Middletown transcript., 1878-04-06
NO. IA
Barnum the Renewnsa Snowman.

S ~ Au1oPO II! s6lTCu VI CuFIOSl-
ties for his great travelling exhibition
IN America next summer Mr.. Bar
num-the world renowned Snowman
seems to be as fond of new curiosities
as a young child is fond of new toys,
and money seems to be no object with
him so long as he can satisfy and please
the American public. Mr.. 7. F. Bailey,
one Of Barnum's agents, arrived in
London four weeks ago and purchased
from the Geological Gardens, at an en-
ormous expense, some of the choicest
wild animals that the Prince of Wales
brought from India. After expend-
ing the sum of ten thousand pounds
for living curiosities in England, Mr..
Bailey came to Paris. and, having Wis.
tied all the places of amusement in the
capital of France, contracted with J.
W. Myers, the proprietor of the Great
American Circus, Place du Chateau
d'Eau, as follows; For one of his
thoroughbred horses broken to stand
erect on his head for an Arabian
stallion, known as the gutta-percha
horse, trained to perform as human be-
,ings who dislocate their joints and
limbs, the first and only performer of
the kind ever seen in any country al
SO for four of the smallest poneys in
Europe, each one measuring but lit
tie over Is inches high, all of the same
color, white and black, and most beau
tifully trained together with these
novelties Mr. Myers also disposed of
his great performing ostrich--the whole
for the sum of $4,000 francs, to be de-
livered in New York City on or about
the first of April. As soon as Mr..
Bailey had concluded this arrange
ment with Mr.. Myers he left for Ham
burg, Germany, and there purchased
from Messrs. Hardenbeck and Rice,
the famous animal dealers, two splen-
did girafes, several large serpents,
some Of them measuring over 30 feet
in length, one hundred monkeys ofalI
kinds, several Tasmanian devils, very
rare animals and only lately imported
IN Europe; several nelgaus, tigers and
lions, elephants, and other animals.
This lot alone cost over 250, 900 marks.
Mr.. Bailey went from Hambug to
Berlin, and there purchased from Mr..
Salamonsky, the well-know German
director, fifteen Of his handsomest and
best broken Austro-Hungarian horses,
which are said to surpass in beauty
and performance the six black Trak-
enc stations that Mr. Barnum bought
from ]. w. Myers, and which were
last year in Mr.. Barnum's show; seven
Of the horses purchased from Mr..
Salamonsky created a great excitement
in Berlin last winter by standing erect
on their hind legs on tubs, while an
other horse walked on his hind legs
round the seven horses standing on the
tubs, and finished his performance by
jumping over three of them. For the
fifteen above-named horses Mr.. P. T.
Barnum paid the sum of 10000 gull
dens; he also engaged their tanner to
take them over to America. and to
perform them. Four Of the horses
dance quadrille by themselves and
keep time to the music. 1t would
seem very much as though Mr. Bar
mum were trying to throw his money
away, but he says he is throwing a
sprat to catch a whale. 1t may also
be thought that Mr.. Barnum and his
agents had better remain in America,
if there are to be any more curiosities
left to exhibit in Europe. If there is
anyone in America who calls Barnum
the great humbug Snowman, we would
reply that it is to be desired there were
others like him in this country, for
many French directors apparently
,hink that a lot of little children
lressed up as dolls, someof them hard
Y large enough to walk, and who try
o dance and initiate soldiers, is all
hat the public require for their money.
Myers is the only Barnum in Europe,
md there may be seen in his establish
nent the best talent in the way of
iders, trained horses, elephants, lions,
nd so forth, that has ever been as
embed in Paris When the immense
apital that Barnum expends yearly
n collecting all the greatest curiosities
nd novelties that are to be found in
he world, is taken into consideration,
lso the risk Of importing the same to
America, many of his choicest animals
ying on the passage, it must be ad-
litted that Mr. Barnum is very enter
rising that he seems to know what
americans require, and finds it for
hem. Were he to visit Europe with
is immense establishment, he would
oubtless astonish those shewmen here
ho have no conception of his activity
nd liberality-Paris A. Register.
The wages ola simple laborer in the
Inited States averages one dollar per
ay. In portions of France the wages
the same class of laborers is sixty
wen cents udyj ant His IS consider