Show World (July 1909)

July 3, 1909. THE SHOW WORLD 17 BEST CIRCUS SEASON RECORDED IN YEARS HAGENBECK-WALLACE SUIT WILL BE TRIED If July is Anything Like as Good as June the Chances are That the Big Circuses Will Make a Clean-up Motion Seeking a Temporary Injunction Was Stricken From the Docket—Case is a Very Costly One The business being done by circuses is the talk of the amusement world. Just why tented enterprises should be JPspering when parks and other sum¬ mer amusements are doing only an average business and when the coun¬ try is not particularly prosperous, has given the amusement magnates food forethought and up to date there has been no explanation vouchsafed which will stand a. careful inspection. johiritingling says, with a smile, that busines is good with the two shows in which he is interested. The same report comes from all quarters and circusmen agree that the Barnum business is phenomenal. Fred Goll- mar, Walt Gollmar and Fred A. Mor¬ gan, of the Gollmar show; Ed C. War¬ ner, railroad contractor of the Sells- Floto show, and W. O. Tarkington, general agent of the Yankee Robinson show, saw the night performance at Minneapolis June 24 and all agreed it. was the largest crowd they had ever seen under a tent. The Two Bills had a big business in Toronto, Ont., Monday of this week. At night it was necessary to turn several thousand people away. The Hagenbeck-Wallace show played capacity Monday afternoon in Spokane and; closed the doors at night, turn¬ ing’at least 1,500 away. Business has been good for that show in the west, although not quite up to the business done east earlier in the season. The Sells-Floto show, which is not believed to have made much money to date, is reported to have had a $22,- 000 week recently out west. During the week there was a $7,000 town and two $5,000 towns. These figures look very large:for that show and may not be correct. W. E. Franklin wrote Harry Earl to this effect. He may have been stretching the figures or the i letter might have been written with the idea of having it displayed. The Cole Brothers had a very large week in New York state recently. It happened to be the week that the 101 Ranch was in advance of the Cole cir¬ cus. The gross takings of the six days are estimated to have reached $20,000 and that is also a very large amount. The Cole folks are wishing the 101 Ranch would get ahead of them again. The billers with the Wild West do not want such a thing to happen, urging that it sometimes necessitates a change of date and other embarrassments. The Gollmar Brothers’ show is said to be doing a nice business. W. O. Tarkington, general agent of the Yankee Robinson show, is authority for the statement that that enterprise is making money. The Gentry shows are sharing in the prosperity. Lon Williams, general agent for the No. 1 show, states that “business was fine in Detroit and fair in Cleveland, considering the badly located lot in the latter city.” The lot used is said to have been the only one available. The street car facili¬ ties were poor. The case now in the superior court of Cook county in whiph Carl Hagen- beck is complainant and B. E. Wal¬ lace, defendant, is attracting a great deal of attention, and the legal mud¬ dle in which the suit has fallen is puzzling to a showman. It seems that the motion seeking a restraining order against B. E. Wal¬ lace has been stricken from the docket, but that E. Allen Frost, at¬ torney for the complainant, has filed what is styled “a replication” and some time in the future the case will be tried. The complainants aver that Wallace has no right nor no “color of right” to use the Hagenbeck name. On these grounds the temporary injunc¬ tion was sought. The court stated that as Wallace used the name two years before the suit was entered it was not a case of “emergency.” The court will establish whether Wallace has a right to use the name or not. It is a legal question which is much involved. The case is prov¬ ing a very costly one. Four Gentry Men Injured. CLEVELAND, Ohio, June 28.— Four of the- employes of the Gentry Show No. 1 were injured Saturday night by an explosion of a cook stove on a car. Frank Stout and George Harmon were the only two whose names could be learned. The car caught fire in a dozen places and was slightly injured before the flames were extinguished. Some groceries were destroyed. COMING SOON BILLS ARE HARD OPPOSITION. CALGARY, Alberta, Can., June 28. —The big shows seem to have agreed on a “Coming Soon” policy against the small ones. The Ringling Broth¬ ers, Barnum & Bailey and Cole Broth¬ ers have all three adopted thife line of opposition and it does ruffle the feel¬ ings of other shows, if nothing else. Bob Simons had an opposition brigade in this section for Cole Brothers and billed against Norris & Rowe and Campbell Brothers. A. G. Campbell is reported to have become terribly wrought up by this billing. Whether the Cole Brothers coming into this section led to his changing his route or not is not known. MACKAY SHOW OPENED IN VERY DIM LIGHT. DETROIT, Mich., June 29—The Mackay European Circus opened in a very dim light, as the gasoline torches had been smashed in transit to this city. The opening performance went bad for this reason. Performers were afraid to cut loose in the dark and no one could have seen them had they done so. There were just three torches going in the big tent. Elec¬ tric lights were installed the second night. Great Big Circus Stars The First Big Circus to Come—Not Long to Wait Walla Walla, Thur. June 24 « Armour Xz famous / »■ IIIVUI SlX-HOISe Teafll the World (OWNED BY ARMOUR & CO.) This Superb Attraction Will Come With SELLS-FLOTO earlier. Cite us - Me nageric -Hippodrome- Wild West The above reproduction of a portion of the Sells-Floto newspaper adver¬ tisement in the Walla Walla Evening Bulletin will give an idea of how the Sells-Floto show plays up the Armour meat advertisement. In the origi¬ nal “ad” the word Armour is in 54 point type, while Sells-Floto is only 36 point. In addition the line “owned by Armour & Co.” takes away any idea the public might have that it was a regular circus attraction and not an advertisement. Whether the circus travels with the Armour Grays or the meat advertisement with the show must be determined by the reader. The Lewiston (Idaho) Morning Tribune, on the day following the performance, printed a picture of the team and under it was the line: “Famous Grays owned by Armour and valued at $25,000.” On the same page is a picture of Billy Wales, driver of the “Famous Grays.” Three copies of this Lewiston paper have come to this office. Evidently the management mails papers ahead when the Armours get some good advertising. Incidentally the advertise¬ ment in Walla Walla states that there are 500 circus stars. The railroad contract calls for 350 people in all, including musicians, workingmen and the business staff. BANKRUPTCY PETITION PROVINCIAL VIEW OF FILED BY C. I. NORRIS SELLS-FLOTO SHOW Estimated Assets are $7,621 and His Liabilities are $5,116.12 — List of the Creditors Announcement Made that Concert Tickets Would be Sold for a Quarter, But They Were Disposed of for a Dime "SANTA CRUZ, Cal., June 30.— Clarence I. Norris, who has been do¬ ing business as “Norris Bros.’ Fa¬ mous Show,” filed a voluntary peti¬ tion in bankruptcy in the United States District Court Monday, with liabilities of $5,116.12, and estimated assets of $7,621. He owes $240 in wages, $750 to the Indiana Car and Equipment company, of Peru, Ind., for rent of two cars for transporta¬ tion of the show; to Mrs. L. J. Whit¬ ney of Santa Cruz, $1,000; and to Ma¬ rion M. Norris of Santa Cruz, $1,700 (both borrowed money); Byrne Bros.. $106.75; E. Lukens, $40; Wessendorf St Staffler, $62.10; F. A. Hihn com¬ pany, $128; Walti & Schilling, $29.60; ■flptney Bros., $16; Davenhill Feed Store, $3; Tribune printing company, $71.60; H. E. Irish, $25; Francis Val¬ entine, San Francisco, $211;. Southern Pacific company, for repairing cars, $307.55; Donaldson Lithographic company, of Newport, Ky., $200; H. D. Anderson Tent company, of San Jose, $275; F. O. Berg, of Spokane, Wash., rent of tent, $150. Among his assets are twelve Shet¬ land ponies, valued at $600 each; two colts, valued at $50 each; twelve dogs, valued at $36; one goat, valued at $5; and miniature hose reel, harness, wagons, etc., all in miniature, aggre¬ gating $280 in value. This property was transferred to J. Dean, of Oakland, and would have been sold but for the order of adjudi¬ cation of District Judge De- Haven. THE BIG SHOWS CLASH FOR THE THIRD TIME. WINNIPEG, Man., June 29—The Cole Brothers and the Barnum show came together here for the third time this season. The opposition stands earlier in the year were Altoona, Pa., and Cleveland, Ohio. Stands Have Big Day. SPOKANE, Wash., June 29—The Hagenbeck-Wallace shows had a big business here Monday. The stands had the biggest day in the history of the show. The provincial view of the circus is always interesting to circus people. A column or so regarding the Sells-Flo¬ to Show in the Idaho Daily Press, published at Wallace, Idaho, is worthy of reproduction from the standpoint of the interest it will create, but the de¬ mands for space make it necessary to print only excerpts from the article: “After the main circus was the con¬ cert. In loud voices it was announced from the ring side that the prices would be 25 cents. When the mem¬ bers of the audience were keyed up to the proper determination that they wouldn’t pay any two bits for only a concert, the insidious sellers of the tickets appeared among them and whispered, “They made a mistake. The tickets are only 10 cents.” In their relief many bought tickets, be¬ lieving that an attraction that could be advertised for 25 cents must be worth more than 10 cents to see. In the afternoon those who remained were not disappointed. It was a good concert. In the evening it was wasted money. Amid the clash and rumble and bang of circus paraphernalia being tumbled into wagons and the shouts of “flunkeys,” who came as near to K e'ng killed by falling timber and an irate audience as was healthy for them, a number of performers came out and sang and danced. . The singers w.ere " “.inging by the move¬ ments of their lips. Their voices were orowned in the uproar from all parts of the tent.” In describing the side-show it would , appear that there is a hooche-cooche or something on that order, for the Press says: “The crowd edged toward the door, for it was time for the last act and they wanted to be ready to leave quick. “A Salome imitation” was ad¬ vertised by glaring sign and lusty voiced “barker.” The reproduction seemed more like a vulgarized edition of Little Egypt’s dance, and with blushing faces half the audience tu-"ed and made for the exit.” Summing the show up the Press concludes: “The Sells-Floto circus performance was little changed from last year, few new numbers being introduced.”