The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-01-16

the first thing connected with the
show that meets the eye of the public,
we will start with the printing con-
tract, or as it has become known in
the circus vernacillar, the ''paper con-
tract First, the artist connected
with the general office is called before
the managing director, who gives the
artist an outline Of the thrillers the
show wishes. to feature the coming
season. The artist then gets busy, as
It were, and works out the ideas given
him by the manager. He submits the
drafts he has made of the pictorial
features of the special advertising
matter. If the drafts are accepted by
the manager, they are then turned over
to the general agent, who takes them
to the show printing firm that has the
contract for that class Of work.
The printing company's engraver IS
the next man to deal with. The en-
graver makes reproductions of the
drafts given him. Very often the en-
graver is compelled t" make three. or
four, and sometimes as many as six
plates before he obtains results that
will prove satisfactory to the general
agent. Considering the cost of each
one of these large plates, or Father q
section thereof, which costs for an
eighteen-sheet stand something like
$4,000 for the plates alone, one can
readily understand that the paper COLI
tract is no small item. Just few
words in regard to, the system of buys
ing paper for large show. After the
plates have been paid for, (the plates
are of stone, the day of the old wood
engraving has long since passed) the.
printing concern receives so much per
sheet for every sheet of paper turned
out.
Next lit Importance TO the general
agent of large show, is the genera
press agent. The general press agent
must supervise the construction Of all
heralds, and other small reading mat
ter, as well as direct the efforts of the
staff OF press agents, of which, with u
large circus, there are never less than
i've in number. The general press
agent, one OH each of the three ad-
vance cars, and last but by no means
least, the "story man." The story man,
IS the press agen: whose business it is
t. write interesting, and readable sto-
ries, always bringing the shows name
iutu prominence. The story man,
must also be able to write copy that is
not only acceptable, but sought after
by city editors. These gentlemen of
the circus press department command
and receive large salaries.
We will next deal with one of the
most expert departments of the large
circus-the treasurer's department.
The actual treasurer of the big circus
does not, as many suppose, sell tickets
from the ticket wagon. He is gem
orally to be found at the main entrance
of the show. The ticket wagoH being
occupied by two assistants, WHO are re-
quired to be very fast, and very -
|curate in handling money.
Perhaps it may prove of interest TO
know in what manner the tickets and
money are handled by these experts.
On opening the ticket wagon for busi-
ness, the racks at the right hand Of
one, and at the left hand Of the other
ticket seller, are filled with tickets, SO
many tickets to each pigeonhole of the
rack, counted and placed there under
the supervision of the treasurer of the
show. The money used for making
change is sorted and placed at the
right hand of each ticket seller. The
ticket seller doesn'tpick up the money,
or change he handles. No doubt many
of my hearers will recall that when
buying tickets Ut the ticket wagon of
q big show, after laying down the
price of u ticket, the ticket seller
would deal a ticket from his hand, and
at the same time rake the money
placed in front Of him intoss large
money drawer located just aty1Fe his
lap. Should the purchaser be 5titled
to change, the ticket seller allows the
money placed before him to remain
there until he shoves the change to
the purchaser, at the same time raking
the purchaser's money into the drawer.
That Is done In order to avoid making
/ mistakes. IN handling paper money,
a. s