tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12631722.post1139121988673334033..comments2024-03-23T15:06:27.495-05:00Comments on The Lucas Countyan: An elephant crossing on White Breast CreekFrank D. Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09553291415988366101noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12631722.post-26876340028090867232017-02-03T08:27:37.850-06:002017-02-03T08:27:37.850-06:00Great Story! Thanks for sharing it, Steve.Great Story! Thanks for sharing it, Steve.Frank D. Myershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09553291415988366101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12631722.post-24731555326031982392017-02-03T07:32:34.745-06:002017-02-03T07:32:34.745-06:00The Ringling Bros. before they were Ringling Bros....The Ringling Bros. before they were Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus, were originally from McGregor, Iowa. Also the reason Circus World Museum is located a Baraboo, Wisconsin as that is the place they wintered well before settling down I'm Florida. The fact they made it this long is rather remarkable as well, in those early days, operating as they did was certainly not consistent with the well oil machine of the recent past. The story is told that in my fair city of Monticello the circus nearly ground to a halt after a wind storm damaged their tents and successive rain had dropped attendance to a point they didn't have the cash to pay their feed bill. It is said that some of the stock was held in case they didn't get the money they needed together. What remained of the circus limped to the Dubuque county town of Cascade, where the man who ran the news paper took pity on them, fronted them advertising in the hopes they would garner enough money from a performance in Cascade to pay him back. The town turned out to help them put the circus back together and with a few sunny days and sold out crowds, the Ringling Brothers rescued their animals in Monticello, paid their outstanding bills and went on to become the greatest show on earth! Several years later, a few of the folks who had assisted Ringling Brothers, were at a location where the circus was set up and decided to take in the show. The barker recognized them from the rescue mission they performed and offered them a free pass for their assistance that kept the Circus from ending. That offer was later extended to anyone who came to the Ringling Circus who could show proof of residence as a thank you to all those who had helped keep the circus alive so many years before and continues to be honored to this day. Since you do so much to entertain us Frank, I thought I would give you a little "rest of the story" for your listening pleasure! Steve Steve Hankenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16700389388368080864noreply@blogger.com