New-York tribune., 1874-05-30
BIRNUM'S HIPPODROME.

It would be difficult to Overstate the advan.
tages that must accrue the public from the place
OF amusement that Mr.. Barnum has established. Tho
HippodrOme has passed through its first month, with
brilliant and unequiyocal success, and 1t already seems
as firmly fixed In the public regard as II n had existed
for years. In this result the careful observer VIII dis
Germ wisdom OF design not less than excellence in the
work achieved. Mr.. Barnum recognized q great public
want and this he has addressed and more than slts
fed Throughout the past season, ID tho world OF Local
amusements general public indih5reDce has Deen
noted, equally toward the numerous awkward aud
frivolous efforts that have been made TO furnish ght
entertainment and the serious aud heavy theatn
cal enterprises To the latter indeed, has been ac-
corded respect and considerable measure OF support
but the has been OF anxiety TOLL care weari-
ness. and apprehension. and the public has crayed
laughter and merry thoughts rather than wisdom and
high themes. This craving could be answered by
mushroom variety shows, hastily grown with the OBJ
vious design Of making money. That answer, indeed.
made; but 1t was not accepted. The multitude un-
derstands well the difference between what Is dono
because il is thought to be worth doing and what Is
done merely to tIrn penny by deceving human cre-
duty and by the experimental iobbers OF tho
odds and ends Of the musichas have been left to put
up their shutters and take down their signs 1t Is pre-
csey on this point that Mr. Barnum has always evnced
originality and argeness OF mind director Of public
amusements and In all his long career he has never
shown these qualities more conspcuously than In de-
signing the Hippodrome. Hence the wholehearted re-
ception accorded to it by the public. No person eau
see spectacle that is displayed at the Hppodrome-
and consider place and the surroundings-witho
feeling this is popular entertainment. which was
meant first OF ALL to- give the spectator genuine and
abundany ample pleasure. and thus tocommand success
by ndisputable and overwhelming desert. That great
pecuuary gain contemplated, an incident, VIII
not be denied but the first thought not the packet
Mr Barnum did not begin by shaking an empty money
bag and asking for quarters but he founded upon tho
basis OF half million OF dollars, show that the whole
people, for their sake ought to and that every
spectator will find to be worth great deal more than
the money he pays for seeing it. The pageantry IN hd
Congress Nations alone would suffice to set up spec
tace theaer and when to this procession of the civil
zations OF EARTH full Of instruction 10 the average
mind, and greatly suggestive to the Imagination 10
added long line of novel features-such as chariot
races In the of the Romans, races with ele-
plants, exploits illustrative OF life on our western
praries and wonderful feats OF strength ana OF aero
batc skithe aggregate OF pleasures becomes aillens
beyond comparison In thi3 line OF enterprise. NOtnine
OF the before been presented in Auerlca
aud the immediate success which has rewarded Nr'
Barnum both merited response to his sagacous en-
terprse and augury VI greater prosperity IN We