Call Number
CWM Mss 151
Title
Pluto, John Papers 1917-1930.
0.6 c.f. (2 archive boxes, 1 oversized folder)
Abstract
A collection of business documents, bills of sale, financial statements, savings booklets, salary lists, inventory lists, legal papers, and stock transactions of John Pluto and the circuses he managed from 1917-1930. Of particular note are files relating to the sale of the King Bros Circus in 1926 and the sale of the Howes Great London Show in 1922. The remainder of the material includes correspondence and private telegrams between John Pluto (Pluta) and several stalwarts of the circus business including, but not limited to, George Christy, Floyd King, Walter L. Main, Jerry Mugivan, and E.E. Coleman. These dealings consisted of Pluto buying, selling, or leasing circus properties to the aforementioned group of people. Of note is a dispute between John Pluto and Walter L. Main in the Walter L. Main Circus files. Many of the correspondence and telegram documents are addressed to John Pluto (Pluta), with a select few having been written by Pluto himself. The collection also contains couriers, programs, and catalogues, as well as photographs of performers and animals. The decline into the Great Depression era and the impact this had on the circus is made apparent through details within this collection of circus closures and other industry trends throughout this period.
Historical/Bibliographical Note
John Pluto (Pluta) was a circus concessionaire during the 1920s and early 1930s in the Great Depression era. He made a living by selling punchboards which were a lighter form of gambling that could be found on many of the traveling circus shows. In his early years as a concessionaire, he had the goal of owning and running his own circus. He used the money he earned through the selling of these punchboards in order to purchase the Golden Bros. Circus in 1924. Throughout this period of time, he had dealings with George Christy, Floyd King, Walter L. Main, Jerry Mugivan, E.E. Coleman, and other stalwarts of the circus business. These dealings consisted of Pluto buying, selling, or leasing circus properties to the aforementioned group of people.
Scope and Content Note
This collection is arranged into one series alphabetically, split into two boxes and an oversized folder. This series includes business documents, bills of sale, photographs, details on circus acts and animals, financial statements, route books, salary lists, inventory lists, legal papers, and stock transactions. Of particular note are files relating to the sale of the King Bros Circus in 1926 and the sale of the Howes Great London Show in 1922. The correspondence documents (1923-1930) contain negotiation of prices for shows, adverts for animals and performers, and details on the financial stability of several circuses. Of note is a dispute between John Pluto and Walter L. Main in the Walter L. Main Circus files. The telegram documents (1924-1930) contain the private exchange of information between circus owners, deals in the making, and several wire transfer requests, along with confirmation upon receiving the transfers of money. Many of the correspondence and telegram documents are addressed to John Pluto (Pluta), with a select few having been written by Pluto himself. The collection also contains photographs of performers and animals.
Through this collection, the decline into the Great Depression era and the impact this had on the circus is made apparent. From optimistic correspondence and stock purchases in the early 1920s, to more frequent requests for wire transfers and desperation within the correspondence towards the end of the 1920s into 1930. This collection details circus closures and other industry trends throughout this period as well.
Bought by the Circus World Museum on August 12th of 1996 from Charles Apfelbaum.
Contents List
Box Folder
Box 2 Folder 2 Advertisement Routes, 1923
Box 1 Folder 14 Bills of Sale, 1922-1929
Box 1 Folder 15 Howes Great London Show, 1922-1924
Box 1 Folder 30 Blank Checks/Reports, undated
Box 1 Folder 35 Blank Contracts, undated
Box 1 Folder 32 Blank Envelopes, undated
Box 1 Folder 33 Blank Title Pages, undated
Box 2 Folder 5 Business Cards, undated
Box 2 Folder 6 Business Constitution Booklet, undated
Box 2 Folder 13 Catalogues, undated
Box 1 Folder 29 Checks, 1920-1929
Box 1 Folder 18 Common Law Trust Company Papers, 1927
Box 1 Folder 34 Contracts, 1924-1926
Correspondence
Box 1 Folder 25 Animal Sale Papers, 1926-1927
Box 1 Folder 20 Bernard B. Tobias Law, 1925-1926
Box 1 Folder 26 Business Papers, 1923-1929
Box 1 Folder 21 Christy Bros, 1927
Box 1 Folder 22 Cole Brothers, 1929
Box 1 Folder 24 France, Dan, 1924
Box 1 Folder 23 King, Floyd, 1926-1930 (Sale record of King Bros Circus)
Box 1 Folder 27 Misc., 1926-1929
Oversized Folder 1 Couriers, undated
Box 1 Folder 31 Envelopes, 1925-1929
Box 1 Folder 13 Financial Statements, 1922-1929
Box 1 Folder 16 Insurance Papers, 1924
Box 2 Folder 12 Inventory Sheets, undated
Box 2 Folder 9 Newspaper Clippings, 1924-1929
Box 2 Folder 8 Order Book, 1924
Box 2 Folder 4 Photographs, undated
Box 1 Folder 19 Pluta’s Stock Transactions, 1924-1927
Box 2 Folder 14 Programs, 1925
Box 2 Folder 3 Publication Advertisements, 1926
Box 1 Folder 17 Railroad Papers, 1926-1928
Box 1 Folder 37 Route Books, 1925
Box 2 Folder 1 Route Cards, 1917-1929
Box 2 Folder 10 Salary Lists, 1924
Box 2 Folder 7 Savings Booklets, undated
Telegrams
Box 1 Folder 1 Acts, Animals, Calliope, 1924-1927
Box 1 Folder 2 Business/Wire Transfer, 1924-1930
Box 1 Folder 3 Carvey, H.D., 1924
Box 1 Folder 4 Daplyn, W.J., 1924-1925
Box 1 Folder 5 Esther, 1924-1925
Box 1 Folder 6 France, Dan, 1924
Box 1 Folder 7 King, Floyd, King Bros, 1924-1929
Box 1 Folder 8 Palmer, Joseph, 1924
Box 1 Folder 9 Pluto, Michael, 1924-1929
Box 1 Folder 10 Shriver, Thomas, 1924-1929
Box 1 Folder 11 Van Miller, Frank, 1924
Box 1 Folder 12 Telegraph Bills/Money Orders, 1926-1929
Box 1 Folder 36 Tickets/Sample Tickets, 1927
Box 1 Folder 28 Walter L. Main Circus Papers, 1926-1929
Box 2 Folder 11 Workers Lists, undated
CWM Mss 151
Title
Pluto, John Papers 1917-1930.
0.6 c.f. (2 archive boxes, 1 oversized folder)
Abstract
A collection of business documents, bills of sale, financial statements, savings booklets, salary lists, inventory lists, legal papers, and stock transactions of John Pluto and the circuses he managed from 1917-1930. Of particular note are files relating to the sale of the King Bros Circus in 1926 and the sale of the Howes Great London Show in 1922. The remainder of the material includes correspondence and private telegrams between John Pluto (Pluta) and several stalwarts of the circus business including, but not limited to, George Christy, Floyd King, Walter L. Main, Jerry Mugivan, and E.E. Coleman. These dealings consisted of Pluto buying, selling, or leasing circus properties to the aforementioned group of people. Of note is a dispute between John Pluto and Walter L. Main in the Walter L. Main Circus files. Many of the correspondence and telegram documents are addressed to John Pluto (Pluta), with a select few having been written by Pluto himself. The collection also contains couriers, programs, and catalogues, as well as photographs of performers and animals. The decline into the Great Depression era and the impact this had on the circus is made apparent through details within this collection of circus closures and other industry trends throughout this period.
Historical/Bibliographical Note
John Pluto (Pluta) was a circus concessionaire during the 1920s and early 1930s in the Great Depression era. He made a living by selling punchboards which were a lighter form of gambling that could be found on many of the traveling circus shows. In his early years as a concessionaire, he had the goal of owning and running his own circus. He used the money he earned through the selling of these punchboards in order to purchase the Golden Bros. Circus in 1924. Throughout this period of time, he had dealings with George Christy, Floyd King, Walter L. Main, Jerry Mugivan, E.E. Coleman, and other stalwarts of the circus business. These dealings consisted of Pluto buying, selling, or leasing circus properties to the aforementioned group of people.
Scope and Content Note
This collection is arranged into one series alphabetically, split into two boxes and an oversized folder. This series includes business documents, bills of sale, photographs, details on circus acts and animals, financial statements, route books, salary lists, inventory lists, legal papers, and stock transactions. Of particular note are files relating to the sale of the King Bros Circus in 1926 and the sale of the Howes Great London Show in 1922. The correspondence documents (1923-1930) contain negotiation of prices for shows, adverts for animals and performers, and details on the financial stability of several circuses. Of note is a dispute between John Pluto and Walter L. Main in the Walter L. Main Circus files. The telegram documents (1924-1930) contain the private exchange of information between circus owners, deals in the making, and several wire transfer requests, along with confirmation upon receiving the transfers of money. Many of the correspondence and telegram documents are addressed to John Pluto (Pluta), with a select few having been written by Pluto himself. The collection also contains photographs of performers and animals.
Through this collection, the decline into the Great Depression era and the impact this had on the circus is made apparent. From optimistic correspondence and stock purchases in the early 1920s, to more frequent requests for wire transfers and desperation within the correspondence towards the end of the 1920s into 1930. This collection details circus closures and other industry trends throughout this period as well.
Bought by the Circus World Museum on August 12th of 1996 from Charles Apfelbaum.
Contents List
Box Folder
Box 2 Folder 2 Advertisement Routes, 1923
Box 1 Folder 14 Bills of Sale, 1922-1929
Box 1 Folder 15 Howes Great London Show, 1922-1924
Box 1 Folder 30 Blank Checks/Reports, undated
Box 1 Folder 35 Blank Contracts, undated
Box 1 Folder 32 Blank Envelopes, undated
Box 1 Folder 33 Blank Title Pages, undated
Box 2 Folder 5 Business Cards, undated
Box 2 Folder 6 Business Constitution Booklet, undated
Box 2 Folder 13 Catalogues, undated
Box 1 Folder 29 Checks, 1920-1929
Box 1 Folder 18 Common Law Trust Company Papers, 1927
Box 1 Folder 34 Contracts, 1924-1926
Correspondence
Box 1 Folder 25 Animal Sale Papers, 1926-1927
Box 1 Folder 20 Bernard B. Tobias Law, 1925-1926
Box 1 Folder 26 Business Papers, 1923-1929
Box 1 Folder 21 Christy Bros, 1927
Box 1 Folder 22 Cole Brothers, 1929
Box 1 Folder 24 France, Dan, 1924
Box 1 Folder 23 King, Floyd, 1926-1930 (Sale record of King Bros Circus)
Box 1 Folder 27 Misc., 1926-1929
Oversized Folder 1 Couriers, undated
Box 1 Folder 31 Envelopes, 1925-1929
Box 1 Folder 13 Financial Statements, 1922-1929
Box 1 Folder 16 Insurance Papers, 1924
Box 2 Folder 12 Inventory Sheets, undated
Box 2 Folder 9 Newspaper Clippings, 1924-1929
Box 2 Folder 8 Order Book, 1924
Box 2 Folder 4 Photographs, undated
Box 1 Folder 19 Pluta’s Stock Transactions, 1924-1927
Box 2 Folder 14 Programs, 1925
Box 2 Folder 3 Publication Advertisements, 1926
Box 1 Folder 17 Railroad Papers, 1926-1928
Box 1 Folder 37 Route Books, 1925
Box 2 Folder 1 Route Cards, 1917-1929
Box 2 Folder 10 Salary Lists, 1924
Box 2 Folder 7 Savings Booklets, undated
Telegrams
Box 1 Folder 1 Acts, Animals, Calliope, 1924-1927
Box 1 Folder 2 Business/Wire Transfer, 1924-1930
Box 1 Folder 3 Carvey, H.D., 1924
Box 1 Folder 4 Daplyn, W.J., 1924-1925
Box 1 Folder 5 Esther, 1924-1925
Box 1 Folder 6 France, Dan, 1924
Box 1 Folder 7 King, Floyd, King Bros, 1924-1929
Box 1 Folder 8 Palmer, Joseph, 1924
Box 1 Folder 9 Pluto, Michael, 1924-1929
Box 1 Folder 10 Shriver, Thomas, 1924-1929
Box 1 Folder 11 Van Miller, Frank, 1924
Box 1 Folder 12 Telegraph Bills/Money Orders, 1926-1929
Box 1 Folder 36 Tickets/Sample Tickets, 1927
Box 1 Folder 28 Walter L. Main Circus Papers, 1926-1929
Box 2 Folder 11 Workers Lists, undated