The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-06-18

The Big Show-Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey-with its afr conditioned big top fashioned from solid blue canvas, its four, long trains silver enameled and stream lined in red and gold, steamed into the city early today, coming from Poughkeepsie over the New Haven railroad.
 Immediately after the 1900 people, the 50 elephants, the 1909 menag- erie animals, the hundreds of hors- es and the long lines of cages and baggage wagons were unloaded, with the elephants working swiftly and efficiently in team harness at the task of getting the rolling pieces off the 70-foot flat cars, the haul to the show grounds on West Main street began. Within the hour, the huge six-poled menagerie tent, the cookhouse and dining tents and and the scores of smaller tents had been hoisted into place. Even then, 0 small army of men. were lacing the sections of the worlds largest big top together, and the air con- ditioning units had been spotted in @ vast oval around the great tents stake lines.
 The performances, opening with the magnificent new spectacle, "The Return of Marco Polo," will start at 2;l5 and 8:l5 ?. m., with the doors open ct 1 and ' p. ra., to per- init Q leisurely inspection of the vast menagerie, including Gargan- tua the Great, the famous, giant gorilla, now grown taller, heavier and more vicious, and the hundreds of blue- -blooded ring steeds in the new horse fair tent adjointing 1t.
 The Greatest Show on Earth this season is using four more flat cars than ever before, as the costumes and trappings for "The Return of Marco Polo" designed and produced by the famous Mex Weldy, genius of the original Parisian Folies Der. gere and the Casino de Paris shows in the French capital, require 16 baggage wagons more than the nor- nal rolling equipment of 267 vehi- cles.
 In the backyard of the Big Show and at one end of the big top the cages housing the three great mixed groups of Alfred Courts performing wild animals were wheeled into their exact positions by the willing and ever busy ele- phants. These groups of Polar bears, Abyssianian lions, Begnal tigers, black and spotted leopards, black partners, Siberian Snow leopards, black jaguars, punlas, cougars, giant ocelots and Great D0ne dogs are presented under the personal super vision of Alfred Court, the worlds most famous expert trainer, simul- taneously in three large, steel-bar- red arenas.
 For several years, John Ringing North, president of the circus, has been negotiating in Europe with Court. It is only because of the war that the remarkable Frenchman and his genuinely educated wild animals are making their first ap- pearance on this continent. Court, a wealthy man, grandson of the Marquis de slapier, would never risk some of his priceless beasts in an Atlantic crossing during happier years in Europe. AS 1t is, he had Q four months task on his hands bringing two of his acts from Nor- way and Sweden and one from England, where they were playing when war was declared. Never be- fore has anything like Courts mix. ed groups been seen in America. He uses no guns, no croWbars, no elec- tric prods, and his motto is Pa tience, patience-and still more pa- tience." Court maintains that wild animals have intelligence and dig nity and must be treated with those qualities in mind.
 Heading the most impressive equestrian display in the history of the Ringing Bros. and Barnum x Bailey Circus are Europe's foremost horsemen and riders-Roberto de Vasconcellos, Visconte Ponte da- Barca, former bull fighter, whose father was premier of Portugal un- der King Manuel, and who for the past few years has been acclaimed the greatest high school rider liv- ing, and Los Aseveras-K -Konyot troupe of Czechoslovakian masters of dressage. These eminent stars of the saddle have brought their al- most equally famous horses to America, and they vie with the shows Kentucky prize winners in the high school display, which fea- lures a period number entitled "An Afternoon in the Bois" during the xxuiii-... aniia.. raLi.... ..l noi..a Xalia.,