Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1859-03-19
C. A ARk AND B A RNU M ;
or.
Who Was Sold.

| S"'', ooloiiSllS ~ o1dlll, Liz
artist. 1t was undoubtedly a fine
model, giving the mathematical
proportions Of that great cataract
and the trees, rocks, buildings, ETC.:
in its vicinity. But the absurdity
Of the thing consisted in introdu.
cling water, thus pretending to pre-.
sent a fac s1naale ofthat great won.
der Of nature. The falls we're about
eighteen inches high, everything
else being in due proportion.
| confess | felt somewhat asham-
ed of this myself, yet it made a good
line i'll the bill, and l bought the
model for 5000. My advertise
nents then announced among the
attractions of the Museum,
THE GRE AT MODEL OF NIAGARA FALLS,
WITH REAL WATER!
A single barrel Of water answer
ed the purpose Of this model for an
entire season; for the falls flowed
into a reservoir behind the scenes,
and the water was continually re-
supplied to the cataract by means
OF a small pump.
Many visitors who could not af-
ford to travel to Niagara, were
'oubtless induced to visit the mod
el with real water,' and if they
found it rather small potatoes,
they had the whole Museum to fall
back upon torz25 cents, and 10
fault was found
@One DAY Iywas peremptorily sum-
moned to appear before the Board
Of Croton Water Commissioners
the next morning at ten o'clock. l
was punctual.
Sir said the President, you
pay only S25 per annum for the
Croton water at4the Museum. That
is simply intended to supply the or
dinary purposes Of your establish
ment.. We cannot furnish water
for your Niagara Falls without
large extra compensation
Begging his honor not t. believe
alrhe read in the papers, nor to be-
too literal in the Interpretation Of
my large shoWbills, | explainedzthe;
operation Of the great Cataract, and
offered to pay doliara drop f6r
all the water l used for#Niagara
Falls exceeding one barrel per
month, provided my pump contin-.
ued insgood order! / was permit
ted to retire amid a hearty burst of
laughter from the Commissioners.
in which his honor the President
condescended to join. On one oc-
casion, I ouis Gaylord Clark, Esq,
the witty and popular editor Of the
Knickerbocker,' calledto view my
Museum. l had never had the
pleasure of seeing him before, and
he introduced himself. | was ex-
tremely anxious that my establish
ment should receive { first rate
notice. in his popular magazine,
and therefore accompanied him
through the entire Museum, taking
especial pains to point out all OBJ
jects OF interest. We passed the
entrance of the hall containing Nj
agara Falls, just as the visitors had
entered it from the performances in
the lecture room, and hearing the
pump at work, | was aware that
the great cataract was at that mo-
ment in full operation. [ desired
to avoid that exhibition, feeling con-
fident that if Mr.. Clark should see
the model Niagara, he would be So
much disgusted with the entire show
that he would blow it up in his
Kn1ckerbocher, or (what / always
considered much the worse for me)
pass it by in silent con+empt. See
ing him approach the entrance, T
endeavored to call his attention to
some object Of interest in the other
hall, but [ was too late. he noticed
a concourse Of visitors in the Falls
Room,' and his curiosity to know
what was going on was excited.
Hold on, Barnum,' said Clark; !;
let us see what you have here.'
1t is only a modefof Niagara
Falls I replied. ->~~~
'Oh, ah, yes, yes, I remember
now. | have noticed your adver-
tisements and splendid posters an
nouncing Niagara Falls with real
water. have some curiosity to