The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-04-19
ADAM FoREPA UGH, THE MILLIONAIRE
$40 WAAN.

Adam Forepaugh's world.iamed show Is TO ex.
hibit here on Monday, May 7th In view of the
Worldwide popularity Of this famous exhibition
a few words relating to the proprietor thereof
may not prove unlnteresting to many of our
readers
In the Show world" Adam Forepaugh is con.
sldered the most successful, the wealthiest, and
luckiest man In the business
His show is estimated to have cost fully two
million dollars. This includes, of course, the
ownership of several railway trains, which he
has had manufactured expressly for his own use.
Forepaugh Is the only Snowman In the world who
owns cars and locomotives,-all others travelling
by rail, hire the cars required.
Aside from the value of his show property, Mr..
Forepaugh Is one Of the largest real estate owners
in the citlesOf Philadelphia and Brooklyn, pay.
ing taxes upon more than two millions of real
and personal property.
Born in the city of Philadelphia, he is the young.
est Of family consisting of six boys and two
girls.
Leaving home when mere lad, he apprenticed
himself to grocer, and after year service con.
cluded to go West" Arriving in Pittsburgh, at
the age of sixteen, his entire fortune consisted of
three dollars in money and the travelsoiled suit
which he wote as he walked all the way from
Harrisburgh 10 the first named place.
Securing employment as butcher boy" at the
expiration Of another year, he found himself In
possession of The sum of fifty dollars. BY nature
fond OF horses, he invested forty dollars of this
sum In the purchase Of one of these animals It
did not "die on his hands" as his worthy employ.
er predicted, but was sold by the youthful horse
trader for almost double its cost From this small
venture he kept on in the same line, until In two
years time hdwas engaged to supply all the stages
in the city of Philadelphia with horses. While en-
gagged in this business he sold lot of horses to a
circus proprietor, and finally, in order to secure
the amount due him. was forced to take pecu-
MARY interest In the show. He soon became the
sole owner of the establishment. His quick per.
cepions and peculiar adaptability for this sort of
business Immediately placed him in the front
rank of American Snowman. In less than IS
months after lie became manager, he owned
and exhibited the largest travelling show in the
world
He has prodlced revolution in the circus bu.
siness, His success and the magnitude of his ex-
hibtions has had the effect of either annihiatiug
a score or more OF old fogy concerns while those
managers who have kept the field have been
obliged to increase their exhibitions continually,
in order to seclre public recognition.
1t should be borne in mind that Mr.. Barnum
achieved the greater portion of his fame as a
Snowman In the management of his New York
Museum, and n hall exhibitions and does not
claim pre.emnence as a circus and menagerie
proprietor, and 1t is admitted by all who have
visited the respective exhibitions of Barnum and
F0repaugh during the past three years that in
point of real Olid merit Forepaughs exhibition
has been far superior 10 Barnums. Mr.. Barnum
has one advantage, and only one, over Mr. Fore.
paugh. The former is verging toward seventy
years of age while Forepaugh is not yet forty
and years before Forepaugh was known to the
public, Mr. Bamums name had been waited over
both continents, and was almost household
word throughout the United States. Hence, Mr.
Barnum is in himself, a shotv, and people have
visited his exhibition attracted, not by its merits
but solely for the purpose of seeing Bar7lum.
Having said this :luch concerning the two most
famous showmen Of this century, with no inten-
ton of making unfavorable contrasts, we can as.
sure our readers, from perusal of the attractions
which Mr.. Forepaugh has to offer the public, and
from mention of 1t in our exchanges, and the
testimony of persons who have seen his exhibi
ton elsewhere during the present season, and
from our personal knowledge of what his exhibi
tlons have been in years past, that his present es
tablishment Is just as he represents 1.-THE
largest and finest tented exhibition in the world"
and we trust he will receive that generous SUP.
port which all really meritorious entertainn ents
are accorded in this city. There are so few unob-
jectionable public shows now travelling that we
take especial pleasure in commencing such an
one to the public whe4 it favors us with visit.
With pleasant weather we predict an immense
attendance on the day Forepaugh is here