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Circus Scrap Book

July 1930, No. 7

Scroll down for the article you are looking for in this issue. Note: Only some articles are included in this online edition. 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 Cook House, Past and Present

By Arthur Davis, The Trouper, December 22, 1917. Reprinted in Circus Scrap Book, No. 7 (Jul), 1930, pp. 12-15.

In these days of scarcity of labor that attend amusement enterprises, that condition has revolutionized one department of the show business, the Cook-House. Back in the early days, this department was not reckoned with very much. All contracts between the show owners and their employees called for the former to furnish the meals. This was done, but little, if any, attention was paid to the quality of the food. Just so long as the cook-house went up and down, and something was furnished, that was about all required of the steward and, in many cases, the cook-house was slovenly and unclean, while the quality of the food served was anything but appetizing.

I well remember the first cook-house I ever ate in. The meals were cooked on what was known as a "Maria," which was nothing more than a large sheet of tin laid across two stones, a fire built underneath and the meat fried on it. The bill of fare was steak and boiled potatoes, a stew for lunch and a boiled meat for supper. Pastry was unknown and butter was only served in rare cases, while to get eggs meant a bribe for both cook and waiter. But that is all in the past and the cook-house of the present day is even better than the average three dollar per day hotel.

To such men as Addy Moreland, George Klein, George Arlington, the Davis Brothers, Ollie Webb, Charles Henry, Fred Seymour and Dixie Engles is due the credit for the wonderful change that has come over this department. The modern cook-house to-day employs a staff of cooks greater than was used in the early days to run the entire outfit. In those days a cook-house was operated at an average cost of not over ten cents per meal, while today the cook-house meal will average twenty-one cents. The high cost of food-stuffs is only partly responsible for the increase. In the olden days the cook was not engaged for his ability to cook, but for his ability to work, while today many a circus chef receives as high as one hundred dollars per month salary and does nothing but over-see the work. In days gone by, it took about two hours to prepare breakfast; to-day the morning meal is served in an hour from the time the wagons strike the lot and consists of a breakfast food, two meats, eggs, potatoes, coffee and hot cakes.

To the Barnum and Bailey Circus goes the credit for the first radical improvement in the cook-house. Messrs. Cole and Klein were given the contract, and the improvements made by them over the old methods were wonderful. Real chefs were engaged, real food was served and the bill of fare was one to tickle the appetite of an epicure.

George Arlington was the pioneer in transforming the cook-house into the modern hotel on wheels. He was the first to use the range wagons and it was he who introduced the steam plant. The cook-house, under the management of Mr. and Mrs. Arlington, cost, to equip alone, as much money as it cost to equip many a circus. The table-ware was all silver-plated, the linen the best, a portable laundry furnished fresh linen daily, a specially designed bake-oven gave the folks pastry twice a day, the one man cook evolved into a soup cook, a pastry cook, a meat cook, fry cooks, broilers, butchers, bakers, vegetable cook, pantry man, in fact there was not a hotel that could boast of a more complete kitchen. If the employees of circuses only knew it, the innovations introduced by Mr. and Mrs. Arlington are the reason showfolk are so well fed, and why the cook-house to-day is what it is.

Of the latter day stewards, one in particular who shines out as a master in his line is Ollie Webb of the Ringling Brothers Circus. Mr. Webb is rightfully entitled to the title 'King of the Cook-house Men." With the Ringling Circus there are some 1200 employees and to feed that number three times daily under conditions that very often are anything but desirable, seems to the genial Ollie a pleasure instead of a task, but a visit to this wonderful plant will show the visitor 100% efficiency. This cook-house employs some 150 men among whom are some of the best cooks in the country. All are trained men, before securing work each passes an inspection. He must show that he knows his work thoroughly. The cooks are recruited from Chicago's best hotels, the breakfast meats are all broiled, special devices are used for turning out the hot cakes served every morning. A marvelous steam plant turns all the food out absolutely sanitary. A refrigerator wagon insures good meats, and in this the vegetables are also carried. The pastry department is equipped with modern bake ovens, the butcher shop is complete in every detail, each man is in uniform. Trained head waiters are in the dining-room to see that the service is perfect. The tableware is of the best, the linen is always clean and, above all, when the folks are at meals, they are not subjected to the remarks of the public as the dining tents are private. As to the bill-of-fare, I have never seen any hotel that feeds its guests, day in and day out, as well as mine host Webb.

In keeping with the Ringliag standard, Charles Henry, steward of the Barnum and Bailey Circus also deserves credit and has a plant complete in every detail.

The newest invention in equipment has just been introduced by a man who, while he has never made an attempt to blossom forth in public, still has given the show world an innovation which is the last word in cook-house equipment and he is Fred Seymour, steward of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. His new gasoline cooker covers everything. It boils, it broils, it roasts and all this is done with a cooker which can be folded up in boxes and requires no more room than an average trunk, and as for speed, it has cut down the time of preparing a meal to less than half formerly required and at a minimum cost. Many shows, last season, adopted the Seymour system.

In conclusion I might say that there is no doubt but what the improved cook-house has but just started on its march of progress. As various advancements are made, each manager eagerly secures it for the day of poorly or insufficiently fed showfolk is past. The circus owner realizes that the scarcity of labor must be combatted with a good cook-house in order to hold his men. Poor food is gone, as is the workingman of the old school, and the present generation will not have anything but the best.

Messrs. Mugivan and Bowers put on an innovation this season which will, no doubt, be extensively copied by many shows. They have a cook-house erected near the runs, the idea being to save the long walk for the razorbacks and the train porters. When the train is unloaded, breakfast is ready at hand.

Let us give thanks to the men who have given their best efforts to the making of more enjoyable a life, which, at its best, is hard, and also show our appreciation for the men who have gladly accepted the numerous improvements so that when the flag goes up and we enter the cook-house, we will not feel as though we are just getting a stipulated clause of our contract, but that we are going to get the best the market affords and that to go to the cook-house is not a hardship but a pleasure.

Verily, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

My Box Office Experiences

By B. Morgenthau. Circus Scrap Book, No. 7 (Jul), 1930, pp. 15-18.

When the Carl Hackenbeck Wild Animal Show opened its doors to the public at the World's Fair, at Chicago in 1893, the public failed to respond. "Just another of those dog and pony shows," they said.

Then, all of a sudden, the doubting public awoke to the fact that here was "something different." Did they come? Well, three of us handed out the tickets so fast that we usually swamped the takers at the entrance. I never made any attempt to check up on the number any of us sold in a given time; personally, though, following each sale for the current, performance, my hands and wrists ached. We started with two shows a day, afternoon and night. When the demand became so great, a second afternoon show was put on. Mornings, one of us, usually myself, sold admission tickets to the menagerie only. This entailed no especial effort.

Our method of handling the tickets during the rush hours was this: A heavy card-board ticket served for general admission. A special ticket to be torn from a numbered roll for the holder of a box-seat, and another roll for the holder of a seat in the reserved section back of the boxes. A third roll of tickets for the "half fares." Crude, but we mastered it.

The caged arena was in the center with the seats rising after the manner of an amphitheatre. On either side of the lobby leading to the one entrance, was a box office; a third, a portable one, being located on the Midway Plaisance, directly fronting the building. The lobby offices had low, wide counters so that we might sit at our work, a heavy wire screen protecting us from the public. An opening in the screen served to exchange tickets for money. Below these counters was a shelf for holding our tickets, stacked silver, and one dollar bills.

When in action, we held a bunch of general admissions in our left hand while we served the extra tickets and made change with our right. If presented a five dollar bill, the change went out in silver. If the purchaser started to protest, a husky Columbian Guard sent him on his way; we had no time for arguments. Of course, if time permitted, he would receive currency.

Bills of large denomination were thrown on the floor to be gathered up and assorted at our leisure between shows. At times, I was "knee deep" in currency. To attempt to carry those larger bills on the shelf was futile, with the possibility of handing one out in place of those of lesser denomination.

Personally, I always wore a light cap with the visor drawn well down over my eyes, my eyes remaining focused on the opening in the screen. No time for conversation, no especial interest in the identity of the purchaser.

Many humorous incidents occurred at the ticket window, incidents too numerous to attempt to crowd into your valuable space.

However, as a sample or two may prove interesting, here they are.

On one busy occasion, a visitor from out of town stopped before my screen. He placed the little tot he was carrying on the counter, at one end, as he excitedly reached for his pocket-book. He was all "het up" to see the wonderful show. The moment he had his ticket in hand, he made a wild dash for the inside, leaving the child seated on the counter! I gasped wondering what sort of a father he might be. Presently, he came dashing back, wild-eyed. "Did you see my baby anywhere?" he cried at me. "There it is," I informed him, indicating. He showed his relief as he gathered up the child and again hurried back to the show. Can you beat that?

On another occasion, usually about noon, when there came a "lull before the storm," some hick would stand in the lobby and slowly read aloud the announcement fastened on the wall beside the entrance: NEXT PERFORMANCE AT 1 O'CLOCK. He would then turn to me with "Say, mister, when's the next show start?" "12:60," I would solemnly assure him. He would consult his watch and go away to return for the "12:60" show.

Lunch boxes, wraps, all sorts of odds and ends were continually being left on the counter. When we could pull them through the screen, we did so, to await the proper claimant, provided someone on the other side of the screen did not beat us to it. Strange as it may seem, these events usually occurred outside the rush hours. No place like a Circus box office to study human nature!

In addition to the show itself, we operated under the same roof, a restaurant, two large rooms with accommodations for eating and drinking, cigar stands, etc.

At 9 P. M., my duties consisted in checking up all ticket accounts. At 11 P. M. came the returns from our other operations.

Saturday, October 7th, the receipts for the day were top-heavy. We did our banking downtown and the bank closed at noon. So the money was carefully assorted, bundled and stowed away in the small safe attached to my office. Sunday, the 8th, was another heavy day. Monday, the 9th, Chicago Day, was the day of days, and no banks open. The bundled money for these three days was such that it was impossible to close the door of the small safe.

Chicago at the time was overrun with crooks. Our manager, Mr. Ed Hoffheimer, was justly worried over the contents of the insufficient safe. A cot was placed in the office. How much I slept that Monday night, my feet against the partly opened safe door, is left to your imagination. Within easy reach was a formidable revolver. The night watchman kept prowling in the neighborhood of the office. Nothing happened.

Tuesday morning, a closed carriage drew up, before the entrance of the concession across the road, an armed guard seated beside the driver. The gathering crowd had a sight of two men carrying a satchel between them, on either side a guard with drawn revolver. They saw the four men disappear into the carriage and the carriage drive off. Later I learned that the satchel contained $6,000.

Following the departure of the carriage, I stepped out a back entrance of our building, accompanied by an assistant. Under my arm was an oblong package done up in ordinary wrapping paper. The package contained $16,000, in bundled currency!

My assistant, an able-bodied fellow, also carried a paper-wrapped package, $2,000, in gold and silver!

The balance of the three days' receipts was left behind to meet current accounts. My companion and I pushed our way through the grounds to the station of the Illinois Central R. R., boarded an express, and rode unmolested to Van Buren Street. Here we detrained and began our fight through the mulling crowds on our way to the bank. We and our precious packages were jostled right and left. If the crooks had only known!

Needless to add, our wrought-up manager found relief on getting a phone message announcing our safe arrival at the bank.

An Adam Forepaugh Poster

Circus Scrap Book, No. 7 (Jul), 1930, pp. 21-22.

This is the poster used by the Adam Forepaugh Show in the year 1890:

"Adam hath been.

"Adam hath passed away.

"But lo! Adam still liveth; his name and fame endureth ever, and the mighty temple created even by his own hands groweth with ye fleeting time. Adam, the originator, the creator, the propagator, hath long since first shaped his mighty show, and many things have come to pass ere now. Star-eyed science hath made many sturdy strides. Peerless progress hath many things perfected. Many wondrous changes hath been marked on Fame's eternal rule, and yet no show of equal kind hath been.

"Fierce wars were many, scowling carnage hath o'erridden smiling peace. Electro's spark with telegraphic chains two hemispheres hath united. Nations hath crumbled. Kings hath trembled on their tottering thrones. Menlo's sage with trumpet tongue hath spoken all the tongues on earth. Change hath come to universal order, but yet did Adam's mighty show prove greater than the rest.

"In nothingness hath Adam Forepaugh formed this show.

"In fulness hath he reformed it to be forever perpetuated by

"His Princely Son, and now, even soon, it will come among the greatest glory of the day, the latest, greatest, grandest, richest show on all this mundane sphere. Mark ye all its day and date, here and elsewhere, from Boston town to Bangor town and back again.

"The King is dead; Long live the King! His Princely Son, His Royal Show, a famed Successor cometh! All hail! All hail!"

A Narrow Escape From Moonshiners

From the Barnum and Bailey 1906 Route Book. Reprinted in Circus Scrap Book, No. 7 (Jul), 1930, pp. 34-37.

Immediately after the ending of the Civil "War, and before the predomination of the carpet-baggers in the South, there was a considerable incursion of Northern capitalists looking for rapid returning investments. The era of prosperity in the devastated Dixie's land did not eventuate as promptly as expected, but some of those enterprising people, the circus managers who are naturally risk-takers, pushed into the domain of the defunct Confederacy and pitched their white tents of peace where had stood those of war. Old John Robinson, of Cincinnati, and James DeMott, of Philadelphia, both had their eyes on the territory so lately traversed with battling armies, each resolved to skim the cream of it as rapidly as possible. In arranging routes these astute circus managers essayed to visit the several sections immediately after the gathering of the crops of sugar, tobacco and cotton and finish their tours before the annual financial settlements of the New Year.

DeMott played Delaware and Maryland, in the spring following, with New Jersey and New England, a swing out of Vermont, through Canada, from which he emerged into the State of New York, crossed Pennsylvania and headed at once as fast as his wagon train could make the distance for a corner of Maryland striking Virginia and going up the Shenandoan Pike as far as Staunton. After that their routes lay over the mountains. The General Agent who planned the campaign of invasion wrote Peterson the contracting agent:

"Lose no time in reaching the tobacco country of Virginia and North Carolina, move night and day, as, to make a dollar we must scoop this country ahead of Robinson. The territory is as familiar to the old man as the streets of Cincinnati and if he reaches it before we do, there won't be money enough left for us to buy wagon grease."

Peterson was a hustler and hardly needed this note of warning to inspire him with action. The contractor who arranged for lots, licenses, billboard display, hotel accommodations, etc., was accompanied by a press agent named Whitney, who looked after the newspaper announcements. The two advance men rode in a top buggy with a powerful quick-gaited horse in the shafts. Peterson drove, and assumed all responsibility en route, while the literary passenger kicked and growled at the many all-night excursions, and in inclement weather vowed that he would never again enlist in the service of a wagon show. Peterson assuaged his comrade's anger by observing:

"You had better grin and bear it, my boy. If Old John gets there first you may stand a chance of adding a failure to your record as a circus-boomer. We turn homeward at Tarboro and if - ."

"If I am not overturned down a mountainside or drowned in crossing a ford - ."

"You will live to the closing of the season at Richmond."

"If I don't die of eating hog in the meantime," added the promotor of publicity.

Whitney fumed and fretted but without avail, the inexorable Peterson unrelentingly pushed to the front travelling night and day, well repaid for his hardships in the knowledge that his principal had as yet met no competition with the much dreaded Robinson who had been popular in the Southland for decades before the war. At every stage of their progress southward Peterson was enthused and tireless. Whitney was worn and weary. At Rocky Mount they were met by the General Agent who cheerily remarked to the scribe:

"Keep a stiff upper lip, son. As the lad remarked to the boy who was receiving parental punishment, 'the agony will soon be over.' After Weldon you can make your trip by rail to Richmond and spend the rest of the Winter reciting your adventures and hair-breadth escapes by mountain, field and flood."

At the town preceding Tarboro, Peterson said to the disgusted Whitney:

"We leave for Tarboro tonight after supper; this will be the last night's drive. The country on the back-track to Richmond I believe to be safe."

Whitney growled unintelligibly and Peterson smiled at his unhappy discomfiture. Up to midnight the advance agents travelled over a narrow road that led through a deep, dark pine forest. Neither addressed a word to the other, although the driver at times urged the faithful horse on with a command.

At twelve o'clock they were in the deepest, darkest depths of pine woods, when suddenly there was a flash of a pine knot in flame and the figures of several men appeared in the roadway.

"Moonshiners!" whispered Peterson.

Whitney gasped and shuddered, Peterson drew a rein on the horse. One of the men took the animal by the head. The man with the torch accompanied by several of his fellows came up to the carriage and interrogated:

"What brings you in these parts and whar you goin'?"

Peterson at once realized that the interloping strangers were moonshiners laboring under the impression that the travelers were government detectives, hunting illicit distillers, and he explained calmly stating their business and reasons for traveling at night. Whitney experienced symptoms of a chill, his teeth chattering and his whole body trembling with an ague of fear. On substantiation of his statement the driver handed the spokesman a programme of DeMott�s Arenic Exposition, which the man with a torch glanced over and returned with the significant remark:

"Strangers, you 'pears to be all right, but you-uns are takin' mighty risky chances traveling in these parts o' nights." Before Peterson could reply he produced a bottle from his pockets and proffered it with the remark: "Take sunthin'. It's moonshine pine-top and may not suit your taste. Your friend there peers to have the shakes; a swig will do him good."

Peterson, who knew the quality of the vile concoction, went thru the motions of drinking and passed the bottle to Whitney who unguardedly took an immense swallow of the fiery stuff and then choked and sputtered and exclaimed as soon as he could find a word:

"Turpentine!"

The moonshiners laughed immoderately and the spokesman retorted: "Makes the drunk come just the same, even thought it is pine-top whiskey."

Peterson suavely asked the distance to Tarboro, bade the holdups good-night and drove on. As soon as they were out of sight and hearing he drove out of the road and into the pines explaining to his companion:

"We'll stop here until daylight. I am not going to take any more chances tonight."

For a wonder Whitney objected to the precaution and was for pushing on to Tarboro. Peterson remained firm in his determination to remain in idle safety rather than taking any chances.

"If you are afraid, I am not!" exclaimed the press agent, boastfully.

Peterson remembered Whitney's terrors and the castanet-like beating of his teeth at the appearance of the illicit distillers, but said nothing. At day break they resumed their journey. After an hour's ride they came upon a horrible sight. In a vehicle similar to their own they discovered two murdered men, shot to death, one sat bolt upright in the seat as if living, the other had sank to the bottom of the carriage.

"A narrow escape" exclaimed Whitney.

"Their fate would have been ours, had you had your way," returned Peterson.

Whitney had discovered a piece of paper attached to the body of the man in an upright position. It was a misspelled scrawl which he had some difficulty in interpreting. Deciphered it read:

"Warning to government detectives!"

An Old Time Advertisement of the New York Circus

From Batavia (N. Y.) Spirit of the Times, September 1, 1886 [sic]. Reprinted in Circus Scrap Book, No. 7 (Jul), 1930, pp. 38-40.

"The New York Circus, Nos. 86, 88, 90, 92 and 94 Fourteenth street, New York. L. B. Lent, director, will exhibit in Batavia, Saturday, September 8, 1866. This mammoth establishment is permanently located nine months in the year at its New Colossal Iron Buildings, occupying a frontage of one hundred and twenty-five feet on Fourteenth street, opposite the Academy of Music, New York. This is the only building in America erected and occupied solely for equestrian entertainments.

"The New York Circus will make its first summer tour per railway to a few of the principal cities and towns in the State of New York. This is an entirely new establishment upon which an enormous amount of capital has been lavished with an unsparing hand to make it what it claims and is acknowledged by all to be, the first exhibition of the age. The one which has identified with it the champion of the world, Mr. James Robinson, the bold and intrepid horseman whose wonderful and startling bare-back riding has created the most profound sensation throughout the world. No other performer has ever commanded such munificent compensation; no such rider has ever been seen; none has received such marks of respect, such costly presents, such evidences of appreciation as the wearer of the Golden Diamond Belt, James Robinson.

"A remarkable feature of the equestrianism of Mr. Robinson will be the introduction of his infant son, Master Clarence (only five years of age), the youngest, smallest and prettiest rider in the world, who largely inherits the wonderful boldness and extraordinary nerve of his father.

"Another chief attraction of the New York Circus is the especially gifted artiste, Mlle. Carlotta DeBerg. The most dashing and daring equestrienne the world has ever produced, from the Cirque Napoleon, Paris. The exquisite grace and peerless skill of Mlle. DeBerg, combined with an irrestible abandon and fearless dash, incomparably surpasses every species of female equestrianism hitherto seen on this contrinent. This lady made her debut in New York April 23, 1866, and achieved a success unprecedently brilliant. Her fresh and spirited style fairly electrified the amusement world of New York. Possessing superior artistic genius, allied to rare personal fascination, Mlle. DeBerg will not permit the possibility of rivalry in her peculiar elegant School of Equitation, which she surrounds with affluence of beauties and embellishes with a halo of radiance captivating by their perfection and dazzling splendors.

"Our space will only permit the names of the other leading performers who are unequaled for their special talents. Among the most widely famed are: James E. Cook, Charles E. Madigan, William Ducrow, the Levantine Brothers, J. Messenger, S. Stickney, Francisco Lee, James H. Madigan, W. A. Donovan, Josephine LeRoux, Hubert Forest, Sig. Jose Monteverde, the Motly Brothers and J. S. Strickland.

"Four great clowns: Joe Pentland, the people's clown; E. Crouste, the Shakespearean orator; Mons. Francis Louiset, the French grotesque; William Donovan, the funny philosopher.

"The leaping buffalos, from the far West are not the least of our attractions. The stud of horses and ponies comprises the finest specimens of horseflesh ever collected together on this continent.

"The New York Circus has the first and only waterproof pavilion ever manufactured. The grand cortege will be headed by the new and beautiful light band chariot containing Prof. Boswold's Full Opera Band, of New York.

"The new waterproof pavilion will be lighted brilliantly with Reichmann's new patent chandelier.

"N. B. - Notwithstanding the incalculable expense attendant upon the enormous combination of novelties, the price of admission will be only 50 cents. Children under 10 years of age, 25 cents. To all parts of the mammoth pavilion. No standing room. Seats for all. Afternoon and evening. Doors open at 2 and 7 o'clock. Commence at 2:30 and 7:30 p. m.

"August - Buffalo, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 28th, 29th and 30th; Attica, Friday, 31st. September - Nunda, Saturday, 1st; Hornellsville, Monday, 3d; Corning, Tuesday, 4th; Bath, Wednesday, 5th; Wayland, Thursday, 6th; Avon, Friday, 7th; Batavia, Saturday, 8th; Canandaigua, Monday, 10th; Penn Yan, Tuesday, 11th; Watkins, Wednesday, 12th; Elmira, Thursday, 13th; Owego, Friday, 14th; Binghamton, Saturday, 15th.

"N. B. - The General Contracting Agent will visit each place of exhibition about fifteen days in advance of the above dates with newspaper advertisments, pictorial posters, lithographs, etc."

Harry Cole�s Column

Amazing Circus Advertising

Chicago, May, 1891. Reprinted in Circus Scrap Book, No. 7 (Jul), 1930, pp. 40-41.

John Robinson's general agent hired a man in a southern Indiana town for the bill-posting crew, who was a member of the Salvation army. One night, after a faithful day's work, he was aroused by the old, familiar beating of drums, clash of cymbals and jingle of the tambourines, and yielding to his first impulse, fell into line again as a full-fledged Salvationist in active service. But the next day his bill-posting duties would take him into another town, so he was forced to choose between the circus and the Salvation soldier's life. He first decided to end his circus employment, when a happy thought struck him. Why couldn't he combine the two lines of work? If advertising helped the circus, why wouldn't it aid the Salvation cause? He thought he had a plan for doing that very thing.

From that point forward he advertised the glories of John Robinson's show during the day, and added something for the Salvation army at night. After supper he would go forth provided with a number of small printed notices, which he had printed on purpose. These stickers he pasted on the circus posters. The effect was startling. The daring aeronaut, pictured as falling from a balloon in a parachute, bore across his cest the question, "Where Will You Spend Eternity?" The darky boy shown gazing into the red expanse of a hippopotamus' gullet apparently was trying to read the solemn warning: "Prepare to Meet Thy God."

The clown held a hoop before an equestrian bearing the admonition, "Death Awaits You; Repent Now." The neck of the giraffe was ornamented with "The Straight and Narrow Path is Best." The snake charmer, wrapped in the coils of a boa constrictor, held aloft one hand with the index finger pointing to the words - "No Drunkard Can Enter Heaven." The scantily attired legs of the trapeze artist were partially hidden by the statement, "God Sees Everything," and the elephant's trunk carried the words - "Tomorrow May Be Eternity for You."

The effect of this unique advertising upon the unsophisticated Hoosier youngsters may easily be imagined. The fact that they failed to understand the meaning and application of the religious texts only served to increase the value of the advertising itself. It is safe to say that no circus posters ever attracted more attention. But, alas, they attracted the attention of the management very shortly, and the originator of the double-headed advertising scheme was discharged and threatened with arrest if he attempted any further efforts of a combined religious and circus publicity.

Circuses of Ye Olden Times

By Dixon. From The Trouper, February 17, 1917. Reprinted in Circus Scrap Book, No. 7 (Jul), 1930, pp. 47-52.

Sawdust and spangles is as well exemplified today as it was in the days of yore. Grandpa takes just as much interest in seeing the elephant go round as did the small boy of his youth; in those days of springtime when the circus came to town during the early mists of morning, just like a fairy magic wand, waving the white tops that held words of mysteries that made. the youngsters open their eyes. It was always a red-letter day - was circus day - when the lady of the ring jumped through the fiery paper hoops, and it kept the youngsters on the look, and each one was a grand surprise. Ah! but those were days we dreamed and we've found out that "all is not gold that glitters," but those were honest days for the boy at the circus; but those joys have had an end, as it were.

We can now see through the glitter of the circus parade and well enough know it is all business, and that is not all, but it is steady downright hard work for all engaged in making pleasure for the multitude.

Away back in the seventies, the circus was a small affair compared with the white tops of today. Looking over the old scrap-book, we find in the year of 1872 that there were more than thirty-one circuses and menageries on the road, and the year before, there were forty. We notice in the roster:

P. T. Barnum's Great Traveling Museum, Lent's New York Circus, Howe's Great London Circus, Adam Forepaugh's Aggregation, John O'Brien's Shows, Old John Robinson's Combination, The Menagerie and Circus of Henry Barnum, Conklin Bros. Commonwealth Shows, Van Amburgh's Golden Menagerie, James E. Cooper's Circus, Older's Museum, Romelli & Co.'s Novelty Circus, G. G. Grady's Old-Fashioned Shows, Rosston, Spinger & Henderson's Mastodon Shows, Cole's Hippodrome, Alex Robinson's Circus, J. E. Warner & Co.'s Pacific Circus, Sells Bros. Great North American, George F. Bailey's Cosmopolitan, Stone and Murray's Great Eastern, Kleckner & Kelly's Circus, C. W. Noyes' Circus, Newton Bros. Circus, Dan Rice's Circus, California, Atlantic & Pacific Shows, Sanby, Dunbar & Company's Shows, O'Connor's Circus, Blackenstoe's Cosmopolitan, James Robinson's Great Circus.

Among some disbanded were the European, Smith, Watters & Company, Sheldenberger's, Handenberger's, Stowe and Orton's Macarte Sisters, Madam Lake's, J. W. Robinson's, E. Stowe's, Miles Orton's, Nixon's, Yankee Robinson's.

If our memory serves us right, about the year 1871, we attended Lent's New York Circus, at Buffalo, on the old circus lot on the corner of Pearl and Niagara streets. A visit from Lent in those days was quite an event, and it was in June, and it was "some show," comprising James Melville, the champion bareback rider; Nathan Austin, on four bareback horses; George Donald, Somersault rider; and Levantine Brothers, one of them, Fred, now high up in vaudeville circles; Frank Melville, juvenile rider; the Australian Family; W. H. Lester, contortionist; Master Alexander, hurdle rider; Julian Camp was the clown, as was also Nat Austin; Ferdinand Sagrino, a scenic equestrian; Allen Rose, R. W. Beswick and Organ, Conklin and Morris.

The show carried "some band" led by Charles Boswald, with twenty-five members, which would make them sit up and listen today. We have failed in our latter days, to witness a better show; and we have seen some shows. In the olden days, an ordinary corner lot answered for most any travelling show, but today it takes nearly a city block to accommodate a circus like the Barnum and Bailey, or the Ringling Brothers shows. In those days, the menagerie and the circus performance was given under one tent and the white top wasn't much larger than, some of the dressing, or side-show, tents now in use.

In passing over the pages of the old-time pasted book, we find several shows that were considered big in their day. The Central Park Menagerie and International Circus came along in the seventies, too. Den Stone was leading clown, with Robert Ellingham as ring-master. It had a group of lady riders, including Mlle. Cordelia, Madame Roland, Mlle. Eloise, Mlle. Beatrice; Markesse was principal rider. Two other clowns, Wambold and Roland, made things merry. E. M. Perry, equestrian, Snow Brothers (William, Ben and Dan) and a performing troupe of dogs, an act quite new at the time, and several others helped out as acrobats and gymnasts. Oh-Kee-Na-Wa-Kas troupe of Indians appeared in an after-piece "Life in the Wilderness," who went through a number of characteristic scenes and dances, introducing a dramatic episode, founded on the story of Pocohontas and Capt. Smith, which was carried out in a very realistic manner; much more so than some of the Wild West Shows of later days.

Old John Robinson's was the old reliable of those days, and has well kept up its name. It made its first visit in Buffalo in twenty years. Four tents were used, Museum, Aquarium, Zoo and Circus. The company was made up of Robert Stickney, George M. Kelly, William Conrad, George Stoman, Frank Robins, Mlle. L'Amour, John Wilson. John Lowlow was the clown and featured the colored boy, Lewis, in a hurdle act. Robinson was making a tour of New York state.

It was our pleasure in the palmy days of which we write to visit the circus of D. W. Stone, which made a feature of a musical brigade. "These, our actors," as the bill stated, was headed by Madame Caroline Rolland, Emma Stickney, the Lawrence Sisters, Bob Stickney and Mille Lowell. Lewis Burke and Conrad were the clowns. Three Millette Brothers, Fred Levantine, Three Duval Brothers, James Campbell, Charles Burrows, Nick Lawrence, Adolph Livingston and Tim Murray made up the gymnasts. The leaps were made much of and were led by Bob Stickney. The trampoline was used by the Duval Brothers with much success. Taking it all in all, Den Stone had a show hard to beat.

Pullman Brothers used to run out of Buffalo each season, a fair-sized show under different titles. Dan Shelby, who ran the Adelphia and Terrace theatres, was at one time a partner, and the show made a tour of Canada, but we think it didn't need a freight car to bring home the nickels. One of the brothers is connected with a picture house in Buffalo.

The circus still goes on and finds its staunch admirers among the children, as in the olden days, which we may regard as necessary to its permanent popularity, and there is no possible danger of its becoming extinct as long as "Young America" holds it in favor. The flaring posters never fail to excite admiration in the youthful breast, and the small boy begins to hoard up his pennies or get the price from grandpa for the momentous day, which is looked forward to with the brightest anticipation. People flock the streets just as much today as they did in Dan Rice's time - even more so perhaps, for the usual patrons can come in autos, see the parade, sideshow and the big show, and get home in good season. It is generally a good-natured crowd that attends the tented shows and they cheer the pad-rider just as lustily as the champion bareback rider. Everything goes with approval - even the pictures on the front of the side-show tent. The public declines to grumble if the lemonade is cooled with blocks of glass instead of ice, and the candy butcher himself cannot ruffle the placid tempers of his patrons and gets as good as he sends.

The annual flight of the heroes of the pad and saddle in spangles, for the Centennial year (1876) consisted of twenty Canvas World Fairs. John H. Murray's Circus played at 49th Street and 8th Avenue, New York City, April 24th. Harry Buckley was managed of the Maibee Show. Martino Lowanda was riding with the Barnum show, John O'Brien's Six Shows were at Washington, D. C., and Baltimore, Md., April 10 and 17. John Robinson was doing Kentucky. Van Amburgh's Menagerie started from Armenia, N. Y., April 15; Charles W. Fish, the bareback rider, went out with Murray's Circus. Forepaugh had Romeo Sebastian as a rider; Cooper & Bailey opened at St. Louis, April 17; Adolph Bernabo, somersault rider, was with the Van Amburgh show; W. Hagan had the candy privilege with Murray's; Ripley and Turner, trick banjo players, travelled with Barnum; Dan Boshnell was juggling with Burr Robbins' concert; James Cool was clowning with O'Brien's circus; Louis B. Lent, Jr., was dispensing the pasteboards with Lent's Circus; Col. "Ace" Berry was "directeur de horse" with the Barnum show. Howe's London Circus, which wintered in St. Louis, opened in conjunction with that of Cooper & Bailey, April 17. C. A. Potter, assistant agent with Murray's Circus, season of 1875, handled the program with the 1876 show.

The Ainsleys, Ned and Willie, traveled with the Park & Davis' London Show. Madam Sweet and La Belle Josephine, bareback riders, were with Sandford and Courtney's Circus in Panama. Lew Ballard was driving forty horses with Barnum. B. Crosley was advance agent with Van Amburgh. Professor Leon and wife joined the Murray show. Sam Martin, one-legged song and dance and jig dancer, was with the London show.

J. B. Lent's Circus made a tour of Canada starting at Windsor. Charley Day Joined Lent's Circus as advertising agent. The Pullman Brothers, of Buffalo, had the side-show privileges with the Forepaugh Aggregation, with a tent eighty by forty, and had Madame Lion, the Bearded Lady; Eli Bowen, from Texas; Sprague, the Skeleton; Mariah Nail, Liliputian Queen; Madagascar Lady; Joe Norton, juggler; the Wild Man from Ceylon, and the North Carolina Twins. Ed Jaclalt was solicitor. The concert had Billy Hart, comedian; G. Brooks Clark, vocalist; Frank Howe and wife, and also Frank Frayne did sharp-shooting.

Mlle. Etta, female contortionist, was with J. E. Warner's Circus. Van Amburgh's Menagerie and John O'Brien's Circus were doing New York state. Howe and Cushing's Circus collapsed in Fall River, June 30, and it was reported that the company musicians and others hadn't received any salary for six weeks. They stuck and the season came to an end - so it wasn't all "velvet" under the white tops in those days. Avery Smith and J. J. Nathans were the proprietors.

W. W. Cole, with his circus, was in Canada. Alex Robinson's European Circus exhibited at Hamburg, N. Y., with Mlle. Leon, the Tiger Queen, and advertised a spotted hyena horse.

In the "one-pole era" there was much more prejudice against the circus than there is now, but the people ahead of tent shows of those days were men of business qualifications and ability. We might mention "Papa" Amherst, who came over with Cooke; Frank Trosh; "Uncle" John Tryon; James Dumbolton; Van Amburgh; Tufts; Griswold; Van Orden; Harry Whitbeck; George Davenport; George Bronson; the Junes; Charles Cosite, and others.

In the olden times the white tops were managed by such titles as June, Titus and Angevine; Purdy, Welch and McCumber; Howe, Mead, Fogg and Quick; J. Purdy Brown; Oscar Brown; Green and Bailey; Raymond and Waring; French and Hobbie; also Avery Smith; Aaron Turner; Sands and Lent; Girard, Quick, Palmer and Harrington; Stickney, Brickley, Nathans, Wicks, the Mabies, Welch and Mann and Delevans; Rockwell and Stone; Spaulding and Rogers; Robinson and McCollum and Samuel Nichols, comparing favaorably with the managers of today, notwithstanding the high-sound-titles of the "Aggregations" and "Hippodromes." The agents, also, of the past, would lose nothing in comparison with those of the present, save by jewelry and gold-headed canes.

A bill before the writer states that Welch and Delavan's Grand National Circus exhibited at Lewisburg, May 19, 1837, for only "two bits." Among this talented company were Madam Macarte, scenic rider; Levi J. North, rider; J. J. Nathans, two and four horse rider; Moses Lipman, somersaulter; John May, clown; E. Woods, Indian rider; Mocarte, acrobat; Frank Pastor, who is noted for grace; F. Brower, N. Jamieson and J. Stickney gave an Ethiopian character concert; J. J. Nathans, equestrian director, and Frank Whittaker, riding. Master Levi J. North performed the dancing horse, "Tourmany," and also two ponies, "Black Moggy and Jennie Lind." C. Griswold was the agent.

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CHS webmaster J. Griffin, last modified May 2006.