Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-11-22
SIDE LIGHTS on the
CIRCUS Blu INESS

A few days ago ] received a letter
from the Barnum & Bailey show Civ
ing me list of the boys who had en-
listed in Uncle Sans army, and a
few others who will join as soon as
the show closes, which is at Mem
phis, Tenn, on Thursday of this week,
November 8. The list runs up to
over forty.
Many time this summer it was al
most impossible for shows to move
from one town to another and erect
their canvas in time to give two per-
formances, for lack of help in each
Gown. Just what the outcome will be
for next season is what is bothering
many Of the managers of the large
shows
The Barnum & Bailey shows will
soon finish it's 1917 tour. The big cir
Gus has had it's share of hardships
this season on account of shortage of
workingmen, but has lost but few
days. At Pensacola the lot was in
bad condition, and the show had to
lose the night performance. The big
show was sidewalled, and the after
noon show was given at $50 p. m. to
runaway house.
Samuel McCracken, for many years
manager of the Barnum & Bailey cir
Gus, is arranging a genuine preten-
tiOus circus tournament which he will
stage at the armory of the First Field
AY4iJ Of
eighth street, on Wednesday, Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday, November
IA, Is, 16 and IT, The show will be
conducted under the auspices Of the
Eighth Coast Artillery, N. Y. Guard,
Major S. G. Teets, commanding, for
the benefit Of the Eighth Coast De-
tense Command, n. C. u. S., whose
men in khaki are manning the forts
of New York harbor and protecting
the lives and homes of the residents
of that city.
Mr.. McCracken is, calling his organ
ization The Great American Circus,
a title Familiarity and favorably re-
membered hereabouts as utilized by
Mr.. McCracken when he conducted
circus performances in Madison
Square Garden for Miss Anne Morgan
and her Vavation association, and for
the organized Irishmen of the city.
Many of the star performers of the
Barnum & Bailey, Ringing Bros. and
the Observation-Disclosures circuses have
already enlisted for the event Lu-
pita Perea, whose aerial feats of grace
and daring are sensation of the cir
Gus world, and the Joseph DeKoe
troupe of acrobats, famous throughout
the world, will be among the partici-
pants. May Wirth, noted equestrienne,
is in communication with Mr. Nc
Cracker regarding the. utilization of
her services. The Hart Sisters, re-
nowned for their aerial skill and
beauty, have signed contracts. Sew
eral of the clowns from the R. T. Rich
ards Supreme Show Of the World will
provoke mirth. $500 1n3ia5fea
Mr.. McCracken has arranged for
the presence of an elephant act, COM
prising five of the animals, and he
will exhibit a Colossal Congress of
Celebrated Freaks, Collected from
Creations Corners for this Cyclopean
Circus"
A street parade from the armory
to the business section on Wednesday
afternoon November IA, will inaugu-
rate the festivities. Mr. McCracken
promises gay and glittering caval-
cade, rivaling the most ambitious eff
forts of the biggest travelling tented
Institutions. ta
The probability exists that this No
Vember circus is the forerunner of
others under Mr.. McCracken's man
agement for military benefit to be con-
Quoted during the entire winter. He
is also considering propositions to
undertake the management of the Ma
tional Sportsmen's show and a big
pure food show for the. government