Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-04-02
"A Colossal Enterprise.

Ten years ago there was still stand
ing on the corner of Broadway and
Ann Street, where the Herald building
now overlooks the business thorough
fare in the New World, a large, ram
bling structure, Of rather shabby eX-
ternal appearance, which was known
to ell the world of America as a YER
liable Palace of Wonders. Pictures
of the strange animals from every
part of the globe, which were to be
seen within, adorned the outer walls,
and stimulated the curiosity of the
passers-by; the flags of all nations
waved from the parapets, and above
them proudly tloatcd the Stars and
Stripes. From sunrise till late at
night throngs of people, of all ages,
passed in at its ample doors and wan
dered through its halls, lingering at
every step to wonder and admire. A
larger or more wonderful collection
Of curiosities was never gathered un-
der Il single roof; and though many
of them were of little intrinsic value,
2 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 were monstrosi-
ties like the "woolly horse," the
"What is it?" and the "Mermaid;"
for those who took delight in natural
history there was the sea-lion, the
learned seal, the Happy Family, the
stuffed walrus, and many another in
teresting specimen 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 lald un-
der tribute to furnish entertainment
to the patrons of the American Mus
cum. The sea gave up its stlangcst
forms of fish and shell, the forest
and the desert their savage dcnizens,
the air its varied shapes Of feathercd
beauty. Relics Of Indian times. of
our colonial days, ai.d Of our great
War Of Independence attracted those
who were interested in American an
tiquitics; suits of battered armor,
dented shields, battle-axes Of uncouth
and frighttul shape, spears, swords,
daggers, and other ancient weapons,
carried the visitor back to the days
when men fought hand to hand, in
stead Of picking each other off, like
game, with rifles, or sweeping whole
regiments down with the deadly nit
railleuse.
Then there was the lecture room,
or theatre, where Sothern, Barney
Williams, ani other we'll known act
ors won their first laurels, before aud
fences that could not often treat
themselves to an evenings amuse-
mcnt at the more expensive theatres.
The transient attractions of the mus
cum were constantly varied. There
were ''living statuary,' pantomime,
instrumental muse, Punch and Judy,
fancy glass blowing, ventriloquism,
jugglery, etc, and when this marvel
Gus building, with all its contents,
was destroyed by fire, on the 18th of
July, 1865, the community sustained
a loss that neither time nor money
could retrieve. Mr.. Barnum, it is
true, soon established new museum
higher up on Broadway, where he
gathered an admirable collection of
curiosities, but it did not compare e
with the old. "Thc second Temple
was NJ t like the first"
These "reminiscences of the old
American Museum, which is still held
in affectionate remembrance by a
large portion of the community, are
naturally suggested by the announce
ment Of Mr.. Barnum's latest and
most gigantic enterprise, the "Great
Roman Hippodrome," with which he
proposes to travel through the States
during the coming season. His prep
arations are on scale of magniti.
ccncc unrivaled in the history OF
travelling exhibitions. All his shows
have been merged in Il chartered cor
poration, known as ",The =. Il. Bar
mum Universal Exposition Company
with capital Of a million of dollars
Mr.. Barnum, who is President of the
company, and his manager, Mr.. Coup
have spent months in Europe, visit
ing every important exhibition, and
bringing away many choice features
and valuable suggestions, and the re
suit is combination Of attractions
such as has never been seen in one
exhibition since the world began.
: The Great Roman Hippodrome viii