While at it, here is Bradbury's Bristol ad with the correct show title. When it started out the Robbins show moved on 15 rail cars (1 advance and 14 back).
Cole Bros. folded for the season on August 3, 1938 (After crushing the economy for 9 straight years, the Great Depression took an even worse turn in 1938, ruining circus business.) After it closed, Cole sent 6 additional rail cars to boost Robbins. They caught up to it at Bluefield, West VA on August 15th, four days before this ad.
Thereafter, Robbins moved on 21 cars (one advance and 20 back). The Cole additions included Clyde Beatty and his performing cats. The Cole hippo was another.
Lest I confuse some readers, I should point out that Robbins was a second show put out in 1938 by the owners of Cole Bros., a holding company called the Indiana Circus Corporation. The circus men and founders who held the reins of both shows were Jess Adkins and Zack Terrell, both of them veteran circus managers and owners. Adkins was in charge of running Robbins. |
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