An aggressive comeback

The thirteen wagons contracted for Barnum & Bailey's 1903 homecoming cost a total of $40,000.  To proclaim his Circus' assertion that it was now a world-dominating power, Bailey ordered four wagons themed after a continent each: Asia, America, Europe, and Africa.  These wagons were of a type that had previously only been seen in Europe– the telescoping tableau.  Each one bore huge wooden allegorical figures which could be lowered into the body of the wagon with an assemblage of gears during transport.  They had no other purpose than to be paraded, at which time the statues would be cranked up to a height of thirteen feet.  

In addition, the "Two Hemispheres" bandwagon was a 28-foot-long behemoth and was by far the longest circus wagon ever built.  Each side of the wagon depicted the Earth's Eastern and Western hemispheres respectively, along with heraldic shields of major countries.  It was often pulled by a team of 40 matched horses– an impressive feat in itself.