KIDS WAITED ALL
NIGHT FOR CIRCUS.
RINGLING'S BIG SHOW CAME
EARLY THIS MORNING.
A Big Crowd Watched Transfer of
Four Train Loads of Wonders
to Grounds at Fifteenth
and Indiana.
ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS IN THE RINGLING BROTHERS' MENAGERIE.
The great circus of the world -- the one which has made the name of Ringling Brothers a household word -- is here. It rolled into Kansas City quietly before daylight this morning. A good big crowd of the circus faithful, old and young, were in waiting at the railroad yards and gave a royal greeting to the sleepy-eyed workmen and unloading caravans. Many of the kids had been up all night to be sure they would not miss anything. It took four special trains to transport here the great army of people, horses, elephants, wild animal cages, parade features and enormous mechanical effects.
It was a strange sight to see forty elephants lumbering along a quiet roadway in the gray light of early dawn. The keepers had their hands full keeping the venturesome youngsters away from the amiable beasts, and when the big animals were ranged in a circle at the grounds waiting until their place in the menagerie was ready, the trailing kids were apparently in a seventh heaven of delight.
It took about two hours to transfer the immense equipment to the grounds at Fifteenth street and Indiana avenue and about the same time is required to erect the twenty tents that constitute the circus city. The big canvas in which the performance takes place is the largest ever made, and the menagerie tent is almost as big. There are 650 horses with the show and in the dining tents are served 3,000 meals a day.
"DARWIN," THE MISSING LINK.
The Ringling tents are perfectly waterproof and the illumination is beautiful. Even the menagerie cages have each a power light, so that the wild animal rarities may be scanned with keener interest. In this valuable department is "Darwin," the missing link, a man-sized ape that feeds on oranges and grapes, shaves himself, likes music, plays cards and ball and is a stout prohibitionist. The human-like creature has caused much comment, both humorous and serious.
This is the twenty-fifth anniversary of Ringling Bros, in the circus business, and the ring acts are mostly European novelties and sensations. Two-thirds of the 400 performers in the programme are announced as making their first appearance in America. The Ringling show has always presented an exceptional and satisfactory list of acts, in which refinement and novelty have been leading characteristics. In fact, the tone and individuality of this big show have brought it to the first place in the circus world.
ALL NATIONS REPRESENTED.
There are acrobats from Persia, riders from Italy, gymnasts from England and Germany, jugglers from Japan, dancers and equilibrists from France, and specialists from twenty-two countries of the world. Acrobats that do tricks on the back of a running horse, which have heretofore been considered difficult on the firm foundation of ground; a man who walks on the top of his head like other people do on their feet; gymnasts who turn triple somersaults in midair before they alight upon swings or recover hands; horses that jump through beer casks, drink out of mugs and unharness themselves and go to bed like a man; pigs that climb ladders and shoot the chutes; elephants that can act out humorous skits with amazing intelligence; horses, dogs and ponies that are educated beyond human belief, and a lot of other things that are out of the common and entertaining, if not astounding, are in the varied circus bill of 100 numbers.
As a thrilling climax a ponderous automobile is driven down a sheer incline, and, shooting into space about twenty feet from the ground, turns two complete somersaults before landing upon a distant runway and wheels with terrific momentum into the racing track. A daring young French woman is seated in the car and steers it in its dreadful plunge and revolving flight. This is the most nervy and puzzling sensation every brought forward by circus ingenuity.
Two performances will be given Monday at 2 o'clock and 8 o'clock.
