Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-10-19
An Advertising Dodge.


| From P. I. Barnum's Autobiography
thoroughly understood the art OF
advertising. not merely by means OF
printers ink, which | have always
used freely, and to which | confess
myself SO much indebted for my sue
cess, but to turn every possible cir
cumstance to my account. 1t was
my monomania to take my Museum
in New York the town wonder and
the town talk. | often seized upon
an opportunity by instinct, even be-
fore | had a very definite conception
as to how it should be used, and it
seemed, somehow, to mature itself
and serve my purpose. AS an illus
tratlon, one morning a stout, hearty
looking man came into my ticket of
fee and begged some money. ask
ed him why he did not work and
earn his living? He replied that he
could get nothing to do, and that he
would be glad of a job at dollar a
day. handed him quarter of a
dollar, told HIM to go and get his
breakfast and return land | would en-
ploy him at light labor at dollar
and half day. When he returned
| gave him five common bricks.
"Now," said |, ego and lay brick
on the corner Of Broadway and Ann
street another close by the Museum;
and a third Giagonally across the
way at tAe corner of Broadway and
Vesey streets, by the Astor House
put down the fourth on the sidewalk
in front of ST. Paul's church, oppo-
site then with the fifth brick in
hand, take up rapid march from
one point to the other, making the
circuit, exchanging your brick at
every point, and say nothing to any
one"
"What is the object of this ?" in
quired the man.
"No matter" 1 replied, call that
you need to know that it brings you
fifteen cents wages per hour. 1t is
bit of fun, and to assist me prop
cry you must seem to be as deaf as
a post, wear serious countenance,
answer no questions, pay no atten
ton to any one, attend faithfully to
your work, and at the end of every
hour by St. Paul's clock show this
ticket at the Museum door; enter,
walking solemly through every hall
in the building, pass out, and resume
your work"
With the remark that it was all
one to him, so long as he could earn
his living, the man placed his bricks
and began his round. Half an hour
afterward at least 500 people were
watching his mysterious movements.
He had assumed military step and
made no response whatever to the
constant inquiries as to the object of
his singular conduct. At the end of
the first hour the sidewalks in the
vicinity were packed with people, all
anxious to solve the mystery. The
man as directed then went into the
Museum. devoting fifteen minutes to
careful survey of the halls, and
afterward returning to his round
This was repeated every hour until
sundown, and whenever the man
went into the Museum dozen or
more persons would buy tickets and
follow him, hoping to crafty their
curiosity in regard to the purpose of
his movements. This was continued
for several days-the curious people
following the man into the Museum
considerably more than paying his
wages-till finally the policeman to
whom l had impaired my object,
complained that the obstruction of
the sidewalk by crowds, had become
so serious that l must call in my
"brick man." This trivial incident
excited considerable talk and amuse-
ment; it advertised me; and it ma
teriaIly advanced my purpose Of
making a lively corner near the Mus
cum.