The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-26

Meets Di~sappointm ent and Chaerin. a Turin
ing, Twisting, rwirlinR, Tossing, TittEg
transportation the Thrilling. Terrifying, IRE
mendous, Tumbling. Tantalizing Triumph Of
all Timel
ABSOLUTELY III LIMIT
OF Human Daring and Intrepidity; the Veri-
table Cap Sheaf OF the Incredible. Closely
Approaching a Marvellous. Naddening, Me-
chanical Mystery and Miracle.
Ny object was to characterize this act
as the greatest sensational performance
that was ever given to the public. n
I exhausted ALTERATION in the effort. My
only assistance was the dictionary. l
have never used any other, The dictionary,
however. only furnished the words. not the
combination, nor the many nuances Of the
English language.
The circus business itself Is an ineIhausti-
BILE mine Of suggestions, though IL may
appeal more foroibly to the active brain OF
the bill writer. During the last twenty
seven years / have probably written some
thing like 5000. 900 words, yet l can scarcely
say that / suffer from mental exhaustion.
II is easier for me to produce CIRCUS copy
than to write straight matter upon any
other subject. A very defective memory
has always served me in making each
seasons matter comparatively fresh.
The lettering Of Autographs and poster
work requires the same concise and catchy
cunning demanded by the features. As
poster and Autograph work must appeal
10 the casual passing eye rather than to
the connected reasoning powers. 1t Is neces-
J sary that every feature should stand out
boldly, to be seer and comprehended at a
glance.
The largest stand OF bills must present
the salient features Of q show so plainly
that they may be seen and understood from
the passing street car or carriage and a
certain impression be left upon the mind.
The late Mr.. Bailey carefully superin-
tended this part Of circus publicity work
in person. As soon as the performers were
engaged and an outline Of the entire ez-
hibition decided upon, which was always
early In the winter, Mr.. Bailey had his ideas
reduced TO pape and forwarded to the two
great printing houses that do the bulk OF
| all first class show work-in Cincinnati and
Buffalo-whence original sketches In water
( colors were soon returned.
As fast as received these we're spread out
on the office floor and inspected and critl-
| oised by Mr.. Bailey and the entire executive
btdu, CftoN OhC ObViAhB buOh bbbBSDNOho 10
| occurred TO him. The drawing, the color
ing. the lettering-all would come in for
expert criticism-and the show writer had
TO stand ready to defend the faith which Is
' within him, 90 far as his own work is con-
| cerned.
These sketches. having been corrected
and changed where necessary. were returned
TO the photographers. Sometimes, like
printing office proofs, they were sent back
for a revised proof; but such is the skill Of
these great show printing houses and the
precision Of those who order this character
Of work that it Is a rare thing to demand
second sketches.
Most OF the poster work Ia in three colors
and costs about -four cents a sheet. There
are usually for the best c~ircuses 1,5OO, 900
sheets Of Autograph paper required
for a season. or this aggregate about 200
sheets a day are allowed for windows and
5000 q day for the billboards for each Of
the three advertising cars.
As every color requires a separate Lt1o-
graphic stone, this means several ton OF
stones and, Of course, besides the sketches
as many separate drawings. Necessarily it
costs money. Time was when the bill for
circus paper was bigger than the bill for
performers-when most Of the show wal on
the dead walls.
OF circus literature tons are printed, the
bills ranging from a quarter sheet to a sixty
four sheet bill, but not more than two a day
Of the latter can be used. owing to the diff
Guilty OF getting spaces to post them.
One artist in New York has been designing
show bills for twenty-five years for n
show printing house and receives 500 for