Sawdust & Spangles: Stories & Secrets of the Circus

can never succeed. I have often been reproved by business men who were astounded at the lavish and apparently wasteful expenditures of the circus for "show and blow," and who have ins

se the curiosity of the public, expens

RIVALS OF THE

erlets-"hell benders," as they were commonly called. One of the opposition shows was making a great feature of a pair of hippopotami, or river horses, from the Nile. I had made arrangements to receive, at stated inter

was sitting in my office, a bill to the amount of six dollars was presen

I. "'One dozen hell

xclaimed, "that I have been adve

I laughing

0 worth of hippos higher than a kite!" It certainly was a fact that our fifty-cent articles had bee

is finger in the mouth of one of the smaller ones. I placed my finger in the mouth of another and found that the creatures seemed to derive pleasure from the action of sucking. Immediately I sent out for an ordinary infant's

PPEAL TO PUB

too young, or perhaps she had been killed at the time the young were captured. So effectively did they appeal to public interest and sentiment that by dint of skillful advertising the celebrated "sucking baby elephants" made quite a fortune in a sing

OF YOUNG

forth many laughable communications from persons who have curiosities of this kind to sell. I remembe

imore

have a four-legged c

t I never in my life heard a concert announcement made in my show without feeling like getting up and leaving in disgust; but all c

FROM ALBANY TO

n the whole caravan would pass through a toll-gate, stating that the "boss" was behind and would pay the toll. The last vehicle to go through would contain this dignitary and his treasurer, who, when confronted with the long list of vehicles on which he ought to pay toll, would declare that the toll-keeper had been im

ide." The procession accordingly started on what has passed into circus history as the "silent parade," for, leaving the city in all the glory of spangle and tinsel, the showmen never rested until

irs, capable of being carried in three railroad cars, to the elaborate institutions which require two long special trains for their transportation. The expense of running a large show is enormous, although in advertising this expense is

NG LEVELS OF

ting of leaping, tumbling, and athletic feats, then a license may be taken out at a greatly reduced price; and this accounts for the almost numberless small shows which annually tour the country. Of the circus and menagerie show proper I do not think

used an entire season by a large show may be purchased cheaply, because it is essential to the attractiveness of a really great amusement institution to have each

re compelled to purchase everything new. And, in this connection, let me say that I know of no other business enterprise in which new material costs so much, and when sold at second-hand realizes so little. One of the largest shows ever organized in this country, a

a day, although it is surprising what wonderful displays are made by others at a cost of less than $1,000 a day. The reason for this is that, above a certain amount, the expenses depend largely upon the amount of advertising done. It is amusing, however, to note the manner in wh

TO RIDE WITH

the highly ornamental cars used for advance advertising. These are comfortably, and even elaborately, fitted, and are provided with a huge paste boiler and other conveniences. They cost anywhere from $3,000 to $7,000. The flat and stock cars used by circuses are much more substantially constructed than the ordinary ones u

e depends, of course, on the amount used and its quality, and whether the costumes are intended for a spectacular show or for an ordinary circus. The wardrobe and papier maché chari

for very much less money. The small circuses that hover around Chicago and the larger cities of the West in summer usually use a tent about eighty feet across, with two thirty-foot middle pieces. This, equipped with poles, seats and lights, costs abo

AND COST OF T

I was the first to use, is the patent of an Englishman, improved by an American named Gale. It first took the place of kerosene lights, so far as circus illumination is concerned, in 1870. In experimenting with these lights, when I first introduced them, I several

ut fifty cents each, and hundreds of them are required by every circus. Harnesses requir

, in passing through the streets, its faults do not attract the attention of the ordinary observer, but only that of the typical horseman. Ring horses, whether for a "pad" or a "bare-back" act, must have a regular gait, as without it the rider is liable to be thrown. They are frequently and generally owned by the performers themselves, and I ha

E INVOICE BOOK

from the following figures that the cost of starting a new first-class circus and menagerie is another proposition. Here are a few official figures

at $350,

s at $1,500

at $3,000 e

be wagon

t wagon

e for th

these cages wi

s, $2,

Tigers,

ards,

k, 1

d Horse

els,

ants, 3

elivered here for $1,000 each,

otamus,

ceros,

f monkeys

aroo,

owary,

rich,

ffe, 1

ing hyenas, bears, ichneum

agons at $20

chariots

at $125 eac

is above

ses at $15

sing cars

be, 3,

pers,

rs at $400

rs at $400

nt car

, 4,0

,75

must be added considerable money for stakes, shovels, picks, stake pullers, extra ropes, tickets, blank contracts and a

live stock insurance company came to me to insure our horses, but at the rate at wh

on the road, there being certainly not more than three aggregations that cost more than the amount I have given. No man should attempt the sho