Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-03-29
By
Eredric
J. Haskin
THE CIRCUS ~
l-IS COMM

one leaving it, The curves and grades
must all be investigated so the proper
allowance for time may be maze. IL
there are tunnels ii must be made GER
tain that the heavy vans and tall ele-
plant cars will clear them. A careful
report also is made on the haul from the
railroad yards to the exhibition grounds
1t must be ascertained If all bridges and
culverts are strong enough to bear the
weight of the heavy vans. Contracting
for the daily provisions constitutes an
other feature of the advance work.
There are from 700 to 900 people with a
large circus, and show day" is an event
to be looked forward to by dealers in
the towns along the route.
There is no other calling which has
such long d,y as the circus. 1t be-
gins early in the morning and runs well
into the night. The dusty engines are
hardly uncoupled from the train until
the canvas-covered wagons are rolling
from the cars and trundling through the
streets toward the lot. The scene at the
grounds is one whcih never falls to at
tract hundreds of spectators. There Is
hardly any other instance where so much
work is accomplished in so little time,
the morning work being the most visible
evidence of the highly perfected organi-
zation. Order comes out of chaos while,
YOU look Every man has his place, and
every driver knows where his wagon
is needed and at just what time. Every
thing with the circus Is on wheels and
ii is of the greatest Importance that
there .e no delay in moving the wagons
containing the stuff. If the wagons come
promptly on the lot in the order that
they come from the cars there is little
danger of delay. First the stakes and
chains, then the poles, then the canvas,
and soon as the tents are under way
the seats and apparatus for the perform
ance At the same time the wagons
containing the cook tents, eating tents,
stables, side shows. the menagerie, dress
| ing rooms, etc, ETC., must be delivered
and their contents rushed into their re-
spective positions. If there is delay in
getting the wagons from the cars to the
lot it means that the parade must be
delayed.
The parade is the trial of the circus
profession because it comes in the morn
| ing during the greatest rush of the day,
! and if there is the slightest delay it runs
over into the business of the afternoon
and gives no time for rest for either
the people or the horses. On hot morn
| ing when there is long haul from the
cars to the lot, the stock should have an
opportunity to rest, but this often is i'm
! possible. More accidents happen during
the visit of the circus. The warning
hold your horses, the elephants are
/ coming" often goes unheeded and seri-
Gus runaways are frequent Great
anxiety always is felt by the manage
ment until this feature of the days pro-
gram is over. The proprietors of the
! Barnum & Bailey show abandoned the
parade altogether while in Europe, and
found that its withdrawal greatly SIM
plified the handling of the show without
affecting the attendance. 1t could easily
be done away with abroad because the
big circus is a new institution over there
and the people are not accustomed to
all it's features as they are in this coun-
try. Another reason for emitting the
parade in Europe was because a great
many people came to see it and then
went home satisfied
The ticket wagon is the heart of the
circus. The financial branch of the bust
ness is an improved and highly perfect
ed system in itself. In the morning the
treasurer sends out his agents to pay
bills dictates correspondence to a stenog-
rspher and rapidly disposes of the va
rious features of the days business.