Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1918-01-12
WAR NOW MENACES
MERRY c RCUS MEN
Railroads Plan TO Shut Off
Rays of Joy 10 Lives of
Nations Children
ONLY ONE SHOW
IS MOTORIZED

Why should the green grass struggle
up to the sun. or birds wing from the
Southland, or sister begin 10 fuss about
her spring hat? What is the good of
a spring without the circusq In spite
OF reassuring messages from Chicago.
1918 IS to be circusless year. The ac-
cent being on the penultimate.
inc pennsylvania Railroad has de-
clined to furnish transportation fo cir
cuses this year, the reason being tho
familiar wartime explanation that loco
MOVIES and trackrOom are needed for
serious and sober affairs. Several
southern railroads have followed Inc
lead or the Pennsylvania Railroad men
say That before spring comes irippinglv
over Mr.. Mason and Mr.. Dixon's well
known line all Of the roads of the conn
try viii have turned their backs fo The
most delightful Of Yankee amusements
circus men are all al sea Publicly
they display brave front. but privately
they mourn. II Is a fact that circus
printing-all that ostentalious mann
iacture Of Autographs and advertising
materials-is being held back until the
matter is positively decided.
Circus press agents. those gifted ro-
mancers that added so much To the
gayety Of Monday morning newspapers.
have opened their mail vainlv I'm fhe
hunt for notices from the boss that
they must get busy on such and such
a date. The dean of the fraternity.
Old Or. Dexter Fellowes. Is I'm hiberna-
lion at Worcester. Mass. but his aids
de camp sit IN gloom at the New York
triars Club. The evidences of adver-
sity multiply
IL Is known, for example. that less
Wizards show viii stay in winter
quarters. Representatives OF the Wal
lace Circus, which makes headquar- |
ters at Peru, Ind, are now i'm Washing /
ton trying to find out where they !
stand. The Barnum & Bailey and Ring F
ing Brothers clrcuses, with headquar- /
tiers at Chicago, have made no definite .
plans
Apparently the only circus which has
actually made plans 10 take the road /
Is that very modern Institution, the
Motorized Circus, which Is backed by
the Wlllys-Overland Motor Car Com
pany and which travels exclusively on
motor trucks. 70 is billed TO open at
uituut Dllps on May %.
Transportation IS by no means The
only problem which is spelling the ap-
petite Of circus men. Overhead expense
has climbed enormously even in the
last year. Labor supplies food, have
risen in cost TO prohibltive figures
They are worrying even as 10 what
may have 10 be done with the menag-
cries. In winter quarters the hungry
beasts are consuming enormous guam
titles Of meat, OF hay and Of grain.
The Germans had to put an end 30 the |
great Hagenback animal gardens at |
Hamburg because of the food necessi- !
Ties Of the people.
A suggestion that the big circuses |
could dispense altogether with railroad /
transportation and could move by /
means Of tractors and motor trains is /
secuted by cicus men Such methods /
OF getting about might do for very
small shows, they admit but would be /
wholly out of the question for circuses /
Of the size Of Barnum & Balleys. Hope .
has not been abandoned entirely, but |
every one familiar with the situation |
confesses that The outlook is gloomy.