In the eye of the law a circus must have feats of horsemanship in its
program, and such shows have to pay a "circus" license, which in some
States and cities is very high. If, however, the shows do not give any
riding, their performance simply consisting of leaping, tumbling, and
athletic feats, then a license may be taken out at a greatly reduced
price; and this accounts for the almost numberless small shows which
annually tour the country. Of the circus and menagerie show proper I do
not think there are more than twenty in America; but of tented
exhibitions, billed as "railroad shows," there are several hundred. The
tented exhibitions employ from fifty to six hundred men each, and the
capital invested in them runs from $5,000 to $250,000.
Many of the smaller shows are fitted out economically by purchasing
from the larger ones paraphernalia that has been used a season or two.
For example: the canvases used an entire season by a large show may be
purchased cheaply, because it is essential to the attractiveness of a
really great amusement institution to have each season a new, white
"spread." The old canvas, if not sold to the smaller showmen, is
disposed of to the paper manufacturers at about one and one-half cents
the pound.
The same rule of enforced replenishment applies to wardrobe and general
paraphernalia. In this way a beginner in the circus business may, by
judicious investment in second-hand bargains, start out with a very
fair outfit secured at a much smaller cost than if he were compelled to
purchase everything new. And, in this connection, let me say that I
know of no other business enterprise in which new material costs so
much, and when sold at second-hand realizes so little. One of the
largest shows ever organized in this country, and which was reputed to
be worth more than half a million dollars, was inventoried on the death
of one of the proprietors, with a view to selling the estate of the
deceased, and, to the great surprise of the executors, was found to
reach in value only about $200,000.
Twenty years ago a show with a daily expenditure of $250 was thought
extravagant, while fifty years ago a circus whose receipts averaged
sixty dollars a day was considered to be doing a good business. To-day
there is one show the expenses of which are undoubtedly more than
$3,500 a day, although it is surprising what wonderful displays are
made by others at a cost of less than $1,000 a day. The reason for this
is that, above a certain amount, the expenses depend largely upon the
amount of advertising done. It is amusing, however, to note the manner
in which all of them, big and little, claim to be the largest and most
expensive attractions in the country. Many smaller showmen use the same
billing matter as the largest ones, and scores of lines can be read in
the circus advertisements of to-day that have done duty for many years.