Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-04-10
A GIGANTIC UNDERTAKING.

that Mr., p. 4. Barnum had consol-
idated all his shows under one man
agement aud had organized COM
pany to he known ~ "Barnum's
Universal Exposition Company, to
which q charter had been granted
by the Connecticut Legislature.
From Harpcr's Weekly we extract II
more extended account Ofthe inten'
ti0ns of the "Great Snowman:
The Great Roman Hippodrome
will resemble II moving camp. There
are 700 men, women, and children
in MIR. Barnum's service, and the
stock includes $50 horses and pc.
nies, besides elephants, camels, En-
glish stays aud stag hounds, train.
I'd 0striclleS, lions, bears, tigers, and
other animals. For the exhibition
of the ncnagcrie and the various
shows. displays, and performances
connected with the enterprise, two
enormous tents, each 800 feet in
length and 800 feet in width, have
been provided, one of which will be
kept in advance. in order that 10
time may be lost by delay in max.
ing ready. The question of trans
portation by rail-a very serious one
was solved by the construction of
$50 cars, twice the usual length,
built expressly for this purpose.
Among them are q number of
"hvrse. palace" cars, constructed
with cOmmutliOuS stalls, in which
tie horses can lie down and rest
while on the journey, and arrive at
the place OF exhibition quite fresh
for the performance. Besides NOV
ing the tents, animals, and all 9th
er material in these Hippodrome
cars, berths will be provided in those
devoted to the personnel of the com.
pany for nearly all the employees.
Besides the great exhibition tents,
there are cooking and dining tents,
and stable tents for the horses and
other animals. There is also attach
ed to the company IA large corps of
blacksmiths and carpenters and
builders, some of whom preccde the
show several days, to make ready
for the exhibition by preparing the
ground, erecting seats, etc. The
dressing. room tents alone will Gov
er more ground than an ordinary
circus.
TO move such an enormous estab-
liShment without hitch or delay re-
quircs the employment of clear
headed, practical men at the head
of each department. Every thing
is so arranged as to move with the
smoothnpss and precision OF clock
work. AT the appointed hour the
canvas will go up, the street process
sion will move. the performances
will commence. When all is over,
and the great tent is emptied, every
thing will be packed up by those
detailed for the work, and the cara
van, without the loss Of a minute,
will be on the move toward the next
place Of exhibition.
The programme of performances
will be varied and attractive. Don.
olson will make daily balloon as.
tensions with a Car large enough to
contain company of five or six
persons, at Il cost of about $500 a
day for this feature alone. Then
there will be the "ROman races' in
chariots driven by "Amazons," the
.'liberty races" in which forty wild
horses are turned loose in the arena
in exact imitation Of the famous
carnival races of Rome and Naples
the "standing races" in which the
riders stand on bareback horses;
hurdle races for ladies; Hat races
by English, French, and American
jockeys besides mel,elephant, os-
trich, aud monkey races. Another
feature will be exhibitions of lndi
an lite on the PLAINS, in which the
actors will be scores of Indians,
with their squaws and pappooses.
They will put up a genuine Indian
hunt real butfaloes,
give war-dances, pony races, foot
races against horses. exhibitions of
daring craftsmanship, lassO-throw-
ING. A band of Mexican raiders,
on their famous mustangs,
will make Il pretended attack on the
Indian camp, and give mimic but
faithful representation of the wild
scenes enacted on the Western from
tier. The English stag-hunt will be
IN exact picture Of the sport itself,
with company of 15O men and
women in full hunting costume, and
1 large pack of English stag hounds.
There will also be many other inter.
esting and attractive features, the
mere mention of which would make
/ small volume.
Mr.. Barnum certainly deserves
great credit for an enterprise which
s calculated to afford a vast amount
If innocent, popular amusement;
ma although this gigantic venture
Involves All enormous outlay of mon,
". it will present too many attrac.
ions not to be generously sustain
81. 1t is Mr.. Barnum's intention to
'iSit Europe next autumn with the
whole establishment, and astonish
he Old World with this wonderful
exposition of what can be accom-.
,llshed by Yankee enterprise.
VERMONT HEARD FROM. In an