Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1916 — Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus Played To Big Crowds Saturday. [ARTICLE]

Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus Played To Big Crowds Saturday.

The Hagenbeck- Wallace circus played almost capacity nouses Saturday afternoon and evening. Ihe circus was probably the laigcst that has ever been in Rensselaer arid the quality of the performances was excellent. The only drawback to he day was the foot that on account of the late, arrival of the show from Monticello no street parade was held, which disappointed a great many people who came, not to see the show, but to witness tn? parade, and when it was announced that a parade could not be given, many immediately left for their homes. It was not until long after the dinner .iour that the tents were up and the afternoon performance did not start until . little after 3 o’clock, over an hour late from scheduled time. The workmen and many of the performers did not breakfast until afternoon owing to the delay an arriving here. The train arrived in Rensselaer lit 8:30 Saturday morning and the hauling to the circus grounds was not completed until 2 o’clock.

During the past few days the owners of the circus have been badly handicapped in its movements owing to the shortage of workmen. Many have been leaving the show of late at every point and according to the Monticello Journal the management was shy two hundred men upon their arrival in that city and many more left the show at that place, compii-qating-matters Btribmor»r —The mon were worn out upon their arrival in Rensselaer, having worked all night, and many of them refused to work upon their arrival here. It was reported before the show left Monticello that there would be no show again until Monday, which would have left Rensselaer without a circus. In towns where there are munition plants the show has lost heavily, as the men are tempted to leave the circus to work at the plants where they are offered from $4 to $6 a daj. The circus left here for Joliet, 111.