OCR Text |
Show fldDOD Yeatng Agqp HVpdlaiy The Big Top is coming to town llftIWKCTnY) 11884 ' by Bettina Moench Dooley The biggest news in the Park Mining Record 100 years ago today was the announcement that WAV. Cole's Three-Ring Circus would be trooping into town Aug. 19. An eye-catching advertisement promised spectators that they would "Behold the world's greatest wonders," won-ders," not the least of which were 12 Genuine Bedouin Arabs who were "desert bom, phenomenal athletes." ath-letes." Theatre, a menagerie, bicycle experts, a gallery of wax statuary and Russian roller-skaters also would be waiting in the wings on that exciting August night, vowed the ad. And if that weren't enough, the circus also included the following: a human fly, None but Bare-Back Riders, DeAlvin the Phantom Lady,9 Motley Agile Clowns, the Sacred White-Faced Elephant, 7 Long-Hair-ed Sisters, Tattooed South Seas Savages, Grotesque Procession Sights, and 9 Titanic Tableau Cars.. ..And 5,000 Features Impossible Impos-sible to Here Catalogue." Entrance to this incredible show was but $1 (half price for kids under 10) For an extra 50 cents, Parkites could reserve cushioned opera seats next to the ring. In a mining town where a runaway carriage on Main Street was sometimes the most in the report referred to a drunk and disorderly Thomas Shields, who was fined $10. However, finding himself without a 10-spot to relinquish, Shields was sentenced to hard labor on local streets. The police were obviously "pulling "pull-ing the row" that week and broke up the action in one of the brothels in the red light district. The Court Report noted that Stella Gray and Emma Weston were fined $35 each for "keeping a disorderly house," while Mrs. Nellie Shellenburg, Essie McMillan and Belle Reader were each fined $20 for being "occupants." "occu-pants." In a gesture of camaraderie, the Record ran an article from the Southern Utah Times, which was closing for two months so that its staff could take a rest, and to allow for a changeover in management. The Record called the article "manly," and ran it under the headline "Suspended Animation." The editor of the Times explained that the "editorial staff, foreman, business manager and our pair of devils" were holding forth in the foothills to get a new perspective on the rigors of running a small newspaper. "A four year's contest with Mormonism, hoodlumism, harryhillism and Utah Central Railroadism, in a region that hasn't population sufficient to fill a small-sized country churchyard, has been for us a hard, close game," lamented the editor. "The only way a newspaper can be run at a profit in Beaver County is to conduct it upon the 'open your mouth and shut your eyes' plan. Bow down to influence and kick only the poor deveil who cannot defend himself. This is not our style of journalism, and when it comes to a question between this and self-respect, we must pull out and hold to the latter." The Record seemed to understand all too well the pressures of maintaining journalistic ideals in a small town, and praised the staff for its bravery. "We wish the editors and writers good luck." exciting event of the week, the circus was I ound to be a sellout. Less exciting perhaps, but certainly certain-ly newsworthy, were the items reported in the "Park Float" column. The Record informated that at a meeting held at the school house, P.C. Morris and J. Means were unanimously nominated Fence Viewers. On first hearing, Fence Viewing sounds to be a slow-paced job suited for those with patience and a great deal of time on their hands. In reality, Fence Viewers were local officials who administered the fence laws, and their duties included inspecting new fences and settling disputes arising from livestock live-stock wandering into a neighboring yard and trampling everything in sight. While on the subject of animals, the Record noted that a great number of complaints had been registered by residents in the lower part of town on account of an hauling the carcasses of dead animals and dumping manure and other refuse on the flats. "A move is now on foot to put a stop to it," said the Record. However, "If the law does not furnish a remedy, some of them say they will appeal to shot-gun justice." New to the Record that week of July 19, 1884 was a column headlined "Court Report." Now that the Park had its own police force and justice of the peace, the Record made it a point to give its readers evidence that the new officials were doing their jobs. Not surprisingly (particularly for a town that boasted more than 20 saloons), the first item |