The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-06-11

II am going 70 the circus, says
Mrs Anna s Randall, a resident
Of Detroit for So years Il want TO
compare il with the first circus !
ever went 70. That was in 1854,
when Detroit was little more than
a village"
II had just come from New York
with my parents. all my little broth
ers and sisters, horses, carriages.
servants. furniture and everything
we possessed to begin life anew in
the far west
we came from Buffalo on the
boat and there was nothing very
comfortable about he boats in those
days We alt, had 70 sleep on the
floor and benches a. there We're
only a couple OF staterooms. but
Aunt Emily Ward had one, and she
gave itsup 10 my mother and her
babies
az was little girl. but old enough
to he impressed by all the strange
sights FOR we had come from very
cultured little place on Long Island
where we were well acquainted with
William Cullen Bryant. Richard
Dana, James Gordon Bennett. Mar
garct Fuller and all the celebrities
of that day, but my mother wanted
TO pioneer she thought it the best
way to bring up her children and
so we came west
we went 10 tho old Michigan
Exchange on Jefferson.ave. and made
quite a stir. for my uncle and his
family were with us and We were
a party Of VI children. three grown
people. besides orr faithful Irish
servants who refused to be left be
hind We filed up q Eood part Of
the hotel and there was mach com
motion about the horses and all the
luggage which had been sent weeks
before by the canal boats across
New York and had just arrived
The morning after our arrival
my father took my sister and me-
for walk and we went an Wood
ward ave 10 the Campus Nar'ius
The city hall. small building
stood in the middle " what IS now
Michigan ave and The lower part
Of was used for meat market
Across the street. where the De
tro'f opera house now stands was
tho Railroad hotel, the terminal or
thc Grand Trunk railroad There
was n hig sand bank in the rear to
stop the trains in case they should
run am1ck. Everyone who came
in on that railroad was eiven
dinner free. and he needed it. for
81 took half a day 10 come from
Pontiac.
"rho streets from the city hall
down 10 the river. and from Rates
to Waynest. were paved With
cobblestone, but beyond that IL was
Just black mud
While We were looking about
what should we see making It's dir
fcult way down Michigan-ave but
circus procession A very poor
little procession il was. but my sis
ter and ] were filed with delight
and dragged my father across tho
street in between the farmers wag
ons and the old-fsshioned carriages.
20 get nearer
There was an elephant and "a
camel covered with red and gold
trappings there were ladies' In
green velvet. very much splashed
with mud. on horseback: there was
a band and somc gilded wagons and
there were some Indians on Indian
ponies We had been told that We
Would see Indians way out west.
and sure enough. there they were.
We followed them about town.
which was NOT very far. and on tho
campus they stopped and put up
slack wire while one Of thei- men.
beers performed
"rhe people came oar Of an too
little stores. leaving no one behind
to wait upon customers and no one
10 guard their wares II was not