Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-24

was a riot of ecstasy when a dozen
huge cages with sides on rolled by
First came the leopards and their
spots, then wolves and tigers and then,
Oh, rapture. somebody down the line
shouted "llons." Sure enough, with a
gaiiy dressed guide riding beside them,
rode -ir. and Mrs. Lion and what dye
thiuk Mr.. Lion was asleep. Surest
thing you know. His tousled head in
q corner and his bis paws pointing
szyWard. just like a lazy man, some
one with suffrage button was heard
to murmlr. and all the time Mamma
Lion was doing g marathon around the
cage. Than pauthers and more Ieopards
and another family of lions where
Mamma Lion managed TO keep her
Hege lord awake. and then the eIe-
plants.
Keep back MicEy. or they'll
gatcha. shouted one small kid.
Nav. dey won't nuther. if We amt
got no tobacCy vida, was the scorn-
full reply.
There they We're, sure as you live. /
marching just like the animals did
going into the ark and each had a red I
coated and white hated keeper on his /
head with long sharp hook (ugh, /
betcha it nd hurt, gosh, bet il would. /
There were "a OF em and they each !
hung onto the tail of the one in front /
of them with their trunks. There was /
one wh0pper, too, with iron chains on !
his feet hooking him TO those in front /
and behind, and, Oh, gee but they sure +
were great.
The last thing was the steam piano, /
and the deluge Of the thousands of
those who pushed and showed and ohed +
and ahed while the mile Of parade .
passed by.
The circus is transported this year I
on four trains, comprising So cars
which, when stretched out, are over q /
mile i'm length. The big top, the larg +
est the RiuElings have ever used is /
especially constructed, not only to &C
commodate the circus with its three .
rings. stages and hippOdrome track,
but also arranged for the massive +
spectacle. solomon and the Queen Of
Sheba," which is presented on a stage
FIVE times the size of that found in the
largest theatre. The Ringing circus
Is d pCtLEtt t-tF Al 4LHSA1 u 1NS Z
every night, making a new city every
day and moving with more system,
rapidity and less fuss and noise than
any branch of the army. To prepare
for It's coming exactly loo representa-
lives. each with a various mission to
perform, have visited this city,
All Of the cooking TOT this enor-
nous enterprise is done by steam and
in ranges built in q wagon weighing
SIX tons and drawn by eight horses.
AS a mere detail of the marketing the
circus consumes daily $500 pounds Of
fresh beef. 800 dozen eggs, 500 pounds
OF bread, $50 pounds Of butter, 100
pounds of coffee, 500 pounds OF sugar
and other items equally as large. The
first order to the cooks in the morning
is for $500 griddle cakes and yet, as
large number as this may seem, II
onlv four a piece. For the stock and
animal department there are used
daily 10 tons of hay, i've tons OF straw,
800 bushels of oats, while no well be
haved elephant would think OF start
ing his days labor without his morn
ing cereaI-a bale OF hay. Most OF all
-base purchases are made from local
merchants.
The circus travels on its own trains
and only requires engines and crews
from the railroads. The show also
carries its own bIaeksmiths, horse
shoers. wagon and harness makers, u