Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-05-22

, ing MS neck IN his struggles. The Operato
was also in danger from the teeth and paw,
Of the tiger. Upon the rail In front Of th,
cage were arranged five stout manila ropes
each provided with slip knot and a safet,
! string. A safety string is a stout cord At
tached to the knotted loop in the rope, snt
when pulled Ii acts so as to release or opeu
the knot. 1t Is used so that the rope car
be thrown at once from an animal In case
anything goes wrong" to use Mr.. Fore.
paugh's words. One OF the ropes WAS q 81
iuch rope, which was used to secure tn.
snlmal's head. The others were Ia inch
ropes. and were used to fssteu the paws
TYING THE TIGER.
| The spectators were decidedly nervous
when Mr.. Forepsugh drew Off his coat and
theikeepers arranged themselves in front OF
the cage. But not so with the man upon
whom all the danger and responsibility
and his steel-gray piercing eyes took In
| every movement OF his snimal.
The tiger, meanwhile, was lying with its
head close to the bars at the front OF the
cage, and when Mr.. Forepaugh gently
touched him with a pole he got up and
hobbled around. looking in mid surprise
at the array of keepers. The lion tanner
coaxed him over near the bars, aud placing
the loop OF the large rope on pole, tried
TO pass it over his neck. The tiger did not
at nrst understand this msneuver and
avoided IL. tie was soon cornered, how
ever, and the loop thrown over his neck
and pulled tight. To his intense surprise
and rage. he Was drawn close To the bars.
He then lay down and quietly awaited de-
velopments. The loop OF one OF the small
er lines was next laid in front of his front
right paw. Mr.. Forepaugh then. with a
small iron scraper. pushed one rope under
the paw. when the assistants drew the loop
tight. aud pulled the paw also close to the
bar. jim by this time was fully awake
TO the situation. and he showed his rage
by deep roaring and frantic struggles to
free himself. The cool and collected Mr
Forepaugh paid no attention 10 these dem-
onstrations OF the tigers disapprobation OF
the proceedings, but secured the other paw
in the same way. The animal was now
fronting the spectators. and, in order TO
secure the hind legs, Mr. Forepaugh had
TO enter the cage, and tie the unsecured
paws OF the tiger. When both OF the rear
legs were caught in tho moose, Jim"
sprsng up in order to attempt to get loose.
when the assistants. by drawing on the
ropes, threw him on hi. "brosdside" and
drew his four paws close TO the cage bars
In front.
iitr u
When the paws were secured close 10
the bars. the rope around the neck was re-
moved. and a man was stationed near the
head with stout stick Of OAK. with instruc-
tiops TO put It In the tigers mouth every
time he raised himself and attempted TO
bite his fastenings.
The rear right foot, the worst of the four
was next drawn through between the bars.
and the cutting part OF the operation com
menced. MIR. Forepaugh used a pair of
wire nippers, sharpened to iine edge, and
seizing the paw. he pressed out each claw
and cut the end of. In this paw each claw
had grown into the ball OF the foot. After
cutting off one OF the claws, Mr.. Fore
paugh called for a penknife. and dexter
ously drew from the wound another claw
which had grown in and which had been
she'd. When the claws on this foot had
been cut, burnt alum WAS rubbed into the
wound and balsam OF fir was tnen poured
in. Lha tneTo1Jres "a Lemove the corrnp-
same operation was rsppc.,SC WI. ''nic
other hind paw. and Mr ForepauCh then
proceeded To attend to the front feet. This
operation was rather more dangerous,
the lion tanner was forced TO place his
hands within reach OF the tger's iormld-
able teeth. Each time. however, that he
started up. the stick was presented to him
to chew uuon, and when all was over. the
end OF the oakeu stick was found TO have
been spllntered by the animals teeth.
When all the claws had been clipped, and
the alum and balsam rubbed into the
wounds the attendants, at word from
Mr.. Forepaugh. pulled on the safety ropes,
and the tiger sprang TO his feet and was
free
The relief was immediate. Judging from
the manner In which the great beast walked
about his cage. Mr.. Forepaugh said that
the paws would probably heal in few
days, II proud flesh did not appear. In
that case Jim" would have 10 he again
secured, and more alum, or perhaps caus-
tic, rubbed into the wounds. The whole
operation was performed inside OF twenty
minutes. aud had the cage been smaller
and the bars further apart II would have
taken even less time.
The cut claws Will grow again in time,
and will. in all probability, grow IN again,
and will have to be clipped but after they
are clipped once more. Il Is believed they
will not grow In again. Mr.. Forepaugh
said that they should be cut a. soon ss
they grow ont and exhibit II tendency to
turn inward. He also said that sll gram
inivorous animals should have their he0is
pared once q year, as II makes them stand
better. Neglecting this Injuries all such
animals.