THE BALLOON MAN

Remember When? First Ainad Shrine circus was 1922 
 

The Great Cahill, one of the acts in the first Ainad Shrine circus in January 1922.
By JOHN BLONDELL Ainad Shriners of Southern Illinois
from: mcleansborotimesleader.com
June 7, 2012 
The Ainad Shriners’ first circus — a tradition that continues today in several Southern Illinois communities — started on Jan. 21, 1922.
Known as the “Shrine Circus and Arabian Fete,” the circus wowed spectators for period of eight days with a break on Sunday, Jan. 22. The John W. Moore Co. from Chicago provided the circus entertainment.
A Shrine parade was scheduled for opening night, but due to weather it was canceled. The streets were covered with snow and ice.
There were special nights for public admittance, with each performance starting at 7 p.m. Opening night was on Jan. 21; Stock Yards Night was Jan. 23; Suburban Night was Jan. 24; Club Night was Jan. 25; Southern Illinois Night was Jan. 26; and Get-together Night was Jan. 27. The closing and Awards Night were on Jan. 28.
 At the time, the circus was held at the new Union Trust Bank Building in East St. Louis, at the corner of Collinsville and Missouri avenues. Spotlights illuminated the new building as to “flood” the exterior of the building as well as project into the night's sky.
 The Nobles created their own stages, lighting and backdrops for all of the circus performances, and the overall theme was Arabian with Shrine colors.
They created an Arabian village for concessions. The Nobles who were businessmen, grocery store clerks, meat packers, railroad engineers all became hot dog vendors, popcorn makers, hucksters and hosts to the public.
 There were five major acts that traveled from Okmulgee, Okla., and entertained the Shiners at their stated meeting on Jan. 20. The circus had just finished a performance for Bedouin Shriners in Oklahoma.
 The circus performers included the ABI-DELA, an acrobatic Arab troupe, and the Great Cahill, who provided the sensational cloud swing with nightly trapeze performance.
 Ariel Thompson was the “King of the High Wire.” The Great Mad Company intrigued the crowds with mystery and magic shows. And “Jan Albert” was spotlighted as the “Tallest Man in the World”; he was 6 feet, 6 inches tall.
 Jazz concerts with dancing were held In the evening of each circus performance.
 The circus held a raffle for three cars, all different models for 1922 — an Oakland Sport Six, Auburn Beauty Six and Hudson Phaeton. The winners were from Alton, Carmi and Edwardsville.
 Also as part of the circus, a popularity contest was held. The contest started three days before the circus and ended with final judging on Jan. 28.
 There were 26 young ladies who submitted entries for the contest, as well as 21 babies. These ladies came from throughout the area, including Belleville, East St. Louis, Lebanon ... even up to 150 miles away from East St. Louis.
 The ladies had to be of “good character,” and babies up to 7 years old. Each contestant had to be sponsored by a Shriner.
 More than $1,000 in prizes had been given out on the last night of the circus.
 Ms. Veronica Gilligan from East St. Louis was the winner for the young lady contest. She received a $500 diamond ring — solitaire cut and a little over a karat — for winning.
 Baby Charles Snider won the baby contest and received a $50 diamond ring. The runners-up received $25 and $10 diamond rings.
 The Noble who sponsored the winner of the popularity contest received lifetime membership in the Shrine. The Noble who sponsored the winner of the baby contest received a pair of Shriner cufflinks.


 In the beginning, ticket sales for the circus were slow. The Nobles of Ainad Temple stood out in the January cold and went to the street corners of East St. Louis to sell the tickets one week before the circus opening.


The Nobles wanted to beat the record, and many of them came back two to three times to sell the 50-cent tickets. The community supported them but fell short of the goal.
 The total gross for ticket sales was approximately $30,000.
 Noble Wallace Watkins, secretary of the circus in 1922 and captain of the Arab Patrol, said he was proud of his Arab patrol boys who were selling concessions.
“Behold, what splendid body of barkers my war dogs are.
“Selling those hot dogs.
“See the precision of their march and counter march behind the concession counters.
“Note the accuracy of their charge and recovery of every nickel and the dime.
"Verily, my efforts have been fruitful.”