Part 548: Al Ringling, Thomas G. Moses, and the Big Storm, 1906
In 1906, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Went to St. Louis in May with new scenery for Ringling Bros. Visited Toomey. Scenery quite successful, excepting canopy. It was done in dye and a big storm came and ruined it. I was ‘called’ good and hard by Al Ringling.”
While attending to the new scenery for Ringlings’ spectacle in St. Louis, Moses visited Patrick J. Toomey, of the Toomey & Volland scenic studio; they were old friends.
It is interesting to consider Al Ringling (53 yrs. old.), yelling at Thomas G. Moses (50 yrs. old). These were two experienced individuals, both distinguished professionals at this point in their respective careers. Having and expensive piece of scenery water damaged had to have been a tense moment, especially with the artist on site for the production. Moses was referring to the scenery that he produced for the Ringling Spectacle “The Field of the Cloth of Gold.” For more information about this production, see past installments 482 and 483.
For the Ringlings’ “The Field of the Cloth of Gold” the show bill advertised, “The Vast Main Tent of the Ringling Brothers World’s Greatest Shows, wherein are presented the Superb Circuses and Hippodrome Displays, is converted into a huge, hundred-fold theatre for the presentation of the gorgeous, brilliant spectacle, the Field of the Cloth of Gold.” Of Moses’ scenic contributions, “The Washington Post” reported “The scenery is massive and brilliantly painted to show the crystal palaces, fairy structures, golden tents, and other flashing and picturesque features of this famous plain, ‘The Field of the Cloth of Gold’” (The Washington Post, 5 May 1905, page 8).
Now, imagine transporting the scenery and setting it up with high winds and rain; even the simplest task could prove deadly. The running of dye would be the least of the Ringlings’ worries. An article in “The Green Bay Press Gazette” reported, “Thousand People Brave Storm to See Circus” (23 Aug. 1906, page 3). They did the show rain or shine. The article described, “Over 1,000 people braved the storm last evening to attend Ringling Bros. circus. The storm was an exceptionally heavy one but did not deter the circus loving people from attending. The reserved seat section was about the only section in the large tent that was filled. The performance was cut short, being all over before 10 o’clock. The show was loaded up and the first section left this city shortly after 12 o’clock over the Northwestern for the Iron Mountain, where it will show today.” The caution to close early was likely a result from a deadly storm the month before.
On June 30, 1906, the front page of “The Moline Daily Dispatch” reported “Panic and Death in a Circus Tent” (Moline, Illinois, 30 June 1906, page 1). A “sudden storm partly wrecks big canvas of the Ringling Brother’s Circus, pitched at Aurora.” Two died as a result of the storm after “swaying quarter-poles mowed down scores among the 10,000 people in attendance.” The article noted, “The band, which had been playing waltz music during the performance of the elephants, changed, under Ringling’s orders, to a ragtime quickstep in the belief that the music would counteract the panic.”
I was curious about the scenic disaster, however, that made Ringling reprimand Moses. The exterior of each tent was coated with a gasoline and paraffin mixture to make it waterproof. Circus tents were supposed to be treated with flame retardant, otherwise the fabric would create a death trap for those inside if ignited. The Ringling Bros. Circus would lose one big top when flame retardant wasn’t applied.
In regard to the ruined circus canopy painted with dye by Moses in 1906, it was still vulnerable to water. Just because a backdrop was painted in dye did not mean that it could not be water damaged. A dye drop simply helps the painted composition stand up to normal wear and tear, especially for traveling shows. The overall weight of the piece is lighter and folding doesn’t harm the scene. Dry pigment can be used in place of dyes, when applied in a series of thin glazes. Many of the colors remain quite vibrant when watered down. It is possible that early translucencies on stage were simply produced with a thin glaze of dry pigment. After all, when handling pure dry pigment, the color will easily stain fabric – as well as any exposed skin. The staining of dyes is similar to getting ink on your hands when a pen leaks.
To be continued…
