Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-02-06
Rarnu1u,s New shoH

| The New York Sun gives the following
description of Barnum's new show build
! ing:
| On the block bounded by Twenty y-sixth
| and Twenty-seventh street, and Fourth
and Madison avenues, workmen have torn
down the old depots of the Harlem and
New Haven railroads, and are erecting
Barnum's Hippodrome. The new struc-
ture will occupy the whole block, and will
be over 400 feet long, so feet high, and will
have two towers 100 feet high. In one of
these towers chime of bells will De hung,
and chemical light is to blaze through
colored glass with sufficient power to be
seen ten miles away. The work is far en-
ough along to give good conception of the
result intended. A track like race course
one-ffth of mile in circumference, is be-
ing laid out. The space enclosed by this
track is to be made a garden, with flowers
and fountains, except a portion reserved
for certain features of the performances.
Elevated seats viii skirt the track on the
outside, running up to the exterior walls,
and numerous enough to hold larger au-
dience than has ever been assembled under
one roof in New York. The interior will
be lavishly decorated and brilliantly light
ed. Underneath, in the huge excavations
now visible, will be passages and mechani-
cal apparatus capacious enough for the pas
sage of horses and vehicles. Stab1ing will
h. 4 IL "a g.
horses, and through them, as well as under
the cages of the animals, streams of crOtOn
will run constantly. The precautions
against fire will be carefully attended to.
No wood will be used in the floors, and
there will be large entrances on both Madi-
son and Fourth avenues. The five-story
brick building which was formerly used by
the Harlem Company for offices will re-
main, and will be arranged in dressing
rooms for the performers.
The nature of the performances to be
given in the Hippodrome is new to New
Y ork on the scale here intended. Besides
gymnastic and acrobatic features, all kinds
of talented animals will be introduced.
There will be tournament. scenes with
trained horses, Roman sports on an ex-
tended scale, steeple chases, buffalo hunts,
allegorical illustrations, and Bible scenes.
The variety of races to be run over the
track will include elephants, camels, stays.
ostriches and monkeys. There will also be
chariot races, the horses driven by one
hundred beautiful women in gorgeous cos
TUNES. The animals used in these per-
formances must be well trained. Soulier's
Hippodrome has been bought, and Soulier
will himself have direction in the show.
Mr.. Barnum and Mr.. Dan CASTILLO are liz
Europe buying trained horses and other
animals and engaging human talent. They
have hired twenty-five women who are ex-
perenced chariot drivers, and General Ma
nager Coup and Agent Thomas will secure
the remainder here. The Rink is being
fitted up for use as training school for the
| animals and for rehearsels under Mr.. Jas.
Nixon and Mr.. Cooke. One of the feats
under practice is that of an animal tanner,
who intends to ride around the track at
full speed in den of performing lions, tt
gers, and leopards. The cost of the build
ing and appurtenancesi is estimated at $780,
900 the costumes and trappings amounting,
so Mr.. Barnum says, to e25,OO0. The
Hippodrome will open as soon as possible
after the 1st of April, and will give after
noon and evening performances until re-
moval for summer season in one of the
other large cities