Circus Historical Society
Note Sheet No. 8, September 1943
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Note Sheet, No. 8, September 15, 1943. Note: Only some articles are included in this online edition. Illustrations are not included.
One of the outstanding exhibitions along the midway of the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 was the "Carl Hagenbeck's Trained Animal Exposition" with its big elaborate and costly front of red and gold carvings and mirrors, with a big elaborate military band organ of the most ornate design. This attraction was a big success, and for the season of 1905 a big travelling show was organized to tour the country and to open in St. Louis for a full week. The title was the "Carl Hagenbeck Trained Animal Show." St. Louis was thoroughly billed with new attractive paper, as fine as any show ever used. The equal owners of this show were Carl Hagenbeck; John Havlin; Frank R. Tate and C. Lee Williams. Monday April 24th was the opening date, a six day stand. Following Monday was Terre Haute, Ind., followed by other good Indiana stands for the week.
C. Lee Williams was General Manager, and Lorenz Hagenbeck Assistant. W. E. Ferguson, General Agent; John S. Sheehy, Treasurer; Theo H. Bauer, Press Representative; Thomas Rankin, Equestrian Director and Announcer; Edward Holland, Superintendent; Wayne Witt, Physician; John W. Connery, Chief Detective; Douglas Homer, Purchasing Agent; Prof. A. V. Cicio, Band Leader; A. P. Scott, Special Agent; Herbert S. Maddy, Contracting Press Agent; Paul Harrell, Manager Advertising Car No.1; W. S. Dunnington, Manager Advertising Car No. 2; Harry Overton, Manager Opposition Car; Geo. S. Williams, Superintendent of Cafe car.
Performers in the Big Show were: Prof. Walberti, Harry Van Cleve, The Flying Edwards, Lil Kerslake, Prof. Tony Ryder, Manuel Herzog, Mrs. Kate Holland, Miss Helen Richards, Miss Dolly Castle, Harry Schubert, The Aldeans, Hugo Herzog, The Florence Troupe, six people, and the Heras Family of seven people, and the Newel Shewett trio. The clowns were Morris Davis, Edward Esberger, H. Aldean, Chuch Howard and Rube Ryan.
The animal trainers were Herman Boger, John Dukak, Charles Judge, Harry Schubert, Fritz Drahn, John Penje, Lil Kerslake and Mlle. Du Fay. Charles Franklin was Superintendent of animals; Williams A. Chambers, Boss elephant man with T. Sullivan as Assistant, Eph. Sells was side show boss canvassman; W. W. Scott boss Hostler with John Horgan, Assistant. Thos. Rankin was Manager of Annex Department, and also the aftershow concert with the following performers: Harry Moulton, Ventriloquist; Hardin Elliss, Magician; Mlle Cotera, Dancer; Burger Bros., Musical Act and Florence Sisters, singers and dancers.
Detroit was the May 8-9-10 date, followed by other stands in Michigan. First stand in Ohio was Toledo May 19. Cincinnati was a 3 day engagement May 29-31. Show went as far west as Nebraska and Kansas. Kansas City was the July 3 and 4th date. Show played more Illinois, Indiana and Ohio cities and Erie, Penn., was the first stop in Pennsylvania. Jamestown, N.Y., was the first stop in that state, thirty-two towns were made and show entered Pennsylvania again, Sept 27 exhibiting at Sayre, Pittston Wilkes-Barre, Lehighton, Allentown, Bethlehem, Norristown, Reading, Pottsville, and Lebanan.
The last named city was played Sat. October 7 where show finished its 1905 tour, the first season of the Carl Hagenbeok Trained Animal Show. From Lebanon, the show was taken to Winter Quarters at Carthage, Ohio, 608 miles. It may be interesting to know that during the season for eleven weeks all railroad moves were less than 100 miles, for example Syracuse, 50 miles; Utica 53 miles; Albany 95 miles; Troy 6 miles; Saratoga 33 miles and Glens Falls 22 miles.
The total mileage for the season was 7918 miles. The Carl Hagenbeck Trained Animal Show toured the country again season 1906, the writer seeing same with it appeared at Louisville, Ky. that year. The show encountered a wreck when a flat car or two and several wagons were badly damaged, which happened while the show was enroute at Tiger Creek, Ark., October 25th. The show went into Mexico late in 1906 and at termination of that season the train with the equipment was taken to Peru, Ind., and merged with the Great Wallace Shows, one of the prominent and high class circuses of that period (Col. B. E. Wallace, owner), and 1907 was the first season for the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, which is another story for another time.
One advance car with sleeping apartments
Four 60-foot flat cars for wagons and cannon
Three 60ft. stock cars; horses; buffalo, steers
Two 60 ft. sleeping cars
One box car for baggage
One $1.800 bandwagon
One Barouche
Two Prairie Schooners
One Concord Stage Coach
One $1,200 Ticket wagon
One Pole wagon
One stake and chain wagon
One Oil wagon
One cook wagon
One reserved seat wagon
One Jack Wagon
Two-seat wagons
Two 12 pd. Rifle Cannon
One Ox Cart (on carriages)
Two 4-horse Chariots
Two 2-horse Chariots
Eighty Bronchos
Forty large work horses
Four Texas Steers
Four Buffalo
Two Mexican Burros
Big Show Canvas - wall encloses 350 ft. by 200 ft., fourteen feet high. Thirty-foot wide canopy over all seats. Twenty-foot square canopy in centre of big show for band. One dressing tent, 20 ft. round top. One ammunition Wall Tent. Two 100-ft. Horse tents. One 50-ft. round top with 60-ft middle piece for Museum.
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Last modified November 2005.
without written permission of the author and the Circus Historical Society, Inc.