Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-15
r. I. Barnum's Latest Wonders-A
Colossal Exhibition.

HdPr's Weekly devotes nearly two col.
umns to explaining and extolling the great
enterprises with which P. T. Barnum is max.
ing historical his forty years career as the
most liberal and daring Snowman in the
world. The statistics which Harper Brothers
give us from authentic sources are nearly
overwhelming. They make an ordinary head
dizzy. Mr.. Barnum has always boasted that
he gave his patrons double their moneys
worth, and his claims are generally acknowl-
edged; but this time he seems to have far out
stripped himsef. Last year he obtained from
the Connecticut Legislature charter for
The 2. T. Barnum's Universal Exposition
Company with capital of million of dol
lars; Mr.. Barnum, who is President Of the
company, and Mr.. Coup, his Manager, have
spent many months in Europe perfecting their
plans. The object of this great company, as
they announce, Is to elevate amusements. di.
vest them of all Objectionable features, and
thus render them worthy the patronage of
the most moral and refined classes. They say
that eventually they will have a score or more
OF exhibitions (traveling and permanently
IN America and Europe, and they intend that
their chartered title shall be a guarantee of
the merits OF whatever they bring before the
public. The present season they have but
two exhibitions. One is Mr.. Barnum's we'll
known "Museum, Menagerie, Circus and
travelling Worlds Fair;n the other is simply
S"hSa AhC oiSdt IDulill ulpIOuTOme." n.
Barnum seems to have devoted years TO per-
fecting this great enterprise, and nearly one
year oil his personal attention was paid to it
in Europe. At an expense of several hun
dred thousand dollars he erected great hip
podrome building in the heart of New York
CITY, and under an outlay of over 5000 each
day he has run his establishment in New
YORK Tor nearly year. This Exposition
Company are engaged to ship the entire Hip
podrome to Europe next autumn; mean.
while they have undertaken the difficult task
OF transporting it entire to the principal cities
in America. Harpers Weekly says:
"The Great Roman Hippodrome will re.
semble moving camp. There are 1900 men,
women and children In Mr.. Barnum's service,
and the stock includes $50 horses and ponies,
besides elephants, camels, English stag and
stag-hounds, trained ostriches, lions, bears.
tigers and other animals. For the exhibition
OF the menagere and the various shows, dis
plays and performances connected with the
enterprises, 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 delaying in making ready. The question
OF transportation 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 number of
Sdls, CONSTRUCTED WlLn COM
modious stalls, in which the horses can lie
down and rest while on the journey and arrive
atthe place OF exhibition quite fresh for the per-
Torrance. Besides moving the tents, animals
and all other material in these Hippodromc
cars, berths will be provided In those devoted
TO the personnel OF the company for nearly all
the employees. Besides the great exhibition
tents, and stable tents for the horses and
other animals. There is also attached to the
IN of ulrct,a h. ,,l
carpenters and builders, some of whom pre-
cede the show several days, to make ready for
the exhibition by preparing the ground, erect
ing seats, etc. The dressing-room tents alone
will cover more ground than an ordinary
circus.
"To move such an enormous establishment
without hitch or delay requires the employ
ment Of clear-headed, practical men at the
head OF each department. Everything is so
arranged as to move with the smoothness and
precision of clock work. At the appointed
hour the canvas will go up, the street process
sion will move, the performance will CON-
mence. When all is over, and the great tent
emptied, everything will be packed up by those
detailed for the work, and the caravan, with
out the loss Of minute, will be on the move
toward the next place OF exhibition.
The programme OF performance will be
varied and attractive. Donaldson will make
daily balloon ascensions with a car large
enough to contain company of five or six
persons, at a cost OF about $500 a day for this
feature alone. Then there will be the Ro-
man races in chariots driven by 'Amazons;'
the liberty races in which forty wild horses
are turned loose in the arena, in exact imita-
ton Of the famous carnival races OF Rome
and Naples; standing races in which the
riders stand on bare back horses hurdle races
for ladies'; fat races by English, French and
American jockeys; besides camel, elephant
and ostrich and monkey races. Another
feature will be the exhibition of Indian life
on the plains, in which the actors will be
scores Of Indians, with their squaws and pap
pooses. They will put up genuine Indian
encampment, hunt real bufialoes, give war
dances, pony races, foot races against horses,
exhibitions Of daring Workmanship, lasso-
throwing. A band Of Mexican riders, mount
ed on famous mustangs, will make pretend
ed attack on the Indian camp and give
mimic but faithful representation Of the
wild scenes enacted on the Western frontier.
The English stag hunt will be an exact pict-
ure OF the sport Itself, with a company OF $50
men and women in full hunting costume, and
a large pack of English stag-hounds. There
will also be many other interesting and at
tractive features, the mere mention OF which
would make small volume.
"Mr. Barnum certainly deserves great credit
for an enterprise which Is calculated TO afford
vast amount OF innocent, popular aHuse-
ment and although this gigantic venture
involves an enormous outlay of money 1t Will
present too many attractions not to be gen.
orally sustained"
Amazing as this exhibition seems from the
description given by Harper's, we can say,
from actual observation, that one feature is
to be introduced into the travelling Roman
Hippodrome more interesting and instructive
than any other. IL is the great procession
known as "The Congress Of Monarchs." The
Haypey's omitted mentioning this because,
probably, they supposed Mr.. Barnum would
not dare incur the expense OF transporting
such an enormous affair through the coun-
try. But he will do SO, and here is a brief de-
scription OF this dazzling and bewildering
exhibition, as given by New York contem-
poraTy: -,
"Of all the gorgeous pageants the world
ever saw the Congress OF Nations is the
greatest, and how the SURPRISING genius OF
even Barnum could produce it is wonder.
The costumes are true to life, and many OF
them are genuine, having been procured d.
rect from the nationalities which they repre-
sent. The individuals employed to personate
the historical characters have the most faith
ful resemblance to the originals In face and
physique. Each nation finds its special por-
iraiture in some kind of triumphal car, brill
iantly bedecked with appropriate flags, EN-.
bIems. coIors and intricate devices, and ali
l.. A. Eff