Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-10-19
How BarnuHn sold Esenne1f.

From the New York World.
It seems that besides the offense to have
been occasioned by the refusal Of the re-
! nowned fat lady to pay her devoirs at the
Imperial Palace on Washington Heights,
other trouble was not long since brewed be-
tween Mr. Barnum and Mr. Bennett. The
facts in relation to this newly bruied mat
ter, may be briefly told Mr.. Bennett had
some time back cast an eye--the affidavit
does not set forth which Of them-upon the
piece of ground upon which the old Muse
um STOOD diagonaly opposite the Astor
House. At the time of the fire, Mr.. Bar
mum held lease of his property for twelye
years, which he, during the week after the
confiagration, offered for sale through the
agency of Homer Morgan Esq, for the round
sum Of 1925, 000) two hundred and twenty
FIVE thousand dollars. Meeting Mr.. Ben
nett one day, the fact that the property was
in the market, was preached. Mr. Bennett
asked the terms, and Mr.. Barnum stated the
price named above. Subsequently Mr..
Bennett sent his broker 60 Mr.. Barntaa With
instructions to close a bargain if possible,
on the best terms he could get. Meantime
Mr.. Bennett took care to secure contract
to purchase the fee of this property from its
owner, Mr.. Sargent, residing at Fishkill- on
Hudson, for the sum total OF $3.50 ,000) four
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. MIR.
/ Benefits broker, Mr.. Duggan, then closed
the matter with Barnum, after heating him
( down good lied peg, by purchasing the
privilege of the lease for twelve years for
/ Two hundred thousand ($2OO,O 0O) dollars
cash for which amount a check was duly
/ rendered and accepted, and the usual ae-
! acknowledgements made A written agree
ment was given by Mr.. Barnum, emitting
The purchaser of the lease TO the debris on
The premises, with the exception of certain
J iron pipe. boiler, n hundred tons OF coal,
and some other items that were considered
as contents of the Museum, and not as part
and parcel of the premises. In the course
of few days, it appears that the editor of
the Herald grew sick of his bargain, or what
is more probable thought by feigning dis
inclination to conclude the purchase of the
fee, for which lie held the refusal for sta
ted period, that Mr.. Sargent might let II go
ut more moderate figure. In this calcutta
ton. Mr. Bennett fdlnd himself mistaken,
for on sending word to Mr.. Sargent that
he had concluded not to purchase that
accommodating gentleman said: every
we'll Mr. Bennett is at liberty to do az he
likes - and with that sailed for Europe
without leaving his address, or Offering to
abate one lot or title from The large price
named This unexpected issue left the as
tnte journalist in position somewhat like
that Of the unlucky gentleman who won the
elephant in lattery-he had paid two hum
bred thousand dollars for an unavailable
privilege The situation yexed him. SO to
pick quarrel, the brilliant editer lost no
time in interfering with the removal OF his
old neigh bor's hundred tons Of coal, which
had fortunately esca, ed being prematurely
consumed in the general burning. Further
than this he threatene % sue Phineas for
the old boiler already d up from thernins
and carted off. Mr.. Baraa Il, we believe, to
save dispute. allowed his old frien James
Gordon to seize the coal intended to enhance
the comforts Of his giants, tappy family,
albinoes and intelligent seal, during the
long winter months; but when ii came o be-
ing ened for pocketing his o8n boiler, his
indignation got the hstter of IS benignity.
phineas called on JfSnes ~ >er, and soon
discovered that the way appease the
wrath OF the iitG5,rions tyr wielder, was to
refund the Two hundred thousand dollars,
and take back the lease. This the benevo-
lent Phineas would most unquestionahly
have done on the spot, but for the fact that
he had spent The money. Greatly, he had
not the sum about him." He was not pre-
pared to reconsider the bargain, particularly
as on the whole, he seemed TO be very we'll
pleased with it. Next day the Herad APP
peared without the Museum advertisements.
Then Barnum, as proprietor Of the Great
Broadway Show, sought personal exami-
nation as 10 why these things were thus. 1t
was not accorded to him.
The public knows where the rest of the
laugh came in.
The prospect is that The lessee of The eli
gible real estate at the corner of Broadway
and Ann street, win permit the grass to
grow thereon until the expiration of the
twelve years, when he will be at liberty to
realize what he can upon his extensive crop
of hay. Meantime, he might permit our
public spirited citizens to erect q statue of
the "Gude Duke of Argyle" on his fine site
just to keep the town in mind of how Bar
mum sold Bennett, aud furnish an easy
laugh when all else fails