It requires several months of hard labor to prepare any show for the
road, even those already organized, for, as a rule, all shows "lay off"
during the winter. With few exceptions the horses are allowed to "run
out," and all the wagons and paraphernalia are stored in convenient
winter quarters provided for the purpose. The wild animals are taken
from their traveling cages and placed in more commodious ones. The
manager then decides on his route for the coming season. This, in
itself, is an arduous labor, for the cost of transportation becomes,
necessarily, a most important consideration in his calculations.
The manager of a large show, however, can do this with comparative
ease, since he does not fear opposition so much as does the manager of
the small show and, consequently, may choose his own territory, while
his small opponent must skirmish around to get out of the way of the
larger show.
Therefore, the route of the big show is completed on paper not later
than the first of February, and the first agent, usually the railroad
contractor, begins his duties. Such a show as I am describing is
perfectly safe in laying out its route thus early and advertising its
days and dates for months in advance. And, having done this, woe betide
any smaller concern which elects to show in the same neighborhood, for
the larger show will immediately send an advance brigade and literally
flood the country with their bills. Brigades of this kind are called
"skirmishers," and are kept in readiness to jump to any point where
their services are needed to fight any kind of opposition. They thus
uphold a sort of monarchical right in the territory and prevent, if
possible, the success of the lesser attraction. This makes it really
far more difficult to manage a small show than a large one, as the
latter has "the right of might," while the lesser shows are continually
forced in each other's way, to their own detriment and often to their
complete financial disaster. A large concern in a prosperous season
clears an immense amount of money, but, on the other hand, a disastrous
season is bound to result in an enormous loss.