The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-04-24
Circus 70 Start.

Next week Campbell Brothers cir
Gus, a Nebraska institution with which
Norfolk people are well acquainted and
in which they feel more or less per.
sonal interest, will open its 1908 sea
son by appearing in Fairbury, Neb.,
the home and winter quarters Of the
circus. The circus will make its an
nual visit to Norfolk on Friday, May
s, showing in Wayne the Saturday
following.
The Fairbury Journal, a neighbor
OF the Campbell circus, gives the fol
lowing description Of the results of
the winters activity at Fairbury:
Campbell Bros started out of Fair
bury about dozen years ago with a
little wagon show, as is well known
by those who lived here at that time.
From that modest beginning, the boys
have worked up, against some very I'M
favorable circumstances. until today,
they own and operate the largest indie
pendent circus in America.
In our inspection of the circus, we
visited the circus farm, a mile and a
half from Fairbury. In the past year
many improvements have been made
at this natural winter quarters for a
great circus. A large barn has been
erected for the circus horses, another
for the Shetland ponies, still others
for the animals Of the menagerie,
which has doubled in size over last
year.
Among the animals of the menagerie
there are now ten lions, two of which
were born with the circus last October
and are now husky looking cubs. Be-
fore the show starts out, the herd Of
lions will be increased to fifteen, five
additional ones having recently been
purchased
The herd of camels and dromedaries
now numbers about fifteen, one OF the
largest herds in America. The show
has Tartary yak, OF which there are
but two in this country. This is a
species OF buffalo and in Tartary,
which is province of China, the fur
or long hair OF the yak is used for Or
namental tassels by the kings and
princes of that land
This year two full-blooded Kentucky
mares have been added to the show.
These are "cake>walking" horses,
very popular in the ring on account OF
their grace and beauty, as they keep
time to music equal to the best dan
GERS OF the human tribe.
Al Campbell is in his glory at pres
ent with his trick mule. He is teach
ing him to kick rubber football, two
feet in diameter Al says the mule
has kicked everything else that ever
got behind it, and he anticipates an
interesting trick when Maud" gets
into the ring with the big football
With the circus there are seven
large elephants, two being genuine
monsters. -Four of these are trained
elephants and the history Of the ele-
plants Of Campbell Bros. show is the
key to the success of their entire en-
terprise. Several years ago, they had
two or three elephants, including
Venus" the largest. The second
day after beginning the season, a fire
broke out in the circus train and all
the elephants were burned up, Before
night one of the Campbell Bros. was
on his way TO New York TO buy more
elephants and in a few days, several
elephants were being shipped by ex-
press 10 meet the show in its travels
Last year additions were made to the
elephant troupe and four Of the ele-
plants were selected TO be trained.
During the latter part OF last season
and during the past winter trainers
have been at work with these monsters
training them in new features for the
circus, and now the show can boast
of as fine a herd Of trained elephants
as any show on earth.
To bring these great beasts into
submission and make them perform
circus tricks, represents a world OF
labor and patience. The circus trust,
with unlimited capital, would have
bought a herd OF elephants already
trained. The Campbell Bros, with un-
limited pluck, bought the unframed
animals and set TO work training
them.
So they have done with all the other
departments. Last year they had
about 100 horses; this year they have
$50 and they are in fine shape for the
season. They also now have thirty
Shetland ponies. They have added
two Pullman cars, making them I'VE
pullmaps m all. They have added
threeQuarters OF o mile OF storage