The daily gazette., 1878-04-25

NUM- oUTRIvALs THE PRESIDENT
WHAT THE "oNLY AND GREATEST
SHOW ON EARTH Is LIKE.
Especial correspondence of the GAZETTE
PHILADELPHIA, April a, 1873
Barnum divided public attention with
the President, to-day, and carried off
the palm by big odds. The President was
received by the heavy politicians, the
CITY Troop, a squad of Mayor Stokleys
police, and about five thousand people,
who were attracted to the vicinity of the
Broad street depot as much by Barnums
show tents as by the expected arrival of
the President. The President was not
greeted by single cheer, while the per-
formance within Barrum's big tent was
greeted with the most liberal applause
by the more than six thousand people
who occupied seats under the capacious
canvas.
This year the great Snowman took a
new departure and pitched his tents
away down town, instead of up town, as
formerly. The location Broad and Fed
eral streets is far more convenient for
persons residing along the p. w. 81 b.
IL. H., being only two squares below the
depot, while it is in direct railway com
munication with all parts of the city
The ''only and greatest show ON earth"
is comprised within three tents, two of
which contain the menagerie and mii-
scum, while the third encloses the arena,
where the daily and nightly performan-
ces are given. Within this tent are seats
for more than six thousand people, two
thousand of which are reserved chairs,
and this afternoon the crowd present
not only exhausted the full seating ca
pacity of the tent, but occupied all the
available ground seats around the arena
The seating of this vast audience was ac-
nIa mil xrrtf Il. al
as polite ushers attended to all that was
necessary.
The audience was as fashionable as
any that ever assembled wit hin the
Academy of Music, and representatives
OF many of the best families of the Qua
ker City were present Such a congre-
CATION of people, which can be seen
twice each day at this tent, is the great
est compliment ever paid to any public
exhibition, and amply attests the truth
OF the great showman's declaration that
his is the "only and greatest show on
earth"
The performance opened with the
grand cavalcade and entree, when the
gaily dressed riders filed in on their mag
nificent horses followed by the six ele-
phants, the two camels, the four little
Shetland ponies driven by small mon
keys, and host of attendents on foot
the general grandeur of the parade. AT
ter marching several times around the
arena, to the great delight of the audi
ence in general and the infinite amuse-
ment of the children, the procession
withdrew, when the greatest living Gu
riosity of the present century was
brought into the ring and introduced
This curious specimen of humanity is
Captain Geo. Costentenus, Greek AL
banian, who, for engaging in rebellion
in Chinese Tartary, was tattooed from
head to foot, his entire body being coy-
cred with beasts, birds and barbaric en-
blems. He Is man of fine form and
commanding presence, and while the
manager was giving brief sketch of his
career he stood in the centre of the
arena, assuming artistic attitudes, and
turning slowly around so as to give the
entire audience an opportunity of OBJ
serving his great personal peculiarities.
He was clad only in an elaborately trim
med blue silk breech band, which airy
costume displayed his tattooed cuticle to
the best advantage.
The circus performance which follow
cd was undoubtedly the best arenic exhi-
bition ever given III this country. All
the various circus specialties are faith
stud of horses and the superb riding
form the greatest attractions of the en-
tire programme. such horses and such
riding can only be seen at one place
in this world, and that one place is with
III the tents of p. Il. Barnum's "only and
greatest show.' Words fail to convey
the faintest idea of the excellence of
this great equine display, and in despair
!! feel compelled to say to your readers
in all earnestness and sincerity, ego and
see for yourselves"
And now word in relation to Mr..
Barnum himself, who, l understand has
been belabored quite severely by the
Methodist ministers of your city. p. L.
Barnum is well known as one of the
most moral men, an active temperance
advocate, and an earnest consistent
Christian connected with the Congrega-
tionalist denomination. FROM his pri-
vate means he has contrib buted largely
to religious objects, and of the immense
sums of money he has thus distribut
no denomination has received more
than the Methodist, of which his wife is
one of the most pure and devoted mem.
bers. His show is moral, elevatlng and
entertaining, and the proprietor of this
immense congregation of wonders has
ever by his pure life and eminent charac-
ter proved himself to be fully worthy of
being the sole proprietor of the "only
,r..i u