Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1907 — GREAT CROWD, FINE CIRCUS [ARTICLE]

GREAT CROWD, FINE CIRCUS

Hagenbeck-Wallace Show Draws and Pleases Large Crowd. It was 4be largest arid the best menagerie and circus that ever came to Rensselaer, while in the opinion of some it is the best show there is in the country, perhaps not the largest but combines more that is really new and novel than any other. It was compared by many who have seen Ringling Bros., and Barnum & Bailey’s with these two recognized leaders of the circus world arid many claimed for the Hagenbeck-Wallace combination an equally fine and meritorious performance. The parade was delayed considerably, not/being started until 11 o’clock, but a large crowd awaited its coming, and it was a very fine parade. Many of the animal cages were open to the view ot the public, exposing fine samples of jungle animals, inhere were four bands, many fine horses, sixteen elephants and many camels, all making a parade more than a half mile in length and every thing in it please ing to the on-lookers. In the great menagerie tent the animals were to be seen at closer range and were viewed by the thousands of people that attended the two performances. Most of them were animals ot the same kind that had been exhibited here before, and were all large, healthy looking beasts —equal in size to any in .captivity. The performance in the large tent was about two hours long and very busy. Part of the time performances were going on in three rings and on two stages. IThe most remarkable feature of the performance was -the trained wild animals. In an iron cage, Yroilt of sections to enclose all oi the center ring and connected from the rear with a long irou paneled driveway with the cages in the menagerie tent, were assembled lions and lionesses, tigers, pumas and polar bears. The trainer appeared in the center of these and put them thru several feats-tbatproved their intelligence and perfect submission to his will. At one time he caused two lions, two tigers and the polgr bear to lie down side by side on the ground and then he stretched full length across them on his back. Again he fed them small bits of raw meat, holding it high in his right hand and having the beasts one at a time raise on their hind feet and balance momentarily with the fore feet against his arm as they took the bit of meat in their teeth. Lions and tigers rode horses and elephants within the enclosure, springing from shelves and high stools thru burning hoops to the

backs of the horses. It would not be prndent to undertake a fuller discription of the performance, but it may be said that it surpassed the expectation of most ,pf the great crowd that witnessed it, and was more marvelous than it had been portrayed to be in the adverting pictures. Probably 7,000 people saw the shW afternoon and night and all seemed abundantly satisfied. It was a great circus and one that Will lorg be remembered.