Imperial Valley press., 1934-10-29
KIDS HAPPY
WHEN CIRCUS
HITS TOWN

The circus is herel
No tall is complete without the
annual miracle Of the coming of
the circus and sawdust tracks. It's
wilderness Of aerial riggings and
conhaptions, elephants, clowns,
wire walkers, acrobats. dashing
girl riders in fluffy skirts, horses
and horses and more of everything
than was ever put together before
aid labeled a circus.
Alarm clocks. set to interrupt
dreams OF the widest wild animals
and dizzieSt of gymnaStic perform
anceS, sent many youngster
tumbling from bed and off to the
railroad yards before sun-up this
morning. Fer the Great AL c.
Barnes Circus is in El Centro and
encamped at the old fair grounds
In addition to the performance
this afternoon, another exhibition
will be given tonight, the doors
opening promptly at 7 o'clock to
permit an inspection Of the world s
largest geological collection On
account OF the length Of the big
show, It will start promptly at
O'Clock.
Enlarged two-fold since its last
appearance here through the alb
scrbtion Of the Sells-Floto Circus
by the Great Al q. Barnes Com
bined Shows, the amalgamation has
resulted in The world g largest
amusement institution. The men
ayerie tent is the largest ever con-
structed and contains nearly half
hundred dens and cages con-
tanning practically every specie of
wild animal. Two caravans of
camels from Siberia and the Great
Desert, along with three great
herds OF elephants are a part of
the consolidated menagerie.
Travelling aboard three special
trains the Al G.. Barnes Circus
reached El Centre early this morn
ing over the Southern Pacific rail-
road from Yuma, Ari2., where it
exhibited yesterday. Hundreds were
on hand in the railroad yards to
greet the show, to see the strange
and unusual sights, and join the
cavalcade to the show grounds to
witness the erection of some %
tents covering an area of IL acres.
The most imposing of the tents is
the huge 600 foot "big top The
blgness of the show long since rem
dered street parades impossible;
none has been given since 1928.
There was no end CT free shows
for those who watched the trans
formation OF the once barren lot
into a huStling and buStling tented
city.
Among the arenic stars in the
augmented circus Of 1884 are the
Flying Clarkonian troupe OF amaz-
nag aerialistS from England who
bird like flights through space.
climaxing their act with triple
scnlersault.. The Hanneford fam
ily of European bareback riders
with Poodles' Hanneford, riding
clown, are undisputed champions
10 be seen. Phil EScalante, dane
ing ,tumbling acrobat OF the tight
wire is a direct importation from
Mexico. His good looking sister
esther, petite and charming aerial
FREELY, climaxes her act on fly
ing trapeze, turning a somersault,
only to catch by her heels.
Mabel Stark, international famed
trainer of wild animals will be seen
in a huge steal area with group
of 20 performing royal Bengal tig-
trs, lions, and other wild animals.
Never SO many have hitherto been
presented in ono group. Old timers
of the circus declare it to be the
greatest act IN all the long history
of the "white tops
Colossal Spectacle
..The Fiesta Of the Rio Grande, y
q gorgeous, professional fiesta, de-
nictlr9 all the charm and romance
of the golden age, serves as a pre-
jude to the main performance.
Upwards of 1000 men, women,
horses. and strange beasts OF the
forest and jungles are to be seen in
Enis panoramic extravaganza. A
hundred dancing girls, trumpeting
bands and golden toned organs add
beauty and charm. The wardrobe
used in this gigantic spectacle rep
reSentS an expenditure OF $4,000.
A superb menage offering parti-
cipated in by 40 high school horses
with girl riders promises to eclipse
any hitherto staged displays. It IS
one of the delightful displays of
charm and color in which The
show has always eXcelled, High
jumping horses bring g thrilling
finale to the act.
Altogether more than 400 per-
formers will be seen in the big
show. They represent 10 foreign
countries. In this vast modern
circus are single companies of per-
formers that outnumber the entire
personnel of old time shows. Five
rings, two stages, immense steel
arena. huge aerial enclave and
giant hippodrcme oval are simul-
taneously used for the displays.
Evidently the depression is for
poten headache for the AL @.
Barnes Circus is this season enjoy
inc n phenomenel business. S. L.
Cronin, manager of the circus stat
ed this morning to a reporter that
this season to date has been the
greatest in the 26 years the snow
has toured America and Contlnen-
tai Europe. Continuing he SAID:
business is 90 per cent greater
uhan last season and 10 per cent
better than in 1929. - He is OF the