The Billboard 1911-12-16: Vol 23 Iss 50 (1911-12-16)

a | { 7 \ a — 48 The Billboard DECEMBER 16, 1911, ROBERTS’ UNITED SHOWS. J. Stanley Roberts’ Greater United Shows have toured Canada, furnishing attractions for the different Canadian fairs, a:so following fairs in the states, Clarksburg, W. Va., Wheeling, W. Va., Danville, Va., Fayetteville, N. C., Red Springs, N. C., the latter under the auspices of Masonic Lodge, and Aiken (S. C.) fair, making first opening; town of Darlington, S. C., under the auspices of the Firemen, doing a tremendous business notwithstanding the inclement weather. While the Greater United Shows are not the largest carnival company, the press and public indorse them as one of the best and cleanest companies under canvas. Each town shown mayor and committee extended a return date. The shows are playing the best towns in South Carolina and more to follow. At present writing Mr. Roberts has a fivecar show, Professor M. A. Pano Royal (10-piece) Italian Band and following paid attractions: Schaffer, Mammoth Panel Front, Dixieland Minstiels, and 7 in 1 Show, Electricia, that lady that tames electricity; J. Stanley Roberts’ Theatorium and Vaudeviile Show, Big Rose, the Chicago fat girl, 620 pounds; Count and Countess Nicol, smallest married cou pie on earth: big reptile show, Palace of Museum, a collection of relics from the Palezoic age to the present century: Harrp Copping’s Ferris wheel, Prof. Oakes’ merry-go-round, and ‘@wenty-five concessions in charge of P. Malone. The following constitute the staff: J. Stanley Roberts. manager and owner; M. O. Donnell, Baldy Swain, secretary and treasurer; L. D. Lynn, general contractor; M. 4 A. Bodth, promoter. MACY SHOW NOTES. Arthur Stewart, now io aaleaiaih agent of Macy's Olympic Shows, vice R. W. Scott, who left the show, claims to be one of the oldest agents on the road and has had experience with such organ‘zations as the Johnny Jones Shows, Kil! tics Band and some of the smaller circuses. S. F. Cantara has finished overhauling his joyland front and Andv Logsden has finished his Jubilee Minstrel] front. The new hotel car (Zerine), while in good shape, will be entirely repainted and will then be one of the handsomest as well as one of the Most comfortable cars on the road. R. Brenner of automatic race track fame, has announced his intention of framing up three new wagon front shows for the coming summer season. one of which will be the Deep Sea Divers. Shorty Howard has added another concession to his already large string. F. Burkley, manager of the side show or 5-in-1, is another old-timer who believes in working. improving and now has the show in firsf-class shape. Harry Armstrong, manager of the one-ring eireus, will order a hollow-wire system an! entirely discard his electric-lighting system in the big top. A RETORT TO MR. J. L. PEYSER. You speak of my friend, ‘‘Red Onion,’’ say ing that the public need more carnival shows like Frank W. Gaskill, Bostock and Ferari’s Well, don’t you think that we need them? With few exceptions where are there any like the ones mentioned? And then Mr., Peyser should give some credit to Mr. Herbert A. Kline for the following shows (with all do respect to Mr. Nat Reiss). If Mr. Kline had not closed his shows at Shreveport Mr. Reiss would not have had so fine an array of shows, as Captain Louis Sorcho. Princess Victorie, Alice the wonder, King George, animal shows and Mills’ 7-in-1. { speak of this so that the public may know that Mr. Herbert A. Kline is one of the carnival showmen that carries number one shows. Mr. Nat Reiss is one also of the few that has a clean carnival. Mr. Pevser. please tell me where Petersburg, Va.. is located. as I have looked all over the United States map trying to find it. With best wishes to all, AUNT LOUISE. New Orleans, Dee. 5, 1911, CARNIVAL NOTES. J. W. Hampton. manager of the Great Empire Shows. is doing well in the South. J. C. Simpson, back with the show. has framed ReHo Grevr and ai number of the California Frank Wild West to open with his company. The show will cover al Ithe good ones in the South this winter. Eddie Wilson is secretary and treasurer, F. G. Taliaferro. in advance: Fred Monroe. master of transportation. With the compenvy are Eddie Parker’s Girls From Reno, Jim Penson's Iesse James. Baby Jim, Geo. Eceles’ 7 in 1. J. W. Hampton's Plantation, J. C. Simnson’s vandeville show, Prownlaw’s Athletic Show Prownile’s snake show, merry-goround, Ferris wheel and forty concessions. The show carries 184 people. The K. G. Rarkoot Shows closed in Mobile. Ala., where they have gone into quarters, after one of the most successful seasons the show has ever experienced. The tour of the Southern fairs hese. from ai finencial standpoint, been verv satisfactory with the one exception of the Gulf Coest Tronical Fair at Mobile. The outfit has grown until Mr. Rarkoot found it neceseary to secure more than double the space formerly required. and in addition. it was neces@ary to secure large tracksge for storage of cars. When the shows start out next season they wil) have a still larger number of cars and wagon fronts. The American Amusement Co. has the followfng line-up: Cant. Richard’s Jungle Show, Capt. Stewart's Gorilla Show, Plantation Show, Dreamland. Prof. Leon’s Dog Show. Johnny Webb. the fat baby: Indian village. merry-go round. twenty concessions and three free acts incinding Dare Devil Meyers. Leap the Gan, Prof. Thompson, balloon ascension and Prof. Swartz, Roman rings and traps. H. P. Wright is announcer and Billboard agent. Sam Ach, that famous Queen Contest man, goes with the Aiken Amusement Co. for another sexason. Jack Rhodes has under construction at winter quarters three fine panel fronts. scrolled and go'd leafed for the company. Mr. Aiken is undertaking at an enormous ontlay of money one of the best and cleanest companies on the mad. This show will play in the very heart of the states and make some stands in Canada. The Grand Western Amusement Co. played Marietta. Okla.. under the auspices of the Fire Department, to fine business. It was promounced the best week of the season. Frank Sears, high diver, met with a serious § accident on the last day. He missed the center of his net and received two broken ribs. He was sent to his home in Kansas City by the management. Cold weather prevented Moss Bros’ Shows opening on Monday at Richland, Ga. It was the first time since the show has been out that this Las occurred. Karl Nelson closed with the Woods Four Brothers Show and joined the Moss Show with his Society Circus of ten people. Ed. W, Arthur, owner of Joy Ride, was taken ili with typhoid fever, while in Orangeburg, Ss. C. After four days of confinement to the Orangeburg Hospital he was taken to the Know!lton Hospital, Columbia, S. C., for treatment. His wife is at his bedside during his illness. Roy Cable of the J. Frank Hatch Shows, returned to his home at Beaver Falls, Pa. for the winter, after the close of the Hatch Shoows at the Michigan State Fair, Detroit. Mr Cable was with the show six weeks at that place. P. N. Trout, an old merry-go-round man, for the past fifteen years with amusement and carnival companies, is undergoing a very serious operation at the Westley Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Ga. Herman Rensing, Joe Short and W. 0. Gettman, of the Barkoot Shows, sailed December 2 on the 8. S. Ponce for Porto Rico. Earl Hall, of the Kit Carson Buffalo Ranch Wild West Show, has joined the Nigro and Loos Shows for the winter season. CARNIVAL CONVERSATION. By “RED ONION.” In looking over the public service may of Nev Jersey we find such possible carnival towns as Bridgeton, Burlington, Dover, Morristown, Plain field, Lakewood, Washington, Phillipsburg, Ho boken, Jersey City, Hackensack, Red Bank Rahway, Clayton, Salem, Millville, Somervill Passaic, Englewood, and oh—yes, Perth Amboy is all right, if you can pronounce the Mayor's name, Found this gem of thought hanging over the desk of . Warren, of the United Fairs Booking Association: A CHICAGO TOAST. Ilere’'s to the man who plans things— Builds things—makis things; Who prates not of wonders of old, Nor gloats upon ancestral gold, But takes off his coat and takes a_ hold, And does things, John P. Martin leaves Chicago some time soon for one of those out-all-winter-things. I asked him what kind of a concession he was going to put on and he said: “A ham and egg wheel would get the most money.”" John had a letter from E, J. MeKenty, who has an African Dip McKenty says that every time the coon drops he breaks the = ice. Where is M. J. Morley? In seasons past forley was general agent for the J. Frank Hatch Shows and others. He ts givenferedit with being the originator of the Country Stor At any rate, there are few that are Morley’s equal when it comes to putting on countrys stores. + “ Loule Beck, in years past press agent for Rostock, Ferari and others, has not been hear from for some time, Where are you, Louie? Kenneth Lee Barnard, who for many yearhas been making trips to Mexico. as a pro moter of fireworks exhibitions, carnivals and aviation meets, furnishes the following. H+ assures the writer that it is given that other may profit by his observations. “Promoters going south of the Rio Grande should arrange all their affairs so that a failure to return would in no way embarrass their: at traction, for believe me, promises in Mexico are more binding than a contract and those peo ple down there have a most wonderful memory. “The laws in Mexico are made for patrons © amusements and not the owner. Unless you pro duce your promises the system there is bad for yeu, and locks on the jail doors are strong, and when you are locked in you are forgotten unless vou have friends that stand high. Don't use any pictorial printing or any illustrations in your newspaper work that you can not actually pro duce. “Under the Mexican laws they do not arrest on’'y the manager or owner, bot all must go. even the mechanical devices are taken down and locked up. <A moving picture theatre ex hibited a ‘fake’ picture, Manager, operator, ticket sellers, ushers, machine asd films were all placed in durance vile. and believe me, it» some vile. So, Mr. Promoter. unless vou are sure ron can produce thirty per cent more than you promise, postpone ee to Mexico.” S. J. Levy. one of the publicity agents for the Greater United Shows during the past sea son, said he was on a train coming home at th: else of the season. A carnival follower, sitting in the opposite seat, when asked by the condne tor for his ticket ssid: ‘“‘Nix on the ticket thing; I’m a ‘shill.’ ”’ Going South? How eften have you heard going South for the winter? Going South t+ s° very vague. In this broad land of ours 1° would be better if you would specify what vart of the South you are going to. The Sont' is 1,009 miles long and 3.500 miles wide. De ron get what I am ta'king about? Will Dan R. Robinson put out a carnival company next season? J. Frank Longbotham. who was manger of the Old-time, One-ring Cirens with the Greater T'nited Shows the pakt season. has some propo “tien on in Cuha for tne winter. Going te Cuba is not an exper’ment with Frank, so we have no fear of his not being successful! Frank was at one time snecial agent of the Har graves’ Rig Railroad Shows. You have ga‘ to give those circus boys credit for being able to do things. + Has it come to this? Are we to have penny carnival amusements? A prominent carnive chowman, I must not tell his name, to'd m recentiy. that he was going to build a numbe of carnival shows this winter and organiz them into a comnanyv for the coming season and that the admission price is to be five cent: for each attraction. If he does, which I be lieve he will, let us watch bim carefully. The annual Firemen’s Carnival, Mount Vernon, N. Y., will doubtless prove to be good for shows and concessionaires when the attrac tions are located in Mount Vernon, and not over in Connecticut like it was this season. With frequent regularity we hear something about Philadelphia having a carnival. Has there ever been a really successful one located in Philadelphia proper? There was one in Frank ford several years ago under the auspices of the merchants, that goes down in carnival his tory as being one of the most successful ever held in this country. Frankford is a subur of Philadelphia and a great manufactur. nz center. + J. Frank Hatch—The time was never more propitious for you to frame up that carnival hotel you told us about some years ago when you were playing Pittsburg. You told us th» you would open it that season, but you couldn't find a suitable man for a clerk. The man has been found. + It is reported in Chicago that W. L. & 1 B. Backenstoe will put out one of the fines carnival companies on the road next Season There is no reason why they shouldn't do it a» well as anyone, in fact better than some, be cause, they are instinctively showmen. Wh» you take a look at their Mazeppa Horse Sh you are looking at a real carnival outfit. You can not deny this. Ten minutes’ conversation with Frank L Alberts will convince you that he is positivel) alive. He is a successful publicity and aviatie promoter. The reasons are his own, meaning personality. + M. B. Wescott insists that all blonde girls attached to his shows must carry parrots and double in the cook-house. However, Mark is net partial to blondes. He is willing to acceyn anything after a am poodle dogs. Jake Mendelsohn, for seven seasons manager of the Ostrich Farm in Jacksonville, and wh» also had the distinction of being the talker on Col. Francis Ferari’s Trained Wild Animal Arena for a season or so, has for the past two years been manager of the Humboldt Theatre on Milwaukee Avenue, in Chicago. Jake exclaims, “QGarnival business, never again.” We = ar sorry, old man, Harry R. Raver is directing the destinies of the Eclair Film Co. on this side of the water He registers from Fort Lee, N. J. A prominent newsboy in Burlington, N. J says that that town never had the pleasure of havin~ a carnival company within its cit) limits, although one was billed to play ther the early part of the present season but fa!) to materialize. I think Burlington would be a good place for one—there is a beautiful locs tion four blocks from the center of the town Cheer up, Burlington—You may yer know the joys of living. W. M. (Billy) Persch—When are you going to frame up that Jungle Show and Country Store combined? If anybody asks you. it’s a great ida and should prove to be one of the novelt'« of the coming season, that is? I respectfully request you to do it, Henry Meyerhoff, that astute mental mammoth, told me last summer that he intends to spend the winter in Europe, roaming over the continent in search of novelties to be introduced in America the coming season. Henry intro duced one at Westchester, N. Y., last season but he didn’t know it, Discovered—Jo E. Rickards as sporting ed iter of the El Paso Morning Times. In a let ter to the writer he wishes to be remembered to his show friends of former days. “Rick"’ is still (according to his own admission), ‘‘as effervescent as a seidlitz powder and as hard to take."’ He has always been a man of sparkling qualities, + Perry Thibaut, the past season with th: Great Mazeppa Show, left Chicago for New Orleans, where he will spend the winter wi his parents. If you don't believe the Mazeppa Show made money this season ask Perry. He sold the tickets, “Doc’’ Gilbert Flagg, originator of the Well Dance, as he called it, would stand on the plat form and address the assembled multitude thus ly: ‘‘Hindoo fakirs say that the topmost peaks of the Himalayas are constantly covered with snow; it is omnipresent and never melts. I, being of the same mind, say also.’ What “Doc’’ meant by this we will have to find out. Up to the present time no one has, ‘Doe’? was a money getting talker. Guess that’s the answer, Harry Noyes says: ‘‘The coming season wil! without a doubt, be a better one for the car nival manager who has a real show, than the past season has been. Harry is a keen student of crop conditions and therefore he knows. I knew he would do it. He has come back He has arrived Hie Is here. Adolph Seeman is to be general director of amusements of the Virginia Reach Development Company's resort situated on the Atlantic Coast elghteen miles from Norfolk. This company should be con gTatulated in securing the services of such an experienced and practical showman. Walter F. Driver, vice-president and hustling representative of the United States Tent & Awning Company. is always a welcome visitor at winter-quarters, or on the show Iot. No matter when or where you see Walter he is a busy man. Tread lightly—-Rlum and MeNew have foined hands in the advertising business In Chicago. I refer to C. V.. Blum and T. FE. MeNew. Bot? are hustlers. Answer, doing business. 4 Harry W. Wright received a wire from one of his agents once saying: ‘‘Prospects for contract here good, need money,"’ Harry wire’ agent: “Do prospects look good to the hotel keeper? If so deposit a treasurer order for the amount you need.’ Where are they? L, C. Zelleno, ‘‘Doe."” Wag del, Allen Darnaby, George L. Macfarlane, Henry Reichembaugh, Ed. RK. en Roger Flint, E. E, Levia, J. George Loose, W. Mauric Tobin, J. Harry Edwards, Smith Warner, !{ar old Busha, Harry Hardy, Tom Rankine, Shin Suttle, Frank Corby, T. J. Cannon, Dick Fulton, David Sklower, Wilbur 8S. Cherry, Mart Weiler George Jabour, Fred P. Sargent, Bert Hoss. [ry Toube, John 8. Berger, I. N. Fisk, Harry Shields, William A, Sassman, George W_ Ty masso, Jim P, Anderson, Matt Gay, “Kid’’ vq Comb, Kearney P. Speedy. This bunch is too much alive to keep silent so long. Speak uy) boys. + Among the well-known and former well known carnival people to be seen in Chicago recently were: J. B. Warren, Herbert A. Kline, James Patterson, E. F. Carruthers, Harry RK. Raver, H. W. Wright, John A. Pollitt, Floyd Calticut, Joe Callis, W. M,. Madison, Baba Delgarian, John P. Martin, A. T. Wright, Thomas E. Me New, Jake Mendeisoin, Charles G, Kilpatrick, Frank L, Alberts, M. 8. Bodkin, E. C. Talbert Harry Noyes, Joe (Parson) Durning, Alexander Parke, C. V. Blum, John H. Shields, Miss bear) Willett, Kenneth Lie Barnard, J, Frank Hate) A. K. Barkly, E. Lester Miller and Sidney Belmont. + When you are in Chicago drop into the Wel lington Hotel; ‘tis there that you will find the master minds of the carnival world assembled The things you don’t hear about would take up very little space in print. Mr, Cummings, the manager of the Wellington, seems to know just how to make the transient showman welcome Those of us who are not In winter-quarters now, will soon be. We should not spend al! of our time counting up last season's receipts. Let us take up some of the time itn devising means for increasing next year’s business We will get more money if we paint up and re pair our show property than we will chalking up billiard cues Let us quit knocking our fel low showmen and shake hands with our enemies and remember that the season of good cheer Is new at band. Merry, Merry Christmas. Chicago, Ill., Nov, 29, 1911. Editor The Billboard, Cincinnati, Ohio. Dear Sir:—I am replying to Mr. J. L. Pey ser, whose objections are noted in The Billboard issue of December 2. Mr. Peyser's retort seems to be devised to exploit the show he represents rather than to take exceptions to statements made by ‘Red Onion.”’ 1 reiterate that the business still needs men of the Bostock, Gaskill and Ferari cal-bre 1 did not say that there were not already such men in the business. I wish to say on behalf of the afore-mentioned gentlemen that they were so set in their manner of conducting their bus!ness, the methods of unscrupulons showmen in no way retarded their progress or affected their financial gains, I heartily cherish 1) statement made by Mr. Peyser, that the busi ness is elevating itself to a higher plane, but it can not be done by people whe condescen! to use the vulgar parlance of “hop heads,"” ‘“bums,"’ and ‘‘chasers,’ The movements and personnel of the Nat Reiss Carnival Company are no doubt interesting to the profession, if not‘t® the writer. 1 evn gratulate Mr. Reiss upon being able to grt together such a creditable organization. I now crave Mr, Peyser’s permission to wish Mr. Nat Reiss success, My opinion and classification of Petersburg. Va., remains unchanged, Yours very truly. “RED ONION.” ‘\ Headquarters for =| FOUNTAIN PENS A Few of our Specials No. 404A—Medium aize Fountais hanes screw section, hard rubber ngraved barrel, fitted with “e gold. plated Pen, No 4008 “The “Jumbo,” * oxtra large size, length 7% Inches, cap gold letterer, ‘‘Marksman Non! GL.OBs BOSS .....crccsesss 918.00 money. at the lowest prices. GORDON & MORRISON Importers and Manafacturers 210-212 W Madison St. Chicago The J. W. Zarro Construction Co Hightand and Dorchester Aves. CINCINNATI, O. New and Novel Devices for Parks. second-hand material for Amusement Devicet of all kinds constantly on hand, Get tn toucd before the busy season starts. SHOOTING GALLERIES, BALL GAMES Ciroulars for the asking New and Diamond Nevelty Co., Schenectady, W. . —-WANTED — D Second-hand Mirrore for Maze. WELLAN AMUSEMENT CO., 750 Fillmore Ave., Buffalo, If you see it in The Billboard, tell them #0