Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Ringling-Barnum Circus/ circa 1941


I recently received this terrific picture from Mike and Silvius Piccolo showing the 1st Section being unloaded after the baggage horses had been eliminated and elephants served as "pull over" and "pull away" teams. The show carried in excess of 40 elephants transported in 4 cars, these 12 had left the lot early the night before probably before the performance had ended and departed with the "Flying Squadron". By this time the rest of the herd would have arrived and loaded the rest of the flatcars. Once the cage coming down the ramps reaches the ground one of the "pull away" teams in the foreground will take over, the man at the extreme right will drop that ring he is holding over the "gooseneck" on the end of the wagon tongue.

Posted by Buckles at 8/10/2005 06:55:00 AM

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't think a circus could find enough men to ride these elephants now. These men seem so relaxed. Do you still have the picture of Robin Williams trying to ride Anna May? I enjoyed the entertainers you have met and tried to teach to ride elephants over the years.

11 August, 2005 07:59
Anonymous said...

I am not sure but are those elephant harnesses made from fire hoses? The fire department here gives me hoses that I cut into three foot lengths (with a hacksaw) for my large dogs to play with. The brass ends with just a little hose left on is wonderful for the puppys to play with as they go through pet toys in seconds. Every time I cut a new length I think of elephant harnesses. This stuff is indistructable.

11 August, 2005 13:31
Anonymous said...

Did not find the photo I was looking for, but did find three $20 and one $10 bill so the day was not a complete loss. Not that spending a day searching old circus stuff is ever a waste of day. Still have five reems of papers to go through. I know it was taken at the Apple Circus

11 August, 2005 17:24

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