Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-30
Parker Shows Are
All First Class
Entertainments

Among the good attractions at the
exposition, furnished by the Parker
shows, the feature of all of them is
the animal circus. 1t is an innovation
in the carnival business, inasmuch as
it is three-ring affair, and an act
going on in each one during the en-
| tire program.
Mile Gracie's trained cockatoos are
really wonderful. The birds act CON-
plete drama with human-like intelli-
gence.
In the steel-bound arena appears a
young man, Lamania by name, who
demonstrates TO the audience the man.
ner in which wild animals are trained,
using for his object lesson troupe
of young leOpards. IL is also an in
novation, as heretofore II raining of
wild animals has always been done in
secret.
The Yaqui ponies are educated to a
wonderful degree. The Dixie horse is
marvellous in the many wonderful feats
lit performs.
Interspersed throughout the program
are found many other acts, all of mer
it. consisting of a herd of trained goats
bear, monkeys, dogs, and pigs. In
fact, it is one of the largest and best
exhibitions of its kind that has even
appeared here, and wonderfully reason
liable in the price of admission.
i, With the Parker shows the Johns
town food demands more than passing
interest. 1t is a mechanical reproduc
ton of the Johnstown disaster which
occurred some years ago. The curtain
rising shows the city in miniature, anC
r the Conemaugh valley sweeping ava.
/ to the mountains. On the left is shown
the great dam which held the mass o
water that carried away the propert,
< of the entire valley. People are seel
on the streets, street cars are dartin:
= along. the great steel works are busy
S trains arrive and depart from the uniol
!. depot. The day grows apace until sun
h down, and here are shown some beau
tiful electrical effects. The risin
moon floods the beautiful COnemaug
valley with the soft light, the store
and homes one at a time eXtinguis
0 their lights, and the silence of the hol
$. night is over all. The moon disal
il lpears, gathering clouds portend tn
|. coming storm, flashes of lightning
e illuminate 'the valley; the storm, crasl
e ing and tearing, overwhelms the coul
try. Away up the valley in the fiashe
r OF the lightning is seen a woma
d mounted upon a bridleless horse f1yin
n 10 mad race with death, warning tt
people of the valley of the break
lie the dam. Just behind her is the tie
}; rible wall of water sweeping ever
'e thing in its path. 1t finally reach'
the town, and it is carried before Il
wild rush After the storm is deaf
ly stiffness, and the audience sees
G, view of the devastated valley. 1t
5. terribly realistic, and the entertai
TO ment is historically correct Nat Nc
" gan renders the lecture, and the ma
ager, Mr. Bell, and three assistan
st conduct the performance 1t is We
ID worth patronage. This exhibition Civ
way Friday to "a Day In the Alps
tie another exquisiteiy beautiful mechal
n cal and electrical show.
ly "The Broadway Bellies" is the tit
of a first class vaudeville show wi
the Parker shows at the eXpositio
The feature of the entertainment
the Harmonious Trio" They are s
tlect songsters of the educated tyI
which render a pleasing and effecti
he program. Their voices are well blen
ne ed and the selections are up-to-da
10 A pickaninny dancer affords an ill
IN tration of southern negro dancing.
I'd Scotch iassie dances several of her r
n tive dances, and they are all good.
Oh slack wire performer does some real
W. difficult feats, and others in the pl
lie, gram perform various numbers of co
wv edy and songs. The. program en-
nd with a good ensemble by the ent
company and the curtain descends
n a satisfied audience. Like all 9th
ig shows the Parker company carries,
IN is clean and moral in every way.
1e-. "
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