Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-09
NUMBER l46
ADAM FOREPAUGH.

ADAM FOREPAUGH.
An Inferesting Epitome of the Life Of
the Great Sno.enan.
every man to his own calling," is q wise
admonition of nature, and he who achieves
honors which come through the attainment
of the goal sought, is worthy to wear them,
whether the honors obtained be upon the
field of strife, the realm of diplomacy, the
business mart, or in the arena of public
amusement.
Adam Foregaugh is native of Philadel-
phia, and was born in the year 1880, and was
the youngest of family of eight children.
bus parents were very poor, and the care of
80 large family required the most persist
ent economy, and prevented the children
from enjoying the advantages which the
free schools of the city afforded. It was
labor necessarily with every member of the
family, and no time nor money for enjoy
naent.
When Adam was fourteen years of age he
was apprenticed to butcher, with whom he
remained only one year, at the end of which
time he was allowed to leave and given $50
for his years work. With small portion
of this money, giving the larger part to the
family, Adam went to Pittsburgh and there
found employment with some horse dealers,
where he made himself very valuable to his
employers by the de1terity he soon ac-
quired of handling horses to show of their
qualities to the best advantage. He was
fearless rider and took special pride in break
ing and subjugating the most vicious horses.
Adam remained in Pittsburgh for several
years and accumulated considerable money:
not by reason of large wages but by economic
ing in all his expenses, having at an early
age determined to make a fortune. Leaving
Pittsburgh he returned to Philadelphia and
opened livery stable, and shortly thereafter
took contract for supplying the Philadel-
phia omnibus and coach company with
horses, and subsequently filled large orders
for horses made on him by several street car
companies in New York.
In 1862 Mr.. Forepaugh purchased large
number of horses for circus, and after
they we're delivered he found that the money
was not payable on his order, and it there
fore became necessary, in order to secure
himself from loss, to take share in the
circus and assume an interest as q quiet
partner. The circus had q successful season;
Mr.. Forepaugh got his money for the horses
and was also well paid for his conditional in
vestment. The result of this first show ex-
| perience encouraged him to enter the bust
| ness, and in the following year, after dis
| posing of this property in Philadelphia he
organized Forepaugh's Geological Aggrega-
ton, investing the sum of 900, to secure
which he not only converted all ha own
property, but was compelled to strain his
credit. But the returns of the season were
very satisfactory, being sufficient to release
him from all indebtness and an additional
amount which he spent in charging his e1-
hibition.
The next year his success was even greater
than during the first season and for the sue
ceeding ten years-the present being his
thirteenth tour-his triumphs were repeated
While circns companies with menageries as
auxiliaries were being sold out under sheriff
executions Forepaugh's made money con-
stantly. His remarkable success was due to
two prime causes, the first being that he was
bold, fearless, and, we might add, extrava-
CANT, in his purchases of novelties and en-
| ployment of talent, in his enthusiasm 10
make his show superior to all others; and,
second, because he never deceived the public
or tried to delude his patrons into the belief
that he was exhibiting wonders, whom he
didn't have them. He performed everything
down on the bills and the people went to his
exhibition fully apprised of the things they
would witness.
He has done more than any manager III
the country to elevate his profession and do
away with tho Objectionable features of
tented exhibitions.
In the fifteen years of his experience, Fore
paugh has never felt thoroughly satisfied
with the show he was giving, and every sue
cessive year only serves to enlarge his show.
He was the first man to originate the idea of
exhibiting menageria and circus perform
ance under two tents with single price of
admission, and has spent more money than
any man in procuring talent for tbs sawdust
arena.
His present show is the greatest aggrega-
ton of wonders, beyond all compare, OK
hibited in America. The fearless disposition
of the man, in his Investments, is best il
lustrated by the following facts: He travels
by rail but not in chartered cars, az all other
shows do; he has three trains, consisting Of
coaches for his men, freight cars for his
baggage, and specially built cars for his
animals, all of which, are his own property,
and were built for him by the Barry Smith
car works at Dayton, Ohio, involving an i'm
mense outlay of money.
! He has living hippopotamus which was
caught by an expedition sent out by him to
the jungles of Central Africa, and brought
to America at an expense of $4,000, the
only one now in this country. In addition
to this, he has seven of the best trained
elephants ever exhibited in the world; the
largest elephant on the continent, and the
only baby elephant which plays antics fairly
conyulsiye to the audience He has the
finest and largest collection of animals and
the best circus performers in the country,
and exhibits his immense show under the
largest canvass ever stretched in the West,
the entire property of the exhibition il
estimatee to be worth 81 100000.
The great success which Mr.. Forepaugh
has accomplished is no less than remarkable
Beginning life without dollar and with
little educational advantages he has amassed
fortune variously estimated at from &c.
600, 900 to $8, 100000, and his policy of pay
inc &c he went has Dreyanted him from ar