The billboard (Nov 1911)

NOVEMBER 18, 1911. Tlie Billboapd 26 CAR NIVAL N EWS Without Exception Carnival Companies Report Qood Business. Notes and Brief Items from Re|presentative Amusement Companies—Hints and Suggestions by Red Onion WORTHAM A AL LEN NOTES. Tbe Worttaam & Allen ITnlted Sbows played tte Cotton Palace at Waco, lexaa, to good »u8lne88. The bUow at tbe picaent Ume con- ailts of twenty hlgb-claw attractlona. Tht train baa been enlaiged from fifteen to elsnteen "^Barney Parker, son of O. W. Parker at Leav- «nwortb, Kan., is spendlDK a few weeks witb ^''cbaHes DeKreko, with Us International nie- atre. atUl continues to pack them la. Waco la Walter Stanley's boras and Us many friends gave Um a grand welcome. _ , W. F. Wallace, manager of tbe T In 1. baa «nlarged bla abow by the addition of many new animals. _ , . ^ Tbe City of Testerday, under the ma n a gem ent «( Cbarles Bell, is a drawing card for tbe ladles and children. Ewlng'a Boy Zonare Band render concerts twice dally. Prof. Ewing contemplates qnlte an «xtenglTe tonr of tlie.Valtad States this winter, playlne all tbe fltst-daaa theatres In tte Middli- ^lameg Dyer baa enlarged Us animal show and Salina still does ber taair raising act In tbe ItoD'a den. Frrdericfc F. Smith baa bad bla front orer- fcanled until tbe Dntamed America looks like a blaie in a tog. Tom-W. Allen, general agent, baa returned to the show, after a Tialt at Uttle Bock, Ark., with trienda. The showa went from Waco to Breidum, Veiaa, and then go to Beaumont for the Sootb- eiat Texas Fair, , KRAU8E GREATER SHOWS. Colnmbla. Tenn., on the streets, prored Very satisfactory. New Decatnr, Ala., nnder tbe ansplces of the Guards, was very good, .con- slderioK the extreme cold westher that struck tbe abow ^ere. Wed A. Danner*B Ghost Show, Arniatrong*s Tbree-ln-One Show, Hnlck's Ferris Wheel snd Dixieland Show, and a nnmber of conccsalons from the Cieater United Shows, Jolaed last week, W. W. KIrby la managing Ifr. Bnlck*s Dixieland Sliow and Ki^es a big parade with his colored band and minatrel performers OTory day. D. D. Daly la making tbem all alt m and take notice with bla Queen Conteata and mo- grams. H. Freedman, promoter, Joined the K, of r, and Elka Lodges while In Bopkinsrille, Ky. «eoeral Agent S. Solomon alao was made a B. p. O. E. at Talladeica. Ala. Oscar Cox. balloonlat. who met with a bad accident at Csrrollton, Ky., Joined again and msAe bls^nflrst ascension at HantsTllle. ' Tbe'K^use Shows now carry 12 feature riiowa and three' riding dOTlees, snd thlrty-B*e con- '«>ssloni, with Miss Elma Heler. Ugh and shsl- rlow wster dlTO', and Oscar Cox. bslloonlst, as free attractions, making in all one of the -stronjrest organisations ever gotten, together. Under the personal direction and management or Mr. Kranse tbe abow has bad an exceptionally sood eanimer season and ao far tbe sontbem toor baa been way ahead of expeetatlona. . Tbe Krause Showa expect to be out all winter, •nakini; the larger towns of tlie Sonth and some or mid winter fairs, whicb have already been icoDtracted for. * tiTing curiosities: Fanchaw's Palace of Slys- terles, tbe Beaotllal Orient. Calirornta Ftlnce, tbe edneated equine; the Caty of Yesterday, inriniams' James Boys Sliow and Wild Western pictures. Tiny Mite, the smalleat horse on earth; Emo, the turtle boy; Betty, the slUgatoi girl; Sako, tbe wonder; tbe Darktown Swells, a genuine negro comedy; Smith's Katxeojammer astle and Craxy Hooae, Works' merry-go-round and a Fenis wheel, the Stransest Olrl Show, MlUer'a FlTe-In-One. Aitec Children and last, but not least, Barkoot's Big Hippodrome, with- in whose canraa walla were to be eeen Oscar Babcock, riding tbe death trap loop and Jump- ing tbe flume, tbe Zaretzky ^noupe of Busslan dancers, the Bandalls, premier rifle and platol shots of the world; hlgta-wlre trapexe, contor- tion acts and a number, of clowns. Angelo Hnmmnlo's Bcqral Italian Band, which has been with the Barkoot Shows all tUs sea- son, haa reoelTed tbe praises or press and pub- lic ererywhere for the excellent mnalc they- hare rendered. The Inter-State Fair, at which 'the show plsyed last week, was one of the best tbat tbey have been connected with In the Sonth, really big la conception, and carried ODt with lavish expenditure that has aerTed to bring It out much more prominent before the people than has been done in any of tbe Spothem Alabama or Missiasippl fairs. Messrs. Stlll- man, Lillard and Rose, (Lew, of Old theatrical fame, own brother of Ike), the active officials of the Inter-State Fair, are deserving of all credit for ita tmQuestlonable aucceaa. The shows play here an engagement of two werks, and then go to Mobile for a week at tbe Mobile Expoaitlon. whldi'In all Ukellbood wUl be the last week of the season, although a por- tion of tbe shows may go out for a few weeks to other celebrations down In Florlds, negotla- tlona for which are now In progresa. GREATER UNITED IN QUARTERS. Chicago, Kor. It (Special to The Billboard). | —The Greater United Slows, wliich are operated by the United Fairs Booking Association of Chicago, cloaed November 3 In Jackson, Miss,, after a successful seaaon'a tour. Tbey Imme- diately entrained for Kankakee, 111., where they will go Into winter-quarters on the fair groimds. i CARNIVAL CONV ERSATION. By "MED OmOS," Listen to leason. The csnlTal bnainess is not In a state of fienay as some are wont to bdleve. ImmoTcment in tiie fatnue as well as In the past is np to tbe IndlTldnal more than It Is to any trust or combination. Arft yon lacking in your conception of what tbe business la? Direct your attention and ettorts toward glTing It Indivldnallty and distinctiveness. Car- nival companies were originally called midway companies. That does not mean half way. This must be remembered by abowmen. I will leave tiie rest to yon. ♦ Eugene P. HcKenna now registers from P. Z. Bancb, Del Bio, Texas. I saw Eugene when he was on a visit to Us family In Connectlcnt this summer, McKenna operated a Ferris Wheel and concessions several years ago. He la now retired from tbe carnival business. He looks like the llrst cousin of prosperity.. Hsnsgers and Cbneesslonslies—Do not sign contracts If you have no Intention of keeping them. Have more regard for your word, either by word of month or signature. I was on train eolng to make a fair this fall and man sitting In the seat with me pulled out sixteen contracts from his pocket snd tore ttem up. I asked him why be did this. He said "Because I didn't Intend to play them." then asked him why ha signed tbem. To tbi he gave me no answer. Make It a mle that If you make a contract that nothing shwt of a railroad wreck shall keep yoa from fulfllllng it. ♦ Ed. T. Byrne, "The Man In J^ont," versatile press agent, publicity promoter, talker and lec turer. was the psst season Identified with one of tbe big attractions In Lnna Park. Coney Island. Press Agents—^Mrs. (Annt Lou) Frank R Blltx can hold ber own with any of you when It cooes to writing and placinjr press stories. Mrs. Blltx has been in the bnslness something like twentr years. Her experiences and yeara of service outnumber that of any other lady in this line of work. Long may She live and prosper. Al. 7. Gorman, general agent of the K. 6. Barkoot World's Greatest Soows, can contract with any general agent In the business, Arthur Borells, the psst season producing down with tbe Hagenbeck-Wallace Shows, was at one time a talker, and « good talker. He had the other fellowB beat because he could make Us own "baUyboo." Ha did It witb a trick violin. •CARNIVAL NOTES. i CaiBtrai Managers—Cut oat that lanhnd gap. Quit making long jumps. Psy mote attention to the Par yoor coal hills. - hilling of the show. The Will H. Welder Amusement CAimpany Is Oet a press agent and do the other HilnKS that CLIFTON-K ELLE Y SHOWS. Although tbe weather was cold at Union CItr. Tenn.. business wss all that coold be ex. pwtcd. A. w. Casey and <3eo. Downing retorn.-.1 to the show at Union City, and With C, M, Ha«d-!n »rp training their show, ■ Doc Jeneson Joined at Union City with his big .Madagascar Show. ' Earl J. Jackson, formerly with the Famous 'Wlaslow -Shows, has arrircd and taken c».-JirKe 'Of the band. ' 0. H. Perry la framing two more concessions, ^'S?K 'W^beel and Vase Wheel. Following Is the roster: CIlftoa-Kelley. men- agers: A. B. Mltdid, promoter; 3. BrOilcr:ek. trsnsportatlon; Earl Jackson, band leader: K. lietia. secretary and treasnrer. PoIlowInK is tbe line-np of shows: Jolly Enter- tainers. K. Beard, tickets; Chic. Anderson, mansEPr: Mysterious Edna and Eleetiric Tnc- »trc. c. M. Haydn, manager: A. W. Casey, X^nnt; Grace Shipley, tickets; Big Madagascar Show. Doc Jeneson. manager; Col. Jake Stock- ton, front and tickets; Big Flve-ln-One Show. ■Jlin Green, manager: Col. J. D. Sweeney and J. Broderlck. front and tickets, and Earl Jaek son a Big Jumping Horse Csronsel, and twelve concesalona. K. G. BARKOOT SHOWS. The sesMin of the K. G. Barkoot Carnival Uliows has lieen a remarkably pleasant one for «" concerned In more ways than one. It has neen one of the most prosperous seasons the company has ever enjoyed, ananclally. They n«vc gained the good will of the people In every wy TlRlted, and ao disagreeable events have wcnrrert to mar the lame; but one serious acciih:nt, that being tbe death of young John llnjdle. the aeronaut, who met his death by a ■ nil or fifteen hundred feet In making a balloon "arrasion at Tlfton. Ga., where the company w"» then playing at the Southern Georgia Ex- po*! Hon. Tho first blasts of winter struck the show ■"St week while In Meridian. Mlsa.. Just enougb Of it to give nouce that tbe season of iBli »"« mpidty drawing to a close. Mr. Barkoot ■ISH had nnder his management this seaaon the ■.«Mnn Ghost Show, an sggregsllon known sa srhooi Dsya. A. F. oormin's Frencb Tbeatre, a 51 .. extravaganaa Interpreted by a lievy of pretiy girls who were competent alnjeera. d-m- l^rK and comediennes, snd are now playing the MnJeatic Theatre st Meridian for tbe aame gen- "cman. BaAoot'a VDnr-in-OiWi a museum of yon have been forvettlnr to do. Bgr tbe way: yon might pay some attentlmi to routing yonr- selves piop^y. - ♦ J. H. (Jack) Cnllot knows how to nm an old plantatlOtt show. - I might fnrlber add that he now playlnz its twenty-flfth week of the sea- son, and la routed South for all winter. The company has ten shows and two' new riding devices. Harry Bartino. is on with his big Pive-in-One and also the Den of a Thooaand Deaths. Dad Beed, with Us beautiful Pauline Show, is making good. Lew Williams and his 5«. je three shows are among the feature attractiona. - ^ HIa shows are: The original Mamie or Dance | ~ of Night, and the James Boys in Missouri. His I Rudolph Brothers have I>ecome famous as con- big featnie Is Lady Buth, the smallest Iiorse cesslonalres and by inventing and manufacturing on earth, W. H. Welder still has the old fav- clever and saleable articles for other conces- orite Dixieland Show. Girdle May Davis, the skmalres. largest girl In the world, has Mr. H. McCoy as 4^ her manager and Is doing fine. General Cottey. Owners and Uanaseis of Independent Shows^ the cigaiette fiend and human skeleton, is some of yon bare been in the bnslneis fw flf- on with a neat money-getter. Brown Miller's teen years or more. Why yon will go to these Minstrel Maids are creating a new path for "Oy-by-nlght" booking ofllces to have fliem give Kirl showa. La Belle La Mar Is his dancing you your season's route is more than any rea- feature. Captain Joe Maloney, fbe half man aonable man can nnderstand. Unless yon can diver, is doing a real high dive twice a day. give your bookini; to an established and rec- The Circling Herberts, In their free act, are ognlzed booking Arm, It will be better for yon still as hie a drawing card as ever. Mecken's to do your own booking. It would at any rate uniform concert bsnd of twelve pieces, create be better for you to book direct or identify a merr- medley of good music, Fi«d Hencbal yoorself -with a reliable traveling organisation has rejoined the Show again as awlstant man- The latter Is possibly «ie best is every Instance, ager, making It bis fifth season with Mr. Weld-1 ^ , ' . • ... „ ^ r ®- Doiler. the talker, known'as "The Man Mr. Martin, the manager of the Great Martin with the Voice," Is reported to be in the «vla- Carnlval (3ompanv. has dissolved partnerghi- tlon business, with Mr. Lenhart. The company will now be known as the Great Martin and Togo Southern Carnival Company. -Having.played to good bnai- ness at the falta In the North, the show has gone South, opening at the Jackson (Tenn. i (Jonnty FslT, Tbe compsny carries five shows: Capt. Sandago, high diver; Bddle Hearts and his aeroplane. Joe Togo's Jspsnese Tbestie Is one of the main attractions. Miss Edna Gallaway and her sister. Hiss Fay McNIght, ioined the Cltfton-Kelley Shows last week for the Great White City Show, now being built by Alex Downing and O. M. Hay- den, with A- w. Casey as business manager. The Show will consist of vaudeTllIe and pictures. Mysterious Edna will be featured. Doe Jensen Is doing big busineas with his snake abow with Jake Stockman on the front. Ool. Sweeney Is still with tbe show. The Atwood Shows, nnder the management of D. M. Atwood. are playing some of the good «nea In Mlaataalppi. Laat week the alMwa nlayed Water Valley nnder the auspices of tbe Trades and Labor Cooncil for the benefit of tbe men who are out on atrike on tbe I. O. at that place. Five good shows and ten concessions, two free acts, and the 'Italian Band and Keen'a Jumping borse cany-ns-aU are carried. The Spalding Qraya (Soldier Boys) will hold a csrnlvsl in Oriflln. Oa., on the main streets, week of Norember 20-20, The Welder Amuse- ment Company will furnish all attractions, George Wallace is no longer connected with the advance of this compsny. The roster of the band with H. W. Campbell's United Shows follows: B, O, Beanlng, band- master; 81m Carter, Glenn Welty, Fred Wolf Fred WUllama. George T. Bateman, Joe Talman and Jack Hattersly. McBlwee Brothera closed with their large three-abreast Parker carry-ns-ail wttb the New Exposition Showa at Heiria, III., and Jumped to Baton Bonge, La. They will work all winter aa usual. W. H. Mlll<>r win handle the Electric Show with Uttlejohn'a United Shows this winter, featuring Ida. tbe Trsnsparent Girl. A. T, (Kid) Ackley and bis trooping dog, Bowdy Bill, are at home at 2S3S B. 84th Street, Cleveland, O. Because yon are an old-timer ia no leiaon that yon tiMmld be out of date. That man George H, Coleman must be some queen contest promoter It all reports be true. ♦ George W. Rollins—Are you comlns back Into the business next season It needs you. The eamlval business needs anoBier Fran)- W. Gasfclll and one or two more Bostock-Ferarls. ♦ E. F. Carmtbers of tbe United Fairs Booklnn Associati<m, is getting ready for next season. It has been worrying some people to find out when be sleeps, or If he ever goes on a vacation. Rom all appearances it seems that Dans l%ompBOn has permanently- retired from the car- nival business. Some seasons ago he was classed with tJie most successful in tUs line. ♦ Joe B. Rlckatds as a press scent and talker is In a class by lilmself. The last I besrd of Joe he waa la the . avlatloa .business. •♦ When Ed. Mosart was with the Fenrl Bros.' United Shows, he waa considered to be tlie beat aneen contest and program man In'tbe game at that time. The last I beard or Moiitt be was connected vlth the Honopol Film Oompany of Mew YoA. . All ssy '"doer Wire is some cainlval press agent, and then some mere, . ♦ Alliert 3 McCord, (known at tba Seattle Ex- position as the Twenty-eight Tlionaand Dollar Kid) globe 'rotter, llghtnths ticket seller, lao- nam piomnter and a general all around good fellow. leaves Cblcsgo sometime soon to conqner unexplored territory in California and Mexico. MeCord Is neither dead nor asleep. Thne Is a reward out for tbe man who sal<i Kingston and Tioy, K. T., were good carnival towns. I bate to do It but I liave to class these places wlOt Petersburg, Ta. George T. Hewitt in seasons past connected with Laytan, Barkoot, Smitli, Swanso^ and others, retired permanently several years ago from tbe carnival bnslness. He has for a num- ber of yesTB been successful In the electrical business la Baltimore, Md. F. A. Brigham of Elliabeth, N. J., Is a sne- eessfnl carnival promoter. Am t<4d tiiat dnrlnir the winter liis time wUl be devoted to bnlldlng snd orgsnixlng a carnival company. If Brigham does It, it's very likely to I>e done well. Nothing adds more to the holiday spirit of a fair or carnival than gay decorations. Flags, bunting and electric lights help wooderfolly In effecting the ludlday spirit. The Lynchburg (Va.) News on behalf of the fair recently held In that city, editorially In part says: "Prepara- tions for the occasion bare been carefully made and an nnnsnal degree of diligence and fore- sight exercised with a view of making the ftiir this year a record breaker. It Is hoped tlut our merchants, keeping pace with the enlarge- ment of the fair's pretensions, will exert them- selves to the end of affording even. more-elab- orate decorations of their buildings than-in years gone by. Let's make this the greatest event of the sort ever witnessed in Lynehlnns: ' let's so adorn the city -with bunting, banner and electric glitter, that - all -who come- wUl be Impressed with tbe besuty and splendor- 6f It all; let's get down to the work, too. In ample time, so that the drst day of the fair may witness our streets as gsyly snd beautifnily attired as the last. Onr people, generally, owe it to tbe fair management that has so Indns- trlouBly nnd at so much cost gotten 'things-In shape for a magnificent exhibition at the -^falr grounds, and above all they owe It to Lyneiibnxg to co-operate In every reasonable way to insure a brilliant success to tbe tindertaklng." ♦ ■'..■'•_ . Teedersborg, md.. daims to be the first toWn In America to hold a street fair. - This is their ineutyseeoad- yesr. Does any other towa ob- ject to tUs elalml Fm quite anre I Aoo!t. ' A. Lovelock, secretary of tbe l^nchbnrg Interstate Fair, has a motto wblch reada: "Do It today; do it well—then it's done." That sounds pretty cood. Lovelocic Carnival Managers and Owners of Independent Shows—Merit wins. 'Have yooi no standard of merit? Have yon no moral stsfidsrdi Is there any reason why It is necessary for city offldala and fair secretaries to tell yon that y-oor .show must lie -strictly moral and refined? Tonr in- dividual pride as a showman should be sulBeleht. without having this reminder forced upon - you. ■ Kemp's Wild West Is said to be a real fair gtooad Wild West, r bdleve it la. fllany ao-called innorattons are notUnr mm or leas tban levamped obsolfites. So be eaiefUI yon announce innovations .tliat tliey' are so -la -.fact.. Wliea the paint xabs off. -tfa^ may siiow their tme color. ■ . ♦ Jolmny J. Jones Is the name that is s boose* hcdd word in Korth Carolina, Sonth Garoilna. Georgia and Flwida. Many people In the bosi- ness wonder why he plays the same tmltoiy each year. Tbe fact that he Is stiU in the business is just about the answer. ♦ A certain circns agent claims to liave been the -drst to "banner crossroads," claiming to have Introdnced it this season. I want to aay that the Smith Greater Shows, a carnival or- ganisation, has been doing this, to my knowl- edge Cor. five years. Take that, Mr. Circns Agent, X. O. Bsrkoot seems to he paranlng tlie even tenor of Us way. Barkoot knows tbe camlTsl business. He seems to know It vrell. Along with the public I take great pleaaare. In . endorsing the f<Alowing free acts—acts of a i de- pendable standard: Six Flying Banvards, The La- Crolx, Granada and Fedora, Winston's Sea Idons, Frying Baldwins, MUe. Adjle and Performing Lions, Edwin Hoddle, Holzer and Bezloh, Achelle Phllllon, James E. Hardy, Uonel -Legate, Thomas Qnlncy, Harry Six, Marvelous -MelTllle, Oscar V. Babcock, H<dland-DockriIl Troupe,. Al- bers' Bears. The La Noles. Tbe O'Kura Jap Troupe, Mrrxello & W<dff, Bose & Ellis, Fink's Mnles and Dogs, The Whlttakers, The Wlzlsrde Trio and there ate others, too. Carnival Managers—^Pay particular attention to the selecting of yoor general contracting agents this next season. Get one who is not dependsnt upon the remilar scliednled events-^ get one who can create events—get one who can } take the. initiative—get one -wlio iias perspic- ' aelty. This'Ias word la a good one, so I tnongb woifld - nse it. ♦ Bert B. Perkins once had some carnival ex- perience. It was -half-past five o'clock In the morning and he hadn't finished teUlng me about it then. Bert Is a friend of Bobby Newcomb and Bobby Is a friend of Bnt B. PerMns. They took- out a -show, together last spring—one of those hall show propositions, in which they featured Miss Delia Fox. Tbe latter only added to their experience. What kind of a man is the man who Can. create the evil and then snggest tile remedy for it I Will some one please fignre this oat for met C. y. Blum, one time wen known as a talker with the Ferarl Brothers United Shows, is^now : in Chicago, where lie has a very profitablexad- vertlslng bnsinesa. He is Iiandling the adrertls- Ing for forty movinr picture theatres, also does the adrertlslng for Bart, the clothier., Blum is getting qnlte a hold i^Chicago. Where is Casey, the tslker? Where'Is 'Windy Hngbeel Where is Ralph pinsonT - So insny people hsTe a habit of getting losts ; In former years showmen and conceasfonera nsed to look forward to the Chattanooga Sptinc CamiTal as tbe season's big opeUnc eTcnt. At one time tliia was the big ananal event 'wltb the local merchants. It shoold be.revived. : -Glens JCalls. X. T., Clinton. Ia.. Knaxrllle. Teim., Hotlston. Tex.. Winona. Minn.. Meridian. Miss.-,- Cddwater, Mich., Milwaukee, Wla..-' Wi- chita, Kan., Wilmington, C, Pittsfield, Maaa.. Fort Smith, Ark., are all good carnival towns, bnt yon most give them a good thorn.