Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-05-12
CIRCUS
VISITS WILMINGTON
IN ALL ITS GLORY
Big Show Here Today With a
Wonderful Collection of
New Attractions.
ONLY. BIG SHOW COMING

The circus is here. Its arrival was
announced by rumbing wagons. roar
ing and snarling beasts. rattIing OF
chains and the trumpeting Of some
16 or IS elephants OF all sizes And
the arrival OF the circus. which Is none
other than. the big Sells FToto shows.
means that from now on, Wilmington 8
circus season is open and In full blast.
Sells F1oto Circus Is not new 10
Wilmington, but there are several fea-
lures. which tho amusement loving
public OF Wilmington should know.
This same circus, Sells F'Ioto present
the largest straight circus performance
/ in the world: that is, their gigantic
entertainment consists strictly of cir
Gus stunts and no wild animal displays
are used with the exception of the
elephants. or course, Sells F1oto have
large and extensive menagerie. but
this feature Is confined TO the mena-
gerie tents alone.
| Tents? Acres and acres Of spac.
are required for the tents OF Sells
f1oto and the main canvas theatre is
equally as large as any tent in the
world. II seats IL, 900 people during
single performance and is replete
with three rings and two stages. plus
scores OF overhead aerial riggings
Some idea of the mammouth size OF
Sells Floto might be gained through
the knowledge that more than 1.iOO
people are entered upon the payrolls
342 head Of baggage horses are en-
ployed TO transport the big wagons
from the three special all steel railroad
trains. lS6 head of ring horses. ponies
and mules are used in the presentation
OF the circus performance proper
a Long, FIashy Parade.
Sells Floto Circus established a pre-
cedent in outdoor amusement history
In Wilmington when their parade an
peared on the down town streets
promptly as advertised" The fiashy
circus posters announced that il would
appear at II o'clock, and It did. Scores
,of open cages; in fact every one was
open to public inspection, numbering
elephants. swaying camels, dozens of
really attractive circus ladies', a half
dozen blaring bands. oodles of clowns
that were amusing and the ever popu-
lar steam calliopes were much in evil
dence in the parade. which was nearly
two miles in length.
Probably no other feature Of the
parade drew as much attention and
favorable comment as the beautiful
dapple gray baggage horses. There
were hundreds of them and each SEEM
ed TO be In most prime condition.
A Monster Circus Program.
Long before the main doors Of the
circus opened; the midway was pack
ed with teeming humanity. all anxious
Tor the big show to start and when the
three ticket wagons opened their wick
cts for the sale of the coveted "pastc-
boards, there was wild scramble
into the big menagerie tent they pour
ed by the thousands, which was indi
cative that there was no money short
age In Wilmington. After inspecting
the menagerie, the crowds streamed
INTO the main circus tent for the band
concert. Then the show started. II
began with gigantic colorful spec
tacle entitled "A Night in Cairo" in
which something more than 700 circus
people took active part Following
the spectacle was the circus proper
Aerial. trapeze iron-jaw. roman-rinr
fiying ladder. leaping, contortion. trick
ponies, horses, dogs, seals, monkeys
and bareback riding acts filed the
three rings and two stages for the
following two hours.
1t remained for the famous
"Poodles' Hannaford family of riders
TO present the most astonishing circus
act ever seen in Wilmington. The
riding of "Poodles" completely can
tured the big audience and for the
first time in local circus history, a
circus act was compelled to respond
TO an encore.