The Washington herald., 1911-04-16

The Wild West and the Far East ag-
gregation over which Buffalo Bill and
Pawnee Bill jointly preside began to get
into town yesterday, and by 10 o'clock
this morning it is expected the second
section of the train from Trenton will
have come in to complete the amazing
number of tents, horses, wagons. ele-
plants, camels of the desert, and all the
other wonders that the great show
boasts.
The fenced-in grounds on the big field
at Fifteenth and H streets northeast,
that have done duty for so many cir
cuses and shows, will not do for the
sixteen or more tents that it takes to
accommodate the Lose participants, human
and animal, that are TO take part in TO-
morrows spectacular performances. Sc
when the first contingent arrived yes
terday morning at o'clock, it was de-
cided to use the big field space outside
of the fences, and there the big tents
are being pitched.
Dried by Tons of Straw.
In order to thoroughly dry out the wet
grounds after the drenching rains of the
last few days, fifteen tons of straw are
spread over the ground to soak up all
moisture and to make the grounds ready
Tor the leveling, scraping, and rolling
they will get in the space where the big
tent is to set. This arena measures $50
feet long and S15 feet wide, inside meas
urement, and affords seating space
greater than that of any other single
tent Around this are placed the tents
Tor the horses, of which there are more
than 60: the coOkhouse, where the en-
ployes are well looked after; the dress
ing rooms, the Indian tents and the
ether office tents.
Big Minnie, the monster trained ele-
phant weighing more than three tons,
c. 600 pounds, to be exact, was there
Yesterday, along with the little pony she
crries about with her trunk. and the two
English thoroughbred horses. one of
which was a winner of the Irish Derby
three years ago. These are part of the
rev act which Macmillan Gruber, of
Vienna, presents as one of the newest
and most interesting additions.
Perhaps the greatest of novelties is the
lille three-day-Old baby camel. which is
the first infant of that animal TO be seen
in Washington. The little one is only
about two feet high, and looks more like
an ostrich than camel The four must
cal elephants that blow horns in har-
IHonious chords We're there, too.
ne InQlan reservation attracted a large
number of sightseers yesterday. and old
Iron Tail, chief of the Sioux. who fought
d duel with Buffalo Bill away back in
1876, and Ben American Horse, a full
Flooded Sioux, and son of the famous
old American Horse, were Centers of in
terest, as were their followers, whose
Eeavy beaded vests, like ancient coats of
nail in weight, are objects of wonder
First Show in 1SS3
1t is an interesting point that the first
show that Buffalo Bill gave in the East
he gave in Washington in 1883. and. now
that he is about to bid the old circuit
gOod-by, the first place in which he opens
i Washington again But from year to
Year the show has increased in size and
interest, and this season will see more
than forty acts on the programme that
lave never been seen in the show before
he interminglng OF far West and far
East calls for representatives of more
than twenty nations of the world, and
Cossack and red Indian mingle together
as strangely as do the camel and the
bucking broncho.
The last weeks in the winter quarters
at Trenton have been spent diligently in
careful rehearsal of men and animals,
for the initial performances of the sea-
sons work that begins tomorrow after
noon.