The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-04-10
A COLOSSAL ENTERPRISE.

From Earpers' Weekly.
Ten years ago there was still standing on
the corner of Broadway and Ann Street,
where the stately Herald building now
overlooks the busiest thoroughfarc in the
New World, large, rambling structure,
of rather shabby external appearance,
which was known to all the world of Amer
lea as a veritable Palace of Wonders. Pic
lures of the strange animals from every
part of the globe, which were to be seen
within, adorned the outer walls and slim
ulated the curiosity of the passers-by; the
flags of all nations waved from the para
pets, and above them proudly foated the
Stars and Stripes. From sunrise till late
at night throngs of people, of all ages,
passed in at its ample doors and wandered
through its halls, lingering at every step to
wonder and admire. A larger or more
wonderful collection of curiosities was
never gathered under single roof; and,
though many of them were Of little intrin-
sic value, a very large proportion would
have been of great worth to any museum.
There was something to catch every variety
of taste. For the lovers of the marvellous
there we're monstrosities like the swoolly
horse" the "What is t?' and the " Mer-
maid;" for those who took delight in natu-
raj history there was the sea-lion, the learn
ed seal, the Happy Family, the stuffed
walrus, and many other interesting speci-
men of the animal kingdom from the
Rocky Mountains, the burning wilds of
Africa, the icy regions of the arctic zone,
or from the uttermost isles of the ocean.
In short, the whole world was laid under
tribute to furnish entertainment to the
patrons of the American Museum. The
sea gave it's strangest forms of fish and
shell, the forest and the desert their savage
denizens, the air it's varied shapes of feath-
cred beauty. Relics of Indian times, of
our colonial days, and of our great War of
Independence attracted those who were in
terested in American antiquities; suits Of
battered armor, dinted shields, battle-axes
of uncouth and frightful shape, spears,
swords, daggers, and other ancient weap
ons, carried the visitor back to the days
when men fought hand to hand, instead
of picking each other off, like game, with
rifles, or sweeping whole regiments down
with the deadly mitrail!euse.
Then there was the lecture room, or
theater, where Sothern, Barney Williams.
and other well known actors won their first
laurels, before audiences that could not
afford to treat themselves to an evening
amusement at the more expensive theaterss
The transient attractions of the Museum
were const ,ntly varied. There were " liv
ing statuary." pantomime, instrumental
music, ventriloquism, Punch and Judy,
fancy glass blowing, jugelery, ETC., and
when this marvellous building, with all its
contents, was destroyed by fire, on the 18th
of July, 1865, the community sustained
loss that neither time nor money could re-
| treve Mr.. Barnum, it is true, soon estab-
lshed new museum higher up on Broad
way, where he gathered an admirable COL
lection of curiosities, but it did not COM
pare with the old. "The second Temple
was not like the first"
These "reminiscences of the old American
Museum, which is still held in affectionate
remembrance by large portion of the
community. are naturally suggested by the
announcement of Mr.. Barnum's latest and
most gigantic enterprise, the Great Ro-
man Hippodrome, with which he proposes
to travel through the States during the
coming season. His preparations are on
scale of magnficence unrivaled in the his
tory of travelling exhibitions. All his
shows have been merged in chartered
corporation, known as 1.-THE p. T. Barnum
Universal Exposition Company with a
capital of a million of dollars Mr.. Bar
mum, who is president of the company, and
his manager, Mr.. Coup, have spent months
in Europe, visiting every important e1hi
bition, and bringing away many choice
features and valuable suggestions, and the
result is 4 combination of attractions such
since the world began.
| The Great Roman Hippodrome will re-
semble a moving camp. There are 1,200
men, women and children in Mr.. Barnum's
service and the stock includes $50 horses
and ponies, besides elephants, camels, En-
glish stays and stag hounds, trained os-
triches, lions, bears, tigers, and other ami
mails. For the exhibition of the menageris
and the various shows, displays, and per
formances connected with the enterprise,
two enormous tents, each 500 feet in length
| and 800 in width, have been provided, one
of which will be kept in advance, in order
that no time may be lost by delay in max
ing ready. The question of transportation
by rail-a very serious one-was solved by
the construction of 150 cars, twice the
usual length, built expressly for this pur-
! pose. Among them are number of "horse
! palace cars, constructed with commodi-
Gus stalls, in which the horses can lie down