Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-04
STIRRING SCENES MARK
DISARMAMENT OF CIRCUS
More Than 1900 Performers and
Employees Finish Season With
Richmond Date.
CASHIER PAYS OUT 100000
Best Acts Secure Bookings IN Vautle-
villc-Animals and Equipment Are
Packed on to bridgeport, Conn,
for Rest Through Winter.

, ior NeSt through winter.
Hi-Hi! lli-yi. Number team. on
your way! Big Jim. the boss canvas
man of the Barnum & Bailey Cir
Gus. stood on the lot ut boulevard and
Broad. shortly before o'clock last
! night and beloved the order to the
! driver OF the truck carrying the cleo
| tr!cal equipment.
Aye. aye. Cap the driver respond
! ed. He whipped up his four horses
and started on his way to the train.
The end of the circus season was at
hand IL was getaway" day. All of
the 200 performers. business staff at
,aches, ticket sellers. canvasmen. hos
tiers, animal men, raZorbacks and
others of the small army that travel
with big circus were waiting only
for their cues to "brcak away
The Observation-Disclosures truck is
always the first to leave the circus
during the season. 1t leaves before
the cook tent whose demolition marks
the departure of the show for new
stand. is RACED.
FORTY LUSTY "RAXOnDACNS"
ATTACK COOk TENT
The cook tent. as usual. fell first
las, night. Forty razorbacks went to
the stakes at Il word from the first
assistant canvasman. Before they
.
equipment. Ovens. ranges. Erills.
tables. tableware. tubs and other
kitchen articles were gathered and
packed into the three vans provided
for their transportation. Forty men.
working ten minutes. accomplished il.
The drivers were ''on their way" with
their respective packing crews to be
entraincd.
Next came the m"nageries tent. The
razorba clls fell upon the tent-polcs.
which support the canvas. a minute
after the performance began in the
"hiS top" simultaneously with the
removal of the canvas that covered
the elephants and the animal cages.
the packing in this department of the
circuS-the zoo. the showmen call it
WAS begun.
The superintendent of mcnagcric
stood in the center OF tho tent site. di-
recting the movement OF the process
sion of animal wagons. They took
their places in line, the drivers, as
their numbers were called off. Every
wagon going to the train was in exact
~ the same position 1t occupied at
each stand throughout the season.
Every animal man was on his particu-
lar wagon. The circumstance that the
season was over Justified no deviation
from the routine OF the man; months
before.
CIRCUS MOVES LIKE
ARMY an THE MARCH
\ circus moves like AN army on
march. Every individual is an officer
or soldier Every man and every
woman is cog in the machine. The
circus moves like Il machine. with the
same precision, the same definite and
fixed objective. 1t is necessary. Time
waits for no man. Minutes incan much
TO large body. with many units. that
must move so as to reach given spot
In given time.
Organization, discipline. harmony,
precision and punctuality mean posi-
bly, more to circus than to the army
on march The show must 80 on. The
army may dcviate from set route at
the discretion of commanding Off
Ger. The playing dates OF the circus
are fixed for the sea son before the sea
son opens. The loss of one date means
Il heavy financial loss. where, as in
the case OF the Barnum & Bailey show,
there are Approximately 1900 people
on the salary list. and railroad fares
are paid a month in advance OF 4 move
mcnt
The show must 20 on. Fire. food.
cyclones and other calamitics that he
fall must be surmountcd by the circus
manager. if the season is to he ii profit
able one. Deaths in the circus com
pany. misfortuncs that come to the
performers and attaches, difficulties
encountered in various stands by rea-
son of IA clash over some State or local
Lax must not be permitted to impede
the movement Of the show. The show
must go on. The proprietors accept
no excuse from the manager. The
show must go on to the next stand.
"BIG TOP" BEGINS TO FALL
As CROWDS FILE OUT
Following the fail of the menageric
;ent. the razng of which begins as
soon as the circus band strikes up the
musical accompaniment for the first
"displays," as circus acts are called,
begins the razing OF the performers
dressing tent. The last of the artists"
10 leave the rings or stages must dress
in street att!-a under the oluc canopy
OF heaven. Bcforc the performance is
finished in the big top" the omniprcs-
ent raZorback is at work. lie is re-
moving every possible prop under the
canvas AS cxcmpiitird last night. be-
fore The audience had reached the main
entrance the canvas Of the big top"
was falling.
General Manager Cooke stood at the
main entrance to the money tent"
after the crowd had passed in
we did not play to capacity at
either performance to-day" he said in
reply TO . question. very much unlike
4 circus manager. I'VE have a seating
nance have we packed en-"
The first Of the three sections Of The
train that carried the big show from
Richmond left at II o'clock. On this
tran were the performers. the animal
men and the men employed about the
cock tent and dressing rooms The
o,nci two sections pulled out before
sunrise.
FIRST-CI.ASS ACTS ARE
ROCKED IN VAUDEVILLE
Nest OF the performers are bound
for New York. Tho eduestriennes