Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 September 1904 — THE CARNIVAL. [ARTICLE]

THE CARNIVAL.

Rensselaer’s third experience with a carnival is on this week, the Robinson Carnival Co., furnishing the amusement attractions. While there are not quite as many shows as have been here with previous companies of this kind, they are of a cleaner, better quality., and everyone must admit that it is the best looking lot of shows that we have ever had here. There is no snake-eater and no hootchie-cootchie, and the shows are all clean and good, as such shows go. The worst feature of all carnivals is the “followers” —gamblers, toughs and lewd women. Of the latter there are probably not as many as heretofore, and most of the gamblers were not allowed to run their games —but no thanks are due our peace officers or those having the local management of the “show” in charge for this feature. Wide open gambling was allowed on the street until word was sent to the marshall that if he did not suppress it an action would be filed against him for neglect his official duty. Then, and not till then, this particular game that everyone who Jjad the price—even boys ten and twelve years old were allowed to play—was closed up, although the local management of the carnival wanted to have it prodceed. We know nothing about what other games or gambling devices were allowed in the back alleys or out of the way places, or if there were any, but if there were not it was not because of any qualms of conscience on the part of the managers, who are evidently after the money, as might be supposed, and are not very conscientious as to the means employed to get it. The attendance has been very slim. Thursday was the best day, and there was not much of a crowd here ihen. The Carnival people will not get very rich out of the thing and it is a cinch that the business men, who have been bled right and left, will be able to handle all the money they make out of it without any great inconvenience. The city will be out several hundred dollars for extra lights and material furnished, special police, cleaning up. etc*., while the morals of the youth of the town and community will not be benefitted. But the K. of P’s. may be able to pay another installment of interest on the $16,000 mortgage on their building and a few of the more pressing claims against it.' And this is all.