Following the death of P.T. Barnum in 1891, James A. Bailey carried the Barnum & Bailey Circus to new heights of popularity. The Greatest Show On Earth® rode the rails on 85 railroad cars, employed more than 1,000 people, and consisted of five rings and stages, plus the largest traveling menagerie anywhere!

Meanwhile, as the 19th century was coming to a close, the Ringling brothers of Baraboo, Wisconsin, were building a reputation of their own. Beginning their tented circus in 1884, Alf T. Ringling, Al Ringling, Charles Ringling, John Ringling, and Otto Ringling soon became known as Kings Of The Circus World. A sixth brother, Henry Ringling, joined the show in 1886.

By 1887, the Ringling brothers' show was growing. The official title was Ringling Bros. United Monster Shows, Great Double Circus, Royal European Menagerie, Museum, Caravan, and Congress of Trained Animals.

In 1889 the seventh Ringling brother, A.G. "Gus" Ringling, joined the show, which now had a seating capacity of about 4,000 as it played cities and towns in Wisconsin and Illinois. Admission was 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for children. The year also marked a first for the Ringlings, as they took to the rails, becoming the 12th such circus to do so.

As time went on, the Ringlings' show grew bigger, and a series of business deals enabled them to absorb some of their competition. In 1905, James A. Bailey sold the Ringlings 50 percent interest in his Forepaugh-Sells Bros. Circus; Bailey died in the spring of 1906, and the Ringlings subsequently purchased the other 50 percent from his widow for $100,000.

In 1907, the Ringlings finally purchased their largest competitor -- Barnum & Bailey Circus -- after more than a year of discussion and negotiation. Interestingly, the Ringlings were split in their opinions as to whether the purchase ought to have happened: Otto and John wanted the deal to happen, while Al, Charles, and Alf T. needed to be convinced. On July 8, 1907, the deal went through and The Greatest Show On Earth® became the property of the Ringlings for a price of $400,000.

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