The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-16

chains IN his feet hooking him to
those in front and behind anc, oh,
gee, but they sure were great.
The last thing was the steam piano.
and the deluge of the thousands of
| those, who braved the broiling sun
/ and the heat of the pavements and
/ pushed and showed and ohed and
I ahed while the mile of parade passed
/ by.
! Over a Mile of r.. r.. Cars.
The circus is transported this year
on four trains, comprising sc cars,
| which, when stretched out, are over a
mile in length. The big top, the larg-
est the Rfnglings have ever used, is es-
pecially 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 stage
| five times the size of that found in the
largest theater. The Ringing circus
is a perfect city in itself, travelling ev-
cry 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 its coming exactly 1O6 representa-
uves, each with a special mission to
perform. have visited this city.
All of the cooking for this enormous
enterprise is done by steam and in
ranges built in wagon weighing six
tons and drawn by eight horses. As u
mere detail of the marketing the cir
Gus consumes daily $500 pounds of
fresh beef 800 dozen eggs, 500 pounds
of bread, $50 pounds of butter, $50
pounds of coffee. 500 pounds of sugar
and other items equally as large. The
first order to the cooks in the morning
is for 5000 griddle cakes and yet, as
large a number as this may seem, it is
only four a piece. For the stock and
animal department there are used
daily ten tons of hay, five tons of
straw, 800 bushels of oats, while no
well behaved elephant would think of
starting his days labor without his
morning cereal-a bale of hay. Most
of all these purchases are made from
local merchants.
An Army of Workers.
The circus travels on its own trains
and only requires engines and crews
from the railroads. The show also car
ries its own blacksmiths, hOrseShoers,
wagon and harness makers, tent MAX
ell, rope spliCers and corps of dec
orators are kept on hand continually
touching up the gilded and brilliantly
painted tableau wagons and cages.
Two men are employed eight hours
day doing nothing else but greaSing
axles In the wardrobe department,
presided over by Mrs. George Hart
Zell, known as 1.-The little mother of the
circus" nearly 5000 costumes have to
be handled daily and kept in repair.
Five dreSSmakerS and six tailors, be-
sides armorers, are in this depart
ment. The circus has it's own phySi-
clan who carries with him complete
surgical and medical outfit. There is
also a barber shop and, incidentally.
no driver or man appearing before the
public is allowed to leave the show
grounds until he is shaved. This also
suggests another rule strictly enforced
by the Ringing Brothers which abso-
lutely forbids the use Of whips by any
of their drivers.
1t costs $4,000 a day to run this cir
Gus and it represents an investment of
nearly 100000. The show main
tains winter quarters and shops at
Trent, England. The firm is now plan
ming an expedition of its own to trap
animals in the jungles of India and !
the wilds of Egyptian Soudan. In ev-
cry part of the world it's agents are |
on the alert to secure novelties.
Starting mere boys with a Dor
wed tent in which were given few
juvenile attempts at entertainment
dreams realized and have become the |
master snowmen of the world.
The afternoon performance began
at o'clock and the big tent was
crowded. Opening the bill came the |
spectacle. Solomon and the Queen of |
Sheba." Nothing so richly costumed |
CT so effectively presented has ever |
been given here before. The opening |
pageant the ballet of dancing girls |
ana the dramatic action were veritable |
surprises. The spectacle was followed |
by the circus performance in which |
400 men and women appeared. More |
novelties than ever before are pre-
scented, the Ringlings having brought |
from Europe the majority of their |
people.
The fiIaI performance Will take |
place hight at o'clock, the doors !
open an hour earlier, allowing time to !
visit the extensive mena gerie and also !
to enjoy the operate concert rendered |
by tie military band of eighty pieces. !