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Bandwagon, September-October 1957
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Bandwagon, Vol. 1, No. 4 (Sep-Oct), 1957. Note: Only some articles are included in this online edition. Illustrations are not included. The Circus Historical Society does not guarantee the accuracy of information contained in the information in these online articles. Information should always be checked with additional sources.
The massive, heavily scrolled wagon with the carved lion and winged serpents as central figures, is shown in the illustration as it appeared as the No. 1 bandwagon on the Kit Carson Buffalo Ranch Wild West Show in 1913.
There are really not too many details known about this particular wagon to this scribe but perhaps some of Bandwagon readers can fill in the missing blanks.
To the best of my knowledge the wagon first appeared on the Cole Bros. World Toured Shows, a 25 car circus, owned and operated by Martin Downs in period 1906-09, I am uncertain as to who built it and also the exact date it got to that show. The chain of circuses leading up to Cole Bros. began in early 1900 when Willie Sells and James H. Gray organized a 15 car circus at Elwood, Indiana, and put it on the road for the 1900 season as "Sells & Gray New United Shows." It was also on the road for the 1901-02, and 03 seasons, and then as the late Col. C. G. Sturtevant once put it when writing the life history of Willie Sells, that James H. Gray had been the victim of Willie's shrewd manipulations. Gray started out with the money and no circus experience, but ended up with experience only, the money having departed elsewhere. For the 1904 season Martin Downs become associated with Sells, and the show was known as Sells & Downs for the 1904 and 1905 seasons. From photos I have seen of these shows I'm almost positive that no wagon the size of the one we are discussing was carried on the train. Downs got complete charge of the show in winter of 1905-06 and in 1906 the show went out as Cole Bros. World Toured Shows and was soon increased to 25 cars. There is a note in the Jan. 23, 1909 Billboard which I believe is a clue as to when the bandwagon got to the show. The item says that a new bandwagon has arrived in the winter quarters of the Cole Bros. Show, and I strongly suspect this is the date this particular wagon made its debut on Cole Bros., and was probably built especially for the show.
Shortly after the 1909 season Martin Downs was kicked by a horse and later died, and his show was put on the auction block in early 1910 by Fiss, Doer, and Carroll, New York horse dealers.
The Billboard reported that 47 circus men attended the sale, all major shows being represented with the exception of Gollmar Bros. Largest buyer was J. A. Jones, who got a ticket wagon, calliope, bandwagons, chariots, cages, three tableaux, railroad cars, baggage stock. Other buyers were 101 Ranch, Ringling, Josie DeMott, Bartell Animal Co., Danny Robinson, Frank A. Robbins, Fred Buchanan, Andrew Downie, and Al F. Wheeler etc. W. E. Franklin and Walter L. Main were there but didn't buy anything.
In all probability J. A. Jones got this bandwagon and for the 1910 season it was on his, "Jones Bros. Buffalo Ranch Wild West Show", a 14 car show that traveled on 1 advance, 3 stock, 6 flats, and 4 coaches.
After just one season Jones proceeded to sell his show. The Dec. 10, 1910 Billboard reported that Thomas Wiedemann had purchased from Jones at Pulaski, Tenn. on November 12, some 29 horses, cars, wagons etc. and these were shipped to Wiedemann's quarters at Harrisburg, Illinois. The Jan. 7, 1911 Billboard further reported that Jones had now sold all of his show except two sleepers, the equipment having been purchased by Downie & Wheeler, Masterson Shows, and Thomas Wiedemann.
Anyway, Tom Wiedemann got this bandwagon and placed it on his new show that was framed to tour the 1911 season. The show was called "Kit Carson Buffalo Ranch Wild West Show", and was actually a combination circus and wild west and performance was presented in a tent rather than the usual canvas canopy and open air arena type show used by most wild west outfits. The Kit Carson show had one of the best flying acts in the country as well as other circus type acts. For 1911 one train inventory shows a total of 12 cars, 1 advance, 3 stocks, 5 flats, and 3 coaches. Another shows 14 cars, 1 advance, 3 stocks, 6 flats, and 4 coaches. Both may be right as is possible show enlarged entour. I remember seeing one item in Billboard to effect that once the show replaced a 50 ft. flat car with a 60 ft. car in order to make room for a new uptown pit show wagon. Shows constantly did such things in those days. This bandwagon was used as the No. 1 parade wagon all 4 seasons the show was on the road.
In 1912 the Kit Carson show was on 17 cars, 1 advance car, 5 stocks, 5 coaches, and 6 flats, and probably remained the some for the next year although that is just a guess on my part.
After the 1913 season the show didn't go back to Harrisburg, Ill. quarters but wintered in Birmingham, Ala. and opened the 1914 season in the South.
The Kit Carson show had the reputation of being a rough and tumble grift outfit, with plenty of "hey rubes" fights when the grifters were working. A source that was familiar with the show tells me that the strong grift was what finally closed the show. On Friday, October 23, 1914 at Harlan, Kentucky, the show was shot out of town by irate natives, and the next day, Oct. 24 at Barboursville, Kentucky the show halted. Creditors had stepped into the picture and closed the show and had it shipped to the U. S. Printing & Litho. Co. plant at Cincinnati, Ohio where it was advertised for auction. The stock was sold in December 1911, and March 20, 1915 was the time set for the sale of other properties at Cincinnati, except 5 cars and 12 wagons that were still stored at Harrisburg, but these were to be sold by description at the auction. Later note says the equipment in Harrisburg was taken over by a rail car company.
The Kit Carson property at the sale went for very low prices. The Billboard states that the Dodson Carnival got the calliope (which may have been the instrument only) pole wagon, stage coach, 4 baggage wagons, blacksmith wagon, two tableaux, 1 stringer wagon, and a bandwagon. J. A. Jones, Harry Hill (Wild West), and Rice & Dore got other equipment. The report also goes on to say that "outsiders" got among other things, the ticket wagon, and one tableaux wagon.
Whether it was the Dodson Carnival or an "outsider" as the Billboard put it, who got this bandwagon I am unable to say. The trail now becomes lost and I have yet to find any wagon historian who can trace it past this sale. The May 15, 1915 Billboard reported that the sale of the Harrisburg equipment by the rail car company to the U. S. Printing & Lithographing Co. had been set aside by the courts but how that deal finally came out I still cannot answer.
Tom Wiedemann got nothing out of the sales, but he turns up for the 1915 season as manager of 17 car circus called "Barton and Bailey World Celebrated Shows", owned by John A. Barton and Harry Bailey, and leased equipment from William P. Hall of Lancaster, Mo. to put it on the road for a few months before Hall repossessed it and sent it back to Lancaster. (Thanks Tom Parkinson for your help in providing data for this article).
John Robinson III and his $3,000 tandem of Arabian horses.
Big Bandwagon, Henry Becker and band with 16 singers up, drawn by 8 black horses
Eight English traps, occupied by women performers
Miniature cages drawn by Shetland ponies
Open cage wagon of African pelicans, drawn by 4 camels
Open cage wagon of Russian wild bears
Open cage wagon with Continental drum corps up
Open cage wagon with Polar bear and black sea bear
Tab. cart with clown band
Open cage wagon of wart hogs
Herd of elephants
Water buffalo and sacred cattle
Carved Roman lions den, with the lion Sultan and family inside
Queen Ann chariot cage wagon, large group of Bengal tigers inside
Mirror cage wagon, leopards inside
Tab. van with African antelopes
Big Bandwagon, drawn by 16 horses
Cage wagon, 57 different type of monkeys inside
Chariot cage wagon, pair of Horned horses inside
Cage wagon with Ostriches and Kangaroos
Caliope, drawn by 24 Shetland ponies
Two horse carriage, Fred Bradna
Nine Buglers on horseback
Twelve Lady riders
Bandwagon, 12 horses pulling
Tableau, 6 horses pulling
Tableau, 6 horses pulling
Tableau, 6 horses pulling
Tableau, 6 horses pulling
Tableau, 6 horses pulling
Tableau, 6 horses pulling
Outrider
Twelve Gentlemen on horseback
Bandwagon, 8 horses pulling
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Chariot, 4 horses hitched
Chariot, 4 horses hitched
Hippo cage wagon, 10 horses pulling
Nine Gentlemen riders
Bandwagon, 8 horses pulling
Small tableau, 4 horses pulling
Outrider
America tableau, 10 horses pulling
Europe tableau, 8 horses pulling
Asia tableau, 4 horses pulling
Rhino cage wagon, 8 horses pulling
Nine Ladies on horseback
Bandwagon, colored band up, 6 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Outrider
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Cowboys & cowgirls - 20
Clown Bandwagon, 4 horses pulling
Elephants - 20
Camels - 14
Baby camel
Two Zebras
Three Sacred cattle
Lady & Gentlemen riders - 21
Little Folks tableau, 20 ponies pulling
Jerry Mugivan advertised in the Billboard for all kinds of help for the big show, side show and advance. These people were to be engaged for the Great Van Amburg show in quarters at Atlanta, Ga.
Martin Downs offered for sale in Birmingham, Ala. all the equipment of the 22 car Sells & Downs circus then in quarters at Montgomery, Ala.
The Great Wallace show wanted musicians of all kinds.
John Robinson's 10 Big Shows needed 100 No. 1 sober and reliable billposters.
Sells Floto wanted 60 competent billposters.
Norris & Rowe was advertised as "The pride of the west." It had winter quarters at Santo Cruz, Calif. They wanted for the main show a feature act. For the advance, a car manager, route riders.
The Col. Frederick Cummins Wild West show wanted people in all departments. They had some paraphernalia for sale. Quarters at Geneva, Ohio. Walter L. Main had an interest in the outfit. It was only out one season, 1906.
How the circus advance cars at one time carried a steam calliope. This had the power of advertising through concerts in the evening after the crew had billed the town. Its high notes carried through the night air quite a distance from the railroad yards. Miller Bros. 101 Ranch advertising car carried one when they played the Pacific Coast towns in 1909.
That's what the public is asking show folks. That's what I hope to answer in this article I have attempted to write. Here is my answer, as I have read in a trade paper of the circus and on my own account.
Is it true that the true circus sideshow is silently fading from the scene? That the traditional exhibition of human freaks and oddities is being replaced by menagerie shows.
At the beginning of the 1955 season three shows came out with big sideshows. They were, Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, King Bros., and Clyde Beatty Circus. By coincidence and by coincidence only, these were the shows that closed early.
Sideshows are doing well with carnivals. But the circus midways since mid-season, haven't seen a real sideshow.
The shows that continued under canvas as usual and profitably about twenty in all - did have midway attractions, banner lines, and other elements of a sideshow. But the features were generally animals. What they had was a menagerie in the trappings of a sideshow.
It was pretty much by default that sideshows were virtually absent from the American circus scene.
And what of the future? If Ringling Barnum does stay indoors, it will probably not have a sideshow. Changes are being made in this department in many circus's for future seasons.
Austin King, Parade Marshall
Bert Dennis, Ass't. Marshall
Four Lady Trumpteers of white horses
Big Bandwagon, Ed Woeckener's band up, 8 white horses pulling
Three Palimino tandem horses, Vera Earle at reins
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Open cage wagon, 4 horses hitched
Steam calliope
Four Llama team
Open cage of Pumas, 8 mules, hitched
Open cage of leopards, Martha Florine inside, 12 ponies hitched
Big African display in charge of Sydney Ruik
Four elephants pulling open cage with tiger, Bismark Ferriss band (colored) up
Two elephants
Open cage wagon, clown band up, 6 horses hitched
Zebra tandem, F. E. Miller at reins
Open cage wagon of Himilian bears, 8 horses hitched
Open cage wagon of Hyenas, 8 horses hitched
Open cage wagon of seals, 8 horses hitched
Sacred Cow, lead by Mike, great dane dog
Five camels
Air calliope, Grace Marvel at keyboard
Equestrians
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or means
The Circus Historical Society does not guarantee the accuracy of information contained in the information in these online articles. Information should always be checked with additional sources.
Last modified December 2005.
without written permission of the author and the Circus Historical Society, Inc.