Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-08-06
BARNUM & BAILEYS CIRCUS.

entertainments-both of which were
largely attended The day was a
stormy one, otherwise Wausau would
have seen one of the largest crowds in
its history. Wednesday evening the
weather was very threatening and
sometime during that night rain began
to fail and it kept up until morning and
all day long there we're spells when
rain came down in torrents. This, no
doubt, kept many away from the city
and the circus The fact that there
was to be no parade kept many at
home, too. 1t is strange how much
stress is placed upon parade. This
may not be the case in other communi-
ties but such is the case here. A good
parade will .bring in thousands that
would not come otherwise; if it is ex-
ceedingly good it will draw those peo-
pie to the circus tents; if not, they will
stay away so tine rain and the parade
kept quite a number at home but, still,
there were plenty to fill the immense
LCAt, anu bhClC WCAC fCtJ tCW oC6tS
vacant.
There were four special trains which
brought the circus from Rhinelander,
reaching Wausau at an early hour. but
not too early for the small boy who was
on hand in force to see them unload.
With buses. hacks and rigs of all kinds
and the street railway, still one-half of
the crowd had 20 walk to the grounds
in the afternoon, not from choice, but
because they had to or stay at home.
1t was great circus; one that will
long be remembered by those who
attended. Besides the fine menagerie,
and the usual horse riding and racing,
there were some things that were new
and novel.
The performance opened with the
usual grand entree and under the guise
of an allegory of peace, in which Japan,
Russia and the United States, symbol
lied by troops of soldiers and allegorical
floats took part. 1t was pretty and in
teresting The somersaut turning,
automobile ride. some wonderful feats
in ski-sailing the big aerial acts were
something worth seeing. Among the
best were the Imperial Viennese troupe
of ten men and women. One of their
feats is thus aptly Observation-Disclosures
performing series of the most wonder
full flights, one of the aerialists suspends
himself on the center trapeze, head
downward. Then, one after another,
the other performers, securing momen-
tum by swinging on the outer bars.
dart through the air, and, turning single
and double, and even triple scmer
saults, land safely into the hands of the
catcher. The climax comes when ia
stead of catching the flying meteois hy
the hands, the waiting artist grasps one
of his associates by the ankles, and
then, with long swing. sends him fly
ing through space, to land safely at the
other end of the aerial arena"
& A seal that rides horse, and does it
with skill aad eieverness, was one of
the incidental novelties of the circus.
The physical structure of a seal is such
that equestrianism would seem to be
beyond its powers, no matter how in
telligent it might be. This remarkably
trained seal, however. has achieved the
seemingly impossible, and exhibits as
much ease and confidence on the back
of a swiftly moving horse as any human
rider. Incidentally the animal poses,
balances batons, pirouettes, catches
hats and performed many other inter-
esting and astonishing feats only few
incidents can be mentioned and the
PILOT only speaks of those things
which seem to be new.
There were twenty-four clowns in the
circus and among the most famoG,, and
very funny are "Slivers" Oakley, whose
base ball game took the crowd, and
'Spader" johnson who made hit with
his barber shop scene.
In recent years much of the old preju
dice against circuses has disappeared
and the efforts of the Barnum & Bailey
show to give the public clean, whole
some amusement has surely had great
deal to do with it. A great circus of
this character has come to be recog
nized, not only as a legitimate factor in
furnishing entertainment to the people,
but its educational value is also apprec
lated by those who give the subject the
careful thought that it deserves. Nova
days the Barnum & Bailey circus, with
its costly geological exhibits, its gather
ing of strange and curious people from
all parts of the world; its wonderful ex
empliication of what intelligently de-
yeloped hrawn and muscle can do,
when united with fearless daring; its
replicas of the historical glories of old
Rome; its superbly costumed spectacle
and its startling innovations in eques-
trian, acrobatic and aerial exploitsJ-
appeals irresistibly to the public and
attracts its audiences from every class
in the community. Not only is there
no ban upon such modern circus by
church or the home, but even the most
devout find in its striking displays new
cause to marvel at the power of the
Creator and the wonders of the uni
verse.
The show is Eot so large as it used to
be when Messrs. Barnum and Bailey
were alive, but is one of, if not the
cleanest, shows travelling. This was
exemplified by the courteous manner of
ushers and attendants and absence of
rowdyism among stake drivers.
The show carried without doubt the
finest lot of horses ever seen in this
city. While the menagerie was not as
large as seen with some other shows, it
contained very fine specimens of rare
species. The only disappointment with
the afternoon performance was that the
cages were closed up when the people
came out of the large tent after the
show MANY in their hurry To eraf q