The New York Clipper (December 1914)

34 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER. December 19 aLLMaNN BROS. BIG AMERICAN SHOWS FINEST EQUIPPED 22 CAR SHOW IN AMERICA WAMTS for Season 1915 High Class Clean Shows of Merit, Especially Big Musical Comedy (lOto 20 People), Trip to Mars, Panama Canal, Working World, Crystal Maze, Flea Circus, or Any 8how that Is New and Novel. CONCESSIONS ALL OPEN. Will Sell All Wheels Exclusive. Musicians, All Instruments, for 20 Piece Band. Show opens early In April. Route Northwest. Dining, Berth and State Room Car. Accommodation the best. We own all our cars. Fine Cairy-Us-AU, Big Eli Ferris Wheel, Wagon Fronts—and they are paid for; operate the Show on a business basis. HARRY SHIELDS write. Musicians address T. CLAUDE MYERS, Care ol HARRISON STOCK CO .route in CLIPPER. IV ANT-Two First-Class Promoters that can and will promote. Address JNO. P. MARTIN, care New Victoria Hotel, Longacre Square, New York. WANT-Ali Kinds of Freaks, Features, Novelties, Ballyhoo Artists and Talkers for the Largest and Finest Pit Show under Canvas. Address AL. G. CAMPBELL, Fairbury, Neb. all others address DOC. ALL.M ANN, P. O. Box 847, Lancaster, Mo. the carnival situation. BY J. OEOROES I.O0S. Until sovcrnl yoni-H ago a grout majority of tlio "old tlmcm," as well na the new odob, prophesied tlmt carnivals were n thing of the pint, nuil with tlmt view In mind they departed from the gome, only to havo their places tilled by the new generation. It is trim Hint a few bad Bulllclcnt con- fidence In the business to romaln In It, and, furthermore, hacked their Judgment by In- vesting extensively la show and car equip- ment In D10 old days, when Independent shows wero numerous, tlio managers of theso attrac- tions found It an easy task to book their alutWB at Independent aatos, but during the past few yours n decided change bus oc- curred, and usually attractions of tills de- scription urn now contracted with organized turulvul cuuipaulcs, and, as committees aro await' of this luce, they Invariably endeavor to do business with some reputable company Instead of -wlillliig away their tlmo with a do/.cu or more uurullablo and Irresponsible people who have Blight lcgard for n contract. It Is true that a few managers of that tlmo wcro successful, oven tliougn their slock In 1 nidi' amounted to a glib tongue, n sult- caso and some stationery, but those sumo men would mostly be dire failures at this period If they attempted to operate along (hose former day tactics. Tlio threo, four uud live car shows havo grown to tea, llfteen uud twenty cum, uud men of business qualities luive displaced tlio "Uy-uy-ulglit." promoter, because a business that Las uu Investment of from ten to llfty thousand dollars must necessarily be con- ducted by business men, and their heavy in- vestments ure conclusive that they luive cuulidcuco in their particular Held. Never- theless, there aro two strong qualities which are still absent, namely, orguuuutlon uud co- operation, and It Is due to the luck of the hitter that carulvul companies lire paying bigger percentages to committees thuu ever before. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Des Moines, Minneapolis, ludlumipolls, In fact, all of the larger fairs, luive practically doubled their rates In concession charges) during the past few years, all o( which is due solely to tlio carnival managers who have played these dates, as with most of them it scouts to have becu a cuso of glory In being permitted to secure such contracts rather than a prolltuhle consideration. 'J'liu people who aro engaged la the car- nival ousluess aro the ones who can eliminate theso conditions. We arc all awurc that fairs and celebra- tions throughout the country would bo neither priilltablo nor imtortnlnlug without the amusement, presented by the cnrulvals. The committees arc, as a rule, business men, and they, too, know tint a mere intrude, a fow llreworks end live stock exhibits aren't sulllrleut to uppeaso the show appetite of their patrons. They need Hie carulvul as bmlly as the carulvul needs them, then why do the '-■iirnlval munitgci's allow the com- mittee* to dictate their terms? Why should a committee demand uud a carnival mana- ger pay tlilrly-llvo per cent, of the gross receipts of his shows, furulsa a band, free nets, transportation, advertising, mid other Incidentals, nud nt tin- same trmc liuvc hlH shews mid rides booked oil a llfty per cent, basis, which is as inucil as most Independent shows can afford to nay to the company with whom they are booked'/ Or why should 11 com- mittee demand mid receive seventy-lira per cent. Of Hie front gate lecclpls derived from au enclosure when the carnival company Is furnloiilng practically all Hie amusements? We have all heard of the carulvul mana- gers who havo played the big fairs dolus a gross business nggregatlng more than llfty thousand dullnis on ten days, nevertheless nt the end of the season came In with the. figures on the Wrong side of the ledger, simply on account of the excessive per- centages paid to the committees. As previously stated, these committees are, as a rule, business men, and to them the success or the failure of their fairs or cele- brations mean little to thoni, inasmuch as thev have other Hues from which they profit and make their livelihood, but the carnival people linvo their shows and concessions only, and when business Isn't up to tbe standard they practically havo no other re- sources or means to adopt to regain tbclr lassos. Borne fault has been found with the gov- ernment In regards to allowing their marine band and military manoeuvres to participate on the fair grounds for which they charge au admission, thereby causing opposition to tlio shows. In this Instance I believe that both fair and carnival managers are to blame, the former for allowing and soliciting this form of amusement, and the latter for accepting a contract that does not protect tbem on this score. If the facts were known It might be found that the fair secretaries themselves Insti- gated their coming instead of the govern- finest urging tbemselvot upon them, but they scorn to tie thoroughly awakened to the con- ditions which exist among tbe carnival folks und are aware that most managers eeem to ngree to any suggestion merely to secure the con 1 ract. It would be far more advisable for thesp "glory seekers" to endeavor to ascertain a solution whereby these occurrences could be eliminated, and the only manner In which this can be accomplished Is through organiza- tion and co-operation among the carnival fraternity. It Is to be regretted that this business sluuds mostly without a foundation, and instead is being operated to suit the fancies und demands of the committees with whom they contract, merely on account of tbe absence of the "pull together" qualities which are lacking. Any carnival manager would at all times be willing to pay a reasonable percentage to my committee, but when a business Is con- ducted on a one-sided basis then tbere Is certainly room for betterment and improve- ment. Cnr.ilvals are here to remain, and each yenr are growing in favor in communities which nave heretofore placed a ban on this stylo ol' entertainment. In most instances tho suggestive features have been eliminated for the betterment of the business In general, cut this Is duo mostly to the rigid re- quirements which are exacted from the citi- zens and authorities In the cities visited, and not through tbe fault of those who scbio to H'lnk that a company of this kind cannot bo operated successfully without theso un- necessary accosBorles, nevertheless there are to-day traveling companies who still tolerate any kind of graft, which sometimes Is over- looked on account of the many shows sur- thclr business, but fortunately these con- ditions will won belong to the yesterdays, and the year of 1915 looms bright with a bountiful reward In store for those who are capable of embracing the opportunities which the future promises, but it would be well to bear In mind that successful achievements can and will be more readily accomplished and to a K>ore profitable degree If coupled with co-operation and organization. Por, after all, the carnival business Is a game, and tbe joy of it cornea from success and not from failure. «»» NEW HAVEN ROAD RAISES PARKS. On Jan. 1 the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad will Inaugurate a new schedule of rates, increasing the rate from 2% cents per mile to 2V6 cents per mile, on single and trip tickets. » 1 » SMITH A McNELL'S CLOSED. This old time hostelry, which has been located on Washington Street, New York, since 1857, has been ordered sold by the assignee, and was closed Dec. 7, to be sold at auction on Dec. 21. I20thll CENTURY BALLOONIST; ED. R. HUTCHISON THE MAR -WHO - DELIVERS THE GOODS 3 to 20 PARACHUTE DROPS PROM ONE BALLOON 801 Wmuor Ave.. Elmlra, N. Y CON T KENNEDY, NED STOUGHTON and A. H. DARICLEY. At Houston Tex. SEASON'S GREETINGS TO AL.L CAN PUCE TWO SHOWS of exceptional appear- ance and merit SEVEN-IN-ONE with meritorious col- lection of legitimate live freaks and good frame-up will bo given preference. SEASON OPENS Around Philadelphia, Pa., about Hay 1,1916. KRAUSE GREATER SHOWS INCORPORATED "AIEBICI'S CLEANEST CARNIVAL" FRATERNAL or BUS. ORGANIZATIONS ' wanting clean, mora and legitimate attrac ttons for Celebrations Home Comings, etc. drop us a card- Address BEN KRAUSE, Mr,,., 1827 K. Cambria SI., PHILADELPHIA, PA. 6 TH YEAR OP UNPARALLELED SUCCESS HOLIDAY GREETINGS TOM I ALLEN SHOWS MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL TOM W. ALLEN, General Manager R. L. LOHMAR, General Agent A PERFECT REPRESENTATION OF THE CANAL. ZONE Boats, Trains, Locks, Gates, Wireless and Flashing Bsoya In Operation Size 30x6 feet Portable In three strong crates, t ol Production, 12,000 Will Sell for »500 Cash M. BEIFELP, White City. Chicago. Ill, j TO THE ENTIRE SHOW WORLD I EXTEND HEARTY CHRISTMAS GREETINGS AND MY BINOERB WISH FOR A MOST PROSPEROUS I take this opportunity to thank Committee* ami Secretaries for dates, und Showmen for splendid attractions offered me, bat have decided not to Increase my Interests Just now. GOOD LUCK AND HAPPINESS IO YOU all. Optimistically Your., JAMES -T. CL.YDE (In aniictring ail. please mention Cmffejii.) rounding tlilu style of revenue. Any business would eventually fade Into rollilngnoss 1( conducted without organlun- tIon, and tlio carnival la no exception to tills rule, and when tlio petty Jealousies are wiped mvixy and when our people adopt tlio '•slitnd together" policy, then will this busi- ness realise tnoro proiltx than at any other time In ltf> previous existence. 1 am reliably informed that a certs In t.nvii in Texas which committee lias bcrc- ti.fc-re ulvvays contracted with carnival com- I»iiiIch, decided to book Independent this Benson mostly because the carnival com- panies In that vicinity refused to accede to the enoi'iuons percentages required by this committer:, and tho result wns they were compelled to engage acts and build their own s'u.ws, thereby losing heavily and making a failure of their fair, which lias previously been a success. It Is a safe prediction that this committee will endeavor to secure the services of sonic reputable enterprise in the future, and will not demand the exhorbltnnt imiccntngc* which they have heretofore re- quired in onl.v to play the date. Can anyone familiar with the carnival situation doubt tlint a radical and fur-reach- liig change must occur? A revolt against the pernicious demands of the committees is Inevitable, and the sooner It comes—the better, It Is most un- I'otlunntc thnt the consideration of the ques- tions of fundamental Importance which arc constantly before us should be cmbarratsed ly the fact that wo have no organization to combat the evils which are so Btrlklncly np- I'lir-nt nud detrimental to our own interests, mid which must necessarily and eventually ho cllmlnnto.l In onlcr that tho business In which we are occupied shall be respected and our rights considered. From ruurv sources come tho reports that the past season In rnnuy respects has been, to some, quite unprofitable, duo to various muses. During the Summer rain Interfered with those appearing In tho Middle and Western States, while those who havo de- cided to remain on the road late la the Fall and Winter have found that the war and tho slump In the cotton market have affected DINNER AND REOErTION TENDEIIE1I TO THE MENDERS OP AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OP PAIRS AND EXPOSITIONS 11V THE WESTERN VAUDEVILLE MANAGERS' ASSOCIATION AND THE UNITED UOOIvING OFFICES, AT THE HOTEL SHERMAN, CHICAGO, DEC. SI, 1014.