Labor Trouble Under the Big Top
75 years ago, Research
View of the main entrance to the Big Top of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Circus Grounds just off Providence Rd. Times-Tribune Archives
from: thetimes-tribune.com
June 22nd, 2013
Scranton,PA---Scrantonians were in for a treat on June 22, 1938, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was in town for two performances. The circus came with everything for a top notch show, seven herds of elephants, 700 horses, hundreds of performers and Gargantua the Great. The big top was raised down at the circus grounds just west of Athletic Park and the Catholic Club Field on Providence Rd.
Everything was ready to go but prior to the 2pm performance, circus executive John Ringling North, meet with his employees. He informed them that all the employees of the circus would have to take a 25% pay cut because the circus wasn’t doing well this season. The 2pm performance went on but when the show was over the 1,600 employees had a meeting over at Athletic Park. At this meeting, the employees voted to strike after Mr. North declined to come over to Athletic Park to discuss the pay cuts.
Meanwhile 6,000 people were inside the big top when they were told that show was canceled and their tickets would be reimbursed at the ticket wagons. People rushed from the tent to the wagons to get their money back. While some were able to obtain refunds, the tickets window were suddenly closed and the people were told to came back tomorrow. Anger went through the crowd, people wanted their money and the tax they paid on the tickets back as well. People returned the next day to find the ticket windows still shuttered.
read more:
http://blogs.thetimes-tribune.com/pages/index.php/2013/06/22/labor-trouble-under-the-big-top/
75 years ago, Research
View of the main entrance to the Big Top of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Circus Grounds just off Providence Rd. Times-Tribune Archives
from: thetimes-tribune.com
June 22nd, 2013
Scranton,PA---Scrantonians were in for a treat on June 22, 1938, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was in town for two performances. The circus came with everything for a top notch show, seven herds of elephants, 700 horses, hundreds of performers and Gargantua the Great. The big top was raised down at the circus grounds just west of Athletic Park and the Catholic Club Field on Providence Rd.
Everything was ready to go but prior to the 2pm performance, circus executive John Ringling North, meet with his employees. He informed them that all the employees of the circus would have to take a 25% pay cut because the circus wasn’t doing well this season. The 2pm performance went on but when the show was over the 1,600 employees had a meeting over at Athletic Park. At this meeting, the employees voted to strike after Mr. North declined to come over to Athletic Park to discuss the pay cuts.
Meanwhile 6,000 people were inside the big top when they were told that show was canceled and their tickets would be reimbursed at the ticket wagons. People rushed from the tent to the wagons to get their money back. While some were able to obtain refunds, the tickets window were suddenly closed and the people were told to came back tomorrow. Anger went through the crowd, people wanted their money and the tax they paid on the tickets back as well. People returned the next day to find the ticket windows still shuttered.
read more:
http://blogs.thetimes-tribune.com/pages/index.php/2013/06/22/labor-trouble-under-the-big-top/
No comments:
Post a Comment