The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-08-18
BARNUM-LONDON SHOW.

With the coming Of the Bsrnum-London show
last Saturday came such a crowd Of people, the
equal OF which has not been seen IN Canton
since the National Soldiers and Sailors Reunion
last September. Early In the morning, the far.
mers with their families began 10 arrive, and
during the day excursion trains on the COnnot'
ton road poured crowds Of people upon the
streets. The street parade in the morning was
one Of the Ales. psgeants that ever was seen in
Canton. The immense golden chariots In
the street display cost thousands OF dollars and
are unequaled by any other show upon the
road.
In the afternoon representatives Of the city
paper g. among whom was DEMOCRAT reporter,
were taker by Mr.. D s. Thomas, the gentleman
ly press agent, upon q tour Of inspection and
shown the inner workings Of the big amusement
enterprise, The cages In the menagerie were all
visited and many interesting facts learned con.
cerning the different animals. In one cage we
were shown female white wolf and with her
was one Of her offspring, q cross between dog
and wolf The latter was Jet black. The 81.
RATES. are named "Billee Taylor" and 1Hszel
Kirk" The latter is so named In honor OF Miss
Efie Ellsler Mr.. Thomas having agreed to name
the pretiest animal in the menagerle after Miss
Ellser9 latest dramatic character. Persons who
saw the parade noticed that the trainer in the
den Of tigers wore no gaudy uniform This was
done for personal safety. The tigers have queer
DotionS and will not tolerate bright, fiashy col.
Ors, so that their trainer is obliged to dress in
dark blue, even unto his shirt. In the hyena
cage were TO be seen two rare specimens OF that
race OF animalg-a silver and striped hyena, In
Cluded in the herd Of elephants was the celebrat.
ed baby elephant, now several years old. The
little fellow weighed at birth 26S pounds and now
tilts the beam at something over 1000. The cen.
tral attraction, however, was General Tom
Thumb and wife, (Mr and Mrs. strstton), and
Chang, the Chinese Giant. The General and his
diminUtive spouse are old time fsvorites In Can.
ton, and were as much the subj ,ct Of comment
as at their FIRST appearance. Mrs. stratton chat
ted pleasantly with the scribes and showed US a
unique piece Of workmanship In the shape OF q
small watch, which In tiz, was In keeping with
her person. Chang gave each OF fus hearty grip
and welcomed us to his platform. He says he is
always glad to see newspaper men, and the ge.
NAL manner in which he gre ted us would indl.
cate the truth Of his assertion To illustrate his
great size Chang invited the representative OF the
DEMOCRAT to stand alongside Of him on his plat.
form. Now the DEMOCRAT reporter stands five It.
and eleven Inches, and never considered himself
dlminutiVe, but when we mounted that platform
we felt like plgmy, Stretching our hand up
ward we were only able to touch the lower part
Of Chang's ear. We then stood with oustretched
a AurltI I,av, -
could only reach to the opposite side Of Changs
body. Chang has peculiar Chinese superstition
that II his height is measured often he will die,
but he says he stands seven foot eight inches,
American measure and weighs some four hun.
dred pounds. He is "a years old and has been
eight years In this country. Every ten years he
proposes to make tour OF the clvilized countries
Of the earth. He wears on the little flnger of his
left hand a heavy gold ring with large, soil.
talre diamond setting, which he received as a
present from the recently assassinated Car OF
Russia His hands are about an inch longer than
that Of an ordinary man, and his shoes are about
plumber u In length, but much wider. He Is not
feshy but Is built Of bone and muscle and has a
chest almost as firm and solid as rock. When the
fact, that Cinnamon as rule are small and puny
and seldom exceed five feet In height, is taken
into consideration, Chang is all the more mon
strostty. Notwithstanding his size, Chang is not
ungainly and handles himself easily and grace.
fully. From the menRgerie we were taken thro'
the stables and mess tents and from thence into
the "circus green-room." Here we were intro.
duced to the different managers and star perfor.
mers, all Of whom we found obliging ladies and
gentlemen. The three.ringed circus tent was
next entered and we were costly ensconsed In
the special seats reserved for the press gang.
Here we met Mr.. Barnum, who for half an hour
pleasantly entertained us and pointed out spe.
cial features OF the exhibition. He made a short
speech to the audience and was loudly applaud.
ed Speaking Of his show he said he was young
man yet, beginning life, being only II years old
and expected to add many new features to his
show. The circus exhibition consisted OF acts Of
riding and acrobatlc performances by the best
artists In the profession, among whom were Ma
dame Elise Dockrell, the bareback equestrlenne
and Messrs. Frank Gardiner and VIM. Bachelor,
the champion leapers. The only objection to the
! performance was that there was too much Of It.
a penon being unable TO pay attention to the
simultaneous performances going on in the
three rings. The attendance ia the afternoon
was ten and In the evening seven thousand per.
sons, being the two largest audiences ever Assem-.
BILE In Canton to witness tented exhibition. A
few facts concerning this mammoth show enter
prise will be Of interest to our readers:
Six hundred and thirty eight people are em'
ployed; $40 horses are used; the tents comprise
varduO ORO nd Nha ~ kIt,o m.
pscity iE $4,000 PERSONS the daily expense is "a :
800. Mr.. Bsrnum Is the head Of the concern, Mr.
J. A Bailey, General Manager; Mr.. j L. Hutchi
son, fnancier, and Mr.. D. 8. Thomas press agent
SIDE SHOWS.
Chang's full name is Chang Ia Sing
The circus parade was bonanza Of fun for thC
small boy.
Hotels and restaurants called Saturday secoLt
reunion day.
The Barnum-London show Is in Pittsburg thi
week and goes to Cincinnati Monday.
A lady at the Connotton depot had her pocke
picked Of gold watch.
Two hundred excursion tickets to Canton ant
return we're sold at 0snaburg.
Out Of the 6SS employees over 900 are strictly
temperate and do not drink intoIicants OF any
kind.
The attendants and uSherS were obligng an
attentive. Mr.. VIM. Falrchild Is chief Of the
large corps.
A farmer from Lake township had his pocket
book with some 81 stolen from his pocket, while
at the ticket wagon.
It 10 estimated that the London Barnum show
will BcOop in 100000 this season. Their expenses
are very heavy,
A Ca1ollton young man who had one Of thu
fair msidens Of that town to the circus, spoke o
her cheek as q splendid side show.
New Henderson Of the Eagle block barber shoT