, the newspapers,
the rocks and fences, until now almost
every commercial line of importance boasts
a clever man whose especial business it is
to get things into the newspapers. He is
the official mouthpiece of his corporation or
firm to whom all newspaper men are re-
ferred for such information as may be
made public.
/ have been preparing show paper for
the printer for more than thirty years.
1 began in 1875, when I first entered my
career as press agent. This matter Of
the preparation of show paper is very
important part of the business. In the
nized writer's of show paper, among them
being Charles H. Day, Bill Durand. Fred
Lawrence, Charley Stowe and my brother,
John w. Hamilton.
Before that time the so-called general
agents of shows, who were usually men
OF very ordinary education and ability,
but who possessed practical knowledge
of the circus business as then followed.
made more or less clumsy attempt to get
up the sort of paper then thought neces-
sary. New York was at that time the
headquarters of most of the tent shows. DR..
Riley had a show printing house in Spruce
street and Sam Booth had another similar
establishment in Center street.
In my early days as reporter on the daily
press l often had occasion to frequent
these printing houses in quest of news
how paper was gotten out, as the circus
agents could be seen at work on their
paper for the coming season.
This work consisted of clipping with
pair of cissors the most attractive lines
from former bills and FASTING them to-
gether so as to form a new bill. The spe-
cial features which required descrip-
ton were written in after stupendous ex-
penditure of thought and prespiraton.
1t was here | first met the late James
A Bailey whom fate had already decreed
that l should serve till his death. He was
ther general agent of the Cooper & Bailey
show.
With the rapid growth of the circus 1t
was natural that the proprietors should
seek in some way to improve the character
of their paper and extend the thoroughness
of their billing. They began to pick out
the best professional writer's to prepare
copy for their bills and advertisements.
These writer's were usually drawn from
the staff of journals printed where the
show laid up for the winter. When the
copy was satisfactory 1t frequently fol-
lowed that to it's writer would be offered a
position as press agent
Some years ago the active circus warfare
offered ample scope to these writers in the
preparation of biting, caustic bills, adver-
tisements, etc. And in the winter season
they were employed in getting up the ad