Bandwagon, April 1955

Bandwagon, April, 1955. Note: Only some articles are included in this online edition. Illustrations are not included. The Circus Historical Society does not guarantee the accuracy of information contained in the information in these online articles. Information should always be checked with additional sources.

Howe's Great London Circus of 1916. Wheeler Bros. in 1916

Howe's Great London Circus of 1916

It was on October 10, 1916, Howe's Great London Circus, full of honors and a wonderful triumph after its long conquering tour of the continent was announced for Rollo, Missouri.

The advance notices said, "It will be presented on a scale of colossal magnitude and lavish expenditure never known before in this country. The traveling amusement sensation of the day, bringing mirth and joy. They promised 20 clowns, 50 leapers, 100 acrobats, 250 horses, 400 people, Dublin Grays, Black Hussars, Marvelous Eddy's, monarchs supreme of the amusement realm, Royal Yeddo Jananese troupe and 200 other great acts. A double menagerie contained animals from every country, three bands of music, a Royal hippodrome. Many times the biggest and most bewildering production ever in America, the most stupendously stirring spectacle that the human eyes ever witnessed.

The grand street parade was announced for 10 A.M.

Wheeler Bros. in 1916

All new, first time here, the world's best circus, Wheeler Bros. enormous shows, a three ring circus, July 3, 1916, New Ulm, Minn., the display advertisements read. The show advertised a vast menagerie, hippodrome and blue ribbon horse fair; the real circus beautiful; 500 selected highest paid artists; seven sensational special displays; $100,000 made in Paris costumes; see the terrific aerial battle, aristocratic fox hunt, exciting polo games, world at war, wonderful Pekin guards, great military displays, massive Biblical spectacle, David and Goliath. A new era in circus history; splendor on splendor. Its grandeur, beauty, originality and vast costliness has amazed the world. There is no other like it on earth. See the mighty new style pageant at 10:30 A.M., followed by the opening of the Blue Ribbon Horse Fair.

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Many Circuses 46 Years Ago

A few years ago I read a short article wherein the writer began by saying "The Circus Business Today Is a Mere Shadow Of Its Former Self." His reference was of course to the number of shows years ago, and those of today. He named only the larger shows.

I am naming here the circuses and wild west shows of 46 years ago, (season 1909). The titles of many are well remembered by the majority of fans I am sure, while many other titles have never been heard of by the younger circus fans.

The railroad shows enroute the season of 1909 were: Barnum Bailey Greatest Show On Earth; Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows; Sells-Floto Circus; John Robinson 10 Big Shows; Hagenbeck-Wallace Shows; Norris & Rowe Circus; Al. G. Barnes Trained Animal Show; Frank A. Robbins Show; Campbell Bros. Great Consolidated Shows; Gollmar Bros. Circus; Cole Bros. World-Toured Shows (Martin Downs, owner); Mighty Haag Shows; John H. Sparks World Famous Shows; Sun Bros. World's Progressive Shows; Welsh Bros. Shows; Howes Great London Show; Yankee Robinson Show; Dode Fisk Great Combined Shows; Hargraves Circus; Leon Washburn Show; Mackay's European Shows; Howard Damon Show; Gentry Bros. No. 1; Gentry Bros. Show No. 2; Wiedemann Bros. Show, 2 cars; Colorado Grant Show, 2 cars; Rogers & Clark Show, 2 cars; Mollie Bailey Show, 2 cars. The two large wild west shows on rail were Buffalo Bill's Wild West, and the 101 Ranch Wild West.

Motorized circuses had not yet appeared and it was some years later before they did come, with the coming of better roads. The overland wagon shows of 1909 were Hunt's Silver Plate Show; Al. F. Wheeler Model Plate Show; LaMont Bros. Show; Lucky Bill Show; Lorenzo & Maurer Show; London & Warren Show; Chas. Bartine Show; Woodford & Elzor Show; Rippel Bros. Show; Adam Fetzer Show; Orton Bros. Show; George S. Ely Show; James Shelby Southern Show, and the Rose Killian Show.

The following, all small outfits, were appearing at parks and fairs the season of 1909. Dickey's Circle D Ranch; Kennedy's X.I.T. Ranch; Texas Bud's Wild West; Diamond Bar Ranch Wild West; Lone Star May's Wild West; Ben Holmes Wild West, and Snyder Bros. Wild West.

Should any other shows of 1909 be omitted in my list I suggest the names be sent to The Bandwagon for future records.

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Clyde Beatty Circus Season Route of Year 1954

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“Elephant Escape”

Judy, a six thousand pound elephant, one of five recently purchased from the St. Louis Zoo by Paul Kelley caused quite a bit of excitement recently. Kelley, is now the owner of the former Cole Bros. winter quarters located seven miles south of Peru, on Highway 31. Judy broke away from Kelley while being exercised on Sunday night, April 17 (1955) at 7 P.M. The whole of Sunday night local and state police and the Sheriff's Department armed with rifles hunted 'till after midnight for the big beast, but she was not sighted. At midnight the search was called off and Kelley decided she might settle down somewhere 'till morning.

This, she evidently did, and a Mrs. Eisman called the Jail early in the morning to say there was an elephant in her pasture, which is located near Bunker Hill, but by the time the Sheriff and his men and Paul Kelley arrived on the farm Judy had traveled on another three miles. Kelley, armed with twenty loaves of bread, and his men finally "talked" their way close to the beast and managed to get chains on her ankles and around a tree. Five hours later Kelley hauled her back to the Bull Barn on his farm in one of his Bull trucks. The only damage reported done during her escapade was to farmers' fences.

The only real excitement during the early part of the hunt come when Judy charged Von Binkered, a former Cheerful Gardner elephant man. When she charged Von climbed into a nearby tree and was shaken from there by Judy. When he was dislodged from the tree he fell into Pipe Creek, a stream which flows through the Winter Quarter property.

Judy's value was placed at $5,000 by Paul Kelley, her owner.

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