Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1912-10-24
Bridgeport, Conn.,, Oct. II, 1912
To Hon. Geo. T. Thuerer,
Baraboo, Wis.

| BaraDOo, WIS.
| Dear Mayor:
We acknowledge with much feeling
and consideration the petition pre-
sented by yourself and the citizens of
Baraboo and vicinity. 1t was not an
easy matter for us to leave Baraboo.
This may be we'll understood by those
amongst whom we have lived as
friends and neighbors SO many years.
While our removal from the state has
been widely commented on, yet we
feel that the public in general did not
| understand the situation with which
we were confronted.
The success of our business depends
| upon vast variety of conditions
which, as regards business generally,
do not obtain. We cannot safeguard
our exhibition season. The hazard
| involved is so great that we cannot
insure against damage or loss by acct
dent, injury or fire, nor can we avoid
sustaining great losses during un-
favorable weather. The taxes levied
by the various cities, counties and
states visited by our circus constitute
an extraordinary burden, frequently
oppressive, and In many instances
prohibitive to the business. Taxes in
paid every day during the exhibition
season. Ours is business in which
the tangible property concerned prac-
tically wears itself out in seven months
of the year. The remainder of the
year, in which there is absolutely no
income, is spent in repairing, rebuild
ing and refurnishing.
| Laws which might operate gener-
ally with q greater degree of fairness
may, on. account of the peculia Ar
nature of our business, affect us bur-
densomely. Nearly all the members
of our firm are nOnresidents of Wis
consin. Less than per cent Of our
business is done in Wisconsin so far as
receipts are concerned and yet the
greater part Of the expenditures is
made Ia the. state. Concerning the
question of our return to Wisconsin,
we must first ascertain what changes,
compatible with obligations incurred
by removal from the state, can now be
made. Conditions responsible for our
removal from the state we regard now
with less apprehension. In various
ways and on every hand sentiment
of the Wisconsin people is Significant
ly indicated for needful changes ia
important laws to which we trusting
~ look forward. a#& Ia
A decision to return would necessi-
tate many changes in our plans. Our.
show is routed to close its season at
Richmond, Va, for convenience in
reaching winter-quar at Brideport,
Conn. Owing to the fact that our ad-
vertising forces have been dismissed, it
is now too late to extend our route TO a
point from which shipment to Bara-
boo might more conveniently be made.
Therefore transportation 10 Baraboo
would be both very expensive and
hazardous, as 1t would take about five
days enroute and would be necessary
to unload and rest our horses and other
animals number of times during the
journey. At Baraboo we have made
no arrangements for hay and other
provisions md it would be necessary
to make many repairs TO building be-
fore they could be conveniently occu-
pied as municipalities which, on &C.
count of our removal from the state,
have not been made.
We would insist, as q condition of
our return to Baraboo that assessment
of our property (if possible so to ar
range) be placed upon the tax roll and
taxed to the same extent that it would
have been taxable had we remained in
the state.
We wish to thank you and through
you the people of Baraboo and vicinity
for your kind considerations. We give
our promise to do all that we can to
shape our affairs so that we may find
it possible to return.
Very respectfully yours.
RINGLING BROS.
0L NIlII IlI.J~~