Forepaugh Here: Interesting Process of Unloading a Great Show

In this piece that was printed in the the August 14h, 1894 edition of the "Lewiston Daily Sun", the writer discuses the Adam Forepaugh Show that just came to town (Lewiston) on August 14th, 1894. The writer discusses the amazing work ethic and the systematic manner in which the show is unloaded. This is a great peak into how
efficient the 1894 Forepaugh show was in it's early morning operations. 

Source:

The Lewiston Daily Sun (Lewiston, Maine)(Vol. 2, No. 151): August 14, 1894" (1894).

Forepaugh Here.

Interesting Process of Unloading a Great Show.

How the Big Circus Came to Lewiston and How It Was Transported to the 

Grounds -- The Route of the Grand Procession This Morning. 

       The Great Forepaugh show trains rolled into the Maine Central yards a little after 4 o'clock this morning. There were two sections, each with two big engines and the longest cars ever used in this country, all of them over 65 feet in length and capable of carrying a third more than the ordinary cars.

       The first section was immediately shunted on to a side track and the work of unloading begun, and so perfect is the system employed by managers McCaddon & Anderson, proprietors of the circus, that by 5 o'clock all the canvas wagons and animal cages were on the grounds opposite the base ball park, and by the time the good of Lewiston were sitting down to their breakfast the large canvas tents were pitched and preparations were being made for the parade.

       The parade leaving the grounds promptly at 10 o'clock will move out on Nichols Street turn into Sabatis, then down Main to Lisbon, following Lisbon to Chestnut, to Park, over Park to Pine and cut to thte grounds again.

       One of the most interesting sights imaginable is the unloading of the big circus like Forepaugh's, and in spite of the early hour, everyone who gets up and watches the operation will be well repaid for the slight loss of sleep he suffers.

       The cars are always loaded with the view of unloading to the best advantage, the wagons and paraphernalia first wanted on the grounds being loaded last. No sooner are the cars in position than Mr. Taylor, the master mechanic, who has been with the Forepaugh Show for 20 years, get the men out of the sleepers and begins work. The drivers unload and harness their teams of six and eight horses, another gang being  employed in setting the runways on the first car, and by the time the horses come up the first wagon is off the car, another ten seconds the team is hooked up and with a crack of the whip the first wagon with the cook tent apparatus, pots, kettle, pans and ovens start for the grounds. Another gang are already at the "lot" as the show grounds are called the vernacular of the circus,  waiting, and begin putting things in under the eye of the chef, who with his assistants starts right in to get breakfast and from 4:30 a.m. until 9 o'clock breakfast is served to the men as they get time to slip into the dining tent.

       The stable tents are next put up and as fast as each team gets through with its allotted number of wagons the driver unharnesses and has the hostler give the horses their breakfast, after which, they are carefully groomed. In fact, they are groomed half a dozen times a day.

       One of the advance men always meets the circus trains and takes the "marker" out to the "lot," and there the marker makes some rapid calculations as to the best arrangement for the little tent village so soon to spring into life. A little later, but among the first wagons, comes the "red wagon" or ticket wagon and goes into position near the entrance.

       While all this hard work is being done, the performers are peacefully sleeping in their comfortable not to say luxurious sleeping cars, and about 8 o'clock begin to find their way to breakfast.

       All is system and order, each gang has its boss and every man Jack of them knows just what is expected of them and do it with a vim. To see a gang of circus men hustle up the show would make a foreman in any other business blush for the way his own men work.

       With it all, there is no loud talking, very little swearing and marvelous celerity.