Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-06-14
CIRCUS ATTRACTS
MANY THOUSANDS
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back, drinking in the myriad of colors
and glittering tinsel of the banners,
flags and costumes and the tons of
goldleaf paint that decorated the vans
and cages.
1t was one of the longest parades
that has ever meandered over the
pavements in Harrisburg, and many
thought the best. 1t started with a
score of cavaliers and cavalieresses
footing fanfares on trumpets and
wound up with the steam piano toot-
ing Circus Day." while 257 kiddies in
knickerbockers trailed along behind
the calliope, having followed the pa
rade for blocks and blocks The genius
at the calliope was master of the
touch system.
Music, Camels, Elephants
Blase musicians ripped out popular
airs as they perched atop the gilded
band wagons encircled with crested
banners, and there was one company
of players, bass drum and all, mounted
on horses that didn't seem to mind
their footing at all real.
Then came sixteen ships of the
desert, camels, slouching along four
abreast, drawing the biggest of scores
of tableau barges. Following closely
this fiotilla shuffled leathery hided ele-
plants, thirty strong, and led by
monster pachyderm that all the young
sters were certain must be big Bingo."
The only time the elephants stopped,
looked, shifted and listened was when
they passed n corner where a fruit
dealer was roasting peanuts and the
tempting odor floated in the ambient
breeze. Also not to be overlooked
makeups and groteSque musical in
struments. All in all, it was a circus
procession that will be remembered
for many a long day.
The Ringling circus arrived in the
city bright and early this morning.
coming on eighty-nine cars. divided
into four train sections. 1t is un-
doubtedly the largest travelling amuse-
ment organization, and local railroad
men say that its equipment is much
larger and heavier than when 1t visited
this city the last time.
The new, fairyland spectacle, "Cin-
derella," is partly responsible for the
increased size of the circus this year,
for it is said that nothing so stupen-
dous as this production has ever been
presented dnder canvas before. One
entire train is required to carry special
scenery and mechanical and lighting
effects, and the $500 costumes used
in the various scenes of this wonder
full pantomime play. More than 1900
as we'll as several hundred horses, a
special orchestra of 80 pieces and a
wonderful ballet of 500 girls. The
spectacle is presented in the main
tent on a specially constructed stage
and is the opening feature of each
performance.
When the gates to the big show
were thrown open at 1 o'clock it was
estimated that a crowd of several
thousand had already gathered on the
show grounds. and every car and con-
veyance in the city seemed to be
headed toward the circus, loaded with
humanity
Another performance will be pre-
sented tonight, beginning at o'clock,
the doors of the main tents opening an
hour earlier 10 allow time for patrons
to visit the big Ringing menagerie.
which this season houses 108 cages of
wild animals, a family of giraffes, Al
elephants and a caravan of 35 camels.
Trains Held Up
Circus trains en- route from Altoona
to Harrisburg did not arrive in this
city on schedule time. There were
short delays on the Middle division
and on the arrival here the horse
train. which is always the first to be
unloaded. came in second, Passenger
traffic interfered with getting the sec
ond train on the sidings at Paxton
street before o'clock this morning.
and the unloading Of the trains was
not completed until noon to-day. This
caused a delay in the parade