The Washington herald., 1908-05-04

Razorbacks, acrobats, tight-rope walk
ers and dancers. clowns, trapeze per-
| formers, ring masters. freaks, bareback
riders. death darers. musicians horse
doctors, painters, engineers, clerks. press
agents. cooks. walters. dishwashers, and
few others, to the number of 1,50O per-
sons. rode into Washington yesterday. on
eighty-six railroad cars.
Three hours after their arrival in the
National Capital, a bustling. noisy. vii
lage sprang up in a cloud Of dust on
vacant lot near Fifteenth and H streets
5rtheast.
Crowds Look ON.
Witnessed by representatives Of every
class of people in Washington, with per-
haps the exception of the executive de-
partment, the sledge-slngers. rope-pull-
ers, and canvas-raisers, under the direc-
ton of a small army OF loud-mouthed.
perspiring. all-important, get-out-of-the-
way-or-I -kick-you-out bosses. put up
the enormous tops" of the Barnum &
Bailey Biggest Show on Earth.
Open-eyed peaceful. wondering inhab-
tants stood by, With dust flowing into
their mouths through widely-parted lips.
and watched the work, throwing In a sug-
gestion or two at irregular intervals as
to the proper way to drive stake, by
way Of showing appreciation OF being al
lowed 10 exist
In the hurry, rush, and dust. TO be
given the privilege Of escaping death was
a boon never to be forgotten.
Boys on the Scene.
Clinging TO ropes. climbing poles. dodg-
ing between mems and horses legs.
swarming on wagons, ducklng under
tents. getting in everybodys way, yell
ing, laughing. running, kicking up dust,
| plaguing policemen, and worrying circus
men. boys Of every description. white.
black, brown, yellow, large, small. and
! in-betWeen. enjoyed themselves to their
fullest capacity. They swarmed the lot
in hundreds. Ike files on a mince pie.
regarded as a necessary evil.
Arriving In Washington from Philadel-
phia more than three hours late, the cir
/ Gus people were forced 10 work hard and
fast 70 catch up TO the work 20 be done
before nightfall.
/ Probably the fastest workers In the
world. when circus men put on extra
steam the result is amazing. A ride on
street car after witnessing the scene was
| like a gondola ride I'm Venice after a busy
day on the New York Stock Exchange in
time Of panic.
Sixteen tents or tops" in show YER
nacular. covering nearly twelve acres,
were put up and secured against the dam
ger Of a windstorm. Fifteen hundred men
z - 4 a.
menus being served at each meal
Horses Rubbed Down and Fed.
More than 600 horses were stalled. bedded
down for the night and fed. Many thor
oughbreds, racers Jumpers and trick
horses were rubbed, brushed. and washed.
until they looked more Ike statues than
animals that had made a long railroad
journey In keeping with up-to-date styles.
the hostlers have mastered the art Of
marceIllng names and tails.
A hundred animal cages. conhning lions,
tigers, leopards hyenas. snakes, monkeys,
and many foreign and strange wild beasts,
were cleaned and arranged in the me-
nagerie tent, job Of tremendous proper
tions when the danger Of the work is con-
sidered
Cute little elephants. weighing a few
tons only, were herded into their sleeping
apartments and tied TO prevent them see
ing Washington by moonlight The baby
elephant, eight weeks old to-day, added
his tiny voice to the din by way Of show
ing that he, too. required attention.
When all the men and women had been
fed. the animals attended to. cages fasa
tened. and few other details completed.
Barnum & Baileys employees began prep
iaration for the parade to-day, which occu-
pied them until late last night The parade
starts at o'clock this morning. 1t is of
such length that forty-ave minutes are
consumed while it passes a given point.