The Circus Blog

Posted By thecircusblog on May 21, 2010

Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Circus in the mid 1960’s. This is the old fashioned way to pull the peaks of a big top amd I believe maybe the best way.  It’s tradition and easier with an elephant then to use a motorized vehicle. Elephants have been the most important part of the circus from the very beginning. They were and still are on many shows  used as workers and performers. I remember many times that we could not pull off a lot because of the deep mud after a bad rain. We would harness up the elephants and with ease they pulled the trucks and trailers off the lot to hard ground or pavement. In 1975 we played the Illinois state fair in the grandstand with Side Kellner’s Great London Circus. It had rained most of the time. The carnival had it’s share of problems too.  On the back half of their midway was soft ground that turned to mud. Ward Hall and his partner C.M. Chris had a sideshow on the back of the carnival midway.  They were in the mud on tear down night. Ward knew of the circus, and he also knew we had elephants. It didn’t take him long to ask for help and of course we obliged. We hooked up to the tractor and pulled it and semi into the clear. Ward said it is just like the old days stating this fact from on top of the elephant back that he rode to the circus area. We also helped the carnival people out too that had the same problem.

Categories: Clyde Beatty Circus
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