CIRCUS HISTORY

Being written

CIRCUS HISTORY. Newspaper accounts of "the circus coming to town" often mimic each other in the accounts of the twenty-plus car railroad trains bringing equipment, animals, and performers to town, the huge crowds eager to see the parade, and the marvelous acts. Equally worth remembering are the other facts that were not so often repeated over the years and therefore are prone to be forgotten. This will be the focus of this entry. (1)

The growth of the RINGLING BROTHERS' CIRCUS might never had occurred without the help of Dubuque's neighbors to the southeast in Cascade. In 1879 the Ringling circus was small, owned by the five Ringling brothers, and was financially broke in Onslow, Iowa. Making matters worse, a tornado had ripped the circus tent to shreds. Mustering all its resources, the crew moved fifteen miles in horse-drawn wagons to Monticello hoping for a good crowd. The fee required by the town was more than the show could afford. Going ahead alone, Al Ringling headed for Cascade, a town known for being 'a good show town.'(2)

Isaac Baldwin, the mayor and publisher of the newspapers, and R. J. McVay, a private banker, came to the rescue. Baldwin printed advertising handbills on credit and waived the show permit required. McVay loaned Ringling the money to move the show to Casacde--a project that took several days. (3)

With a patched tent, the Ringling circus played to packed houses making the show financially sound. Moving on and adding talent, the Ringling Circus was soon traveling the nation by rail car. Since Cascade, however, was only linked to the outside world by narrow-gauge track the circus was never able to return to the scene of its resurrection. (4)

Some time later, the Ringling Circus was booked into Monticello and three Cascade residents traveled to see it. Al Ringling, remembering the great help Cascade had given his crew, allowed the three to enter free-of-charge. During the performance, Ringling told the crowd of the history in Cascade and vowed that anyone able to prove they were from Cascade would be admitted free 'wherever we are.' (5)

The idea of requiring a permit for an exhibition could be traced to at least 1863. In that year, it appeared the amount of the fee could be set by the mayor. In May of that year, CASTELLO'S AND VAN VLECK'S MAMMOTH CIRCUS appeared in Dubuque. On May 5, Dubuque Herald writers commented on the fine condition of the horses and wagons, the crowded pavilion during the show, and quality of the acts. In a separate article, entitled "Unfair," the writers noted that the circus in its two days in Dubuque probably spent one thousand dollars on supplies. It was then questioned why the circus had to pay $75 for a permit when similar events were usually charged $25. The writers suggested that if the mayor could not be convinced to waive the fee, the charge should be no more than that charged similar businesses.

The determination of permit fee amount which caused so much problem for the Ringling circus came about through a state law passed in 1876. It stated:

        An Act to regulate circuses and other public shows.
          Section 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly
                     of the State of Iowa. That before any 
                     person can exhibit any traveling show 
                     circus not prohibited by law, or show 
                     any natural or artificial curiosity, or 
                     exhibition of horsemanship in a circus 
                     or otherwise for any price, gain or reward, 
                     in any county outside of the outside of 
                     the limits of any city or incorporated 
                     town, he shall obtain a license therefore 
                     from the county auditor, upon the payment 
                     to the county treasurer of such sum as may 
                     be fixed by the board of supervisors, not 
                     exceeding one hundred dollars for each and 
                     every place in the county at which such show 
                     circus may exhibit.
          Section 2. If any person shall exhibit any show above 
                     contemplated without having first obtained 
                     such license, he shall be deemed guilty of 
                     a misdemeanor and punished accordingly, and 
                     shall forfeit and pay double the amount fixed 
                     for such license for the use and benefit of 
                     the school fund.
 

In August of 1910 the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors took "a long run and jump at the traveling circus organization which may be compelled to show outside the limits of towns or cities for more than a day." (6) In addition to requiring a permit from the county auditor, the board determined: (7)

          When the general and reserved seat admission fee charged 
          by such show, circus, or exhibition is 50 cents or more, 
          the license fee shall be $100.000 for the first day and 
          $50.00 for each succeeding day during the continuance of 
          such show, circus or exhibition.

          When the general and reserved seat admission fee charged 
          is less than 50 cents and more than 25 cents, the license 
          fee shall be $75.00 for the first day and $15.00 for each 
          succeeding day during the continuance of such show, circus 
          or exhibition.

           When the general and reserved seat admission fee changed 
           is 25 cents or less, the license fee shall be $50.00 of 
           the the first day and $10.00 for each succeeding day during 
           the continuance of such show, circus or exhibition.
           

The fee could pose a severe problem to a small circus, but was minor to a large company. In 1907 representatives of BARNUM AND BAILEY CIRCUS spoke with representatives of the Dubuque Herald. At that meeting, the circus representatives reported that it cost their circus $250,000 annually to advertise. This paid for the pictorial displays for billboards and the flyers which were distributed by the millions during the circus season. Posting the pictorial displays required special arrangements with the local billposters months ahead of the show. (8)

The first knowledge the public had of the coming show was the arrival of the first of four advertising cars each equipped as a traveling hotel with dining and sleeping compartments. Each car had a manager, billposting superintendent, and staff of from fifteen to twenty-five men. Lockers held twenty tons of printed paper which had to be renewed every two weeks. Under the cars were bins with a dozen barrels of flour for making paste. (9)

Arriving in town during the evening ensured that work could begin by 6:00 a.m. Wagons supplied by local liverymen received their allotment of pictorial paper and flyers. Each car supplied between five and ten teams supplied to fix circus announcements to every fence and billboard within miles. Aided by newspaper advertisements, the show was then properly announced. (10)

The posting of "circus banners" was to be done with the consent of the property owners, and those posting the banners often carried tickets to convince the fence owner. The number of banners, however, became an issue with the writers of the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald in 1911. While acknowledging that it was the right of a property owners to allow his property to be a scene for advertisements, the writers commented: (11)

            last summer the Main Street of Dubuque had the
            appearance of a street in a jay town run to seed, so
            promiscuous were these circus banners...the average
            man looking at a building covered with circus banners
            concludes that it can't have much use for rental
            purposes and that the man who owns it hasn't very high 
            opinion of it or very much respect for appearances.
      

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Source:

1. "Recall Ringling's Free Invitation to Cascaders," The Telegraph-Herald, July 18, 1956, p. 1

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. "Traveling Show License Raised," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, August 3, 1910, p. 3

7. Ibid.

8. "What It Costs to Bill a Circus," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, August 8, 1907, p. 21

9. Ibid.

10. Ibid.

11. "Alas the Circus Banner," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, May 19, 1911, p. 7