Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-07-14
THE DAY WE CELEBRATE.
Harnan bigger Man than the Fourth
OF JuIy.-Circas Day at the Capital.

emptled itself into Augusta yesterday. Even
the rain augmented the throngs, for the
farmers, finding it too wet for outdoor opera
tions' hung up their scythes and let the wav-
ing buftercups sway unmolested in the
meadows for the day, while they harnessed
Doobin, packed up the lunch basket, slowed
the family away in the capacious wagon, and
drove cityward. Manufactures and printing
Offices gave their employees vacation. labor
ers along the river threw down the ice pick
and from all directions. in all kinds of con-
veyances-by cars, by boat. afoot. and in
vehicles of all descriptions-peoplef ioeked to
Augusta to witness the long-heralded event,
the great Barnum and London show
Early in the morning, before the average
citizen had partaken of mis- breakfast roll and
slipped his first cup of fragrant coffee. three
long trains rolled into the depot, and were
unloaded rapidly and methodicalIy. Knots
| of people witnessed the advent Of the circus.
| The baggage teams drove at once to the cir
Gus grounds, and the herd of elephants fol-
low ed, Jumbo towering above his companions,
| ilkt MI. w deHitiptOH over TIE SURROUNDING
mountains. The army of skilled workmen
at once proceeded to erect the tents. In
a few hours, the great spread Of canvas was
completed. The exhibition tent is 466 feet
long and go feet wide. The performers dress
in tent as large as an ordinary circus can
vas-I70 by 80 feet In one big tent, long
breakfast tables were speedily spread; big
! kettles of odurous coffee were hung over fires,
and legion of cooks and walters were frying
whole sides of beef steak and serving them to
Barnum's people.
At eight o'clock the drizzle broke into a
! shower, which increased in violence until rain
poured in torrents upon the crowds of be-
drenched and be-draggled humanity out for a
DAYS amusement. They will have to post
pone the street parade was the universal
exclamai But no, at nine O'Clock. the
proce ssion moved swiftly through Water
street, followed by a tide of sght-seers. The
current swept along to the intermittent music
of bands and ca.liopes. There were in the
throngs, old men aud young men. stout men
and thin men, robus farmers and dapper
clerks, elderly and young ladies. pretty and
| plain, gaily and soberly attired, in the fash
ions of the present or by-gOne day; big and
| little children, children in arms, two or three
attended by one matron. or two or three
matrons attending one child; couples from
the country, INDUCING in the ecstacy of loves
young dream; people with umbrellas and
people without umbrellas all struggling and
| pushing and elbowing, perspiring profusely
but good natured, with clothes awry and
necks craned, and eyes staring at the won
derful pageant.
| Even the elements were impotent to pre-
vent the parade. They might dim, but
they could not destroy its glories. OF the
procession itself the universal verdict was
that it was the longest, the finest and most
complete ever seen in this city, and had the
weather b, en- fair it would have been mag
nificent. There were immense vans, glorious
| in red and gilt. and flashing with mirrors,
drawn by from four to six horses gaily
caparisoned: Roman chariots drawn by four
| elephants, and camels and ponies.
Wagons with animals and snakes in
apparently loving companionship; a
large drove of immense elephants lum-
bering their unwieldy way along; little
carriages drawn BY zebras and the cunningest
| Shoe surrounded Nv so numerous a progeny
that it is among the marvels how she cared
| for them all troupe of Jubilee singers
sitting on top of a wagon. and singing sweet
melodies: Neptune, with car and attending
nymphs and dolphins bands of music. con-
sistng of civilized people and natives of TIE
forest keeping good time on their Instruments !;
bagpipes emitting the loud notes OF the
"Campbells are coming" and other Scottish
airs; the Goddess OF Liberty, typical of
Americas greatness; a chime of huge bells.
completely filing one large carriage, playing
sw Get tunes as the vehicle rolled along; a
steam callioPe playing tunes that must
have been audible half mile away.
All this, and more which the eye could hard
lv take in. was seen as the grand procession
passed swiftly by in review, and when the
last vehicle had passed the multitude NOV ed
as by common impulse went away to
prepare for the afternoon and evening
exhibition of wonderful things within the
monster canvas.
In the afternoon the newspaper men found
a hack aw aiting them. and with MIR. ID. $
Thomas for a cicerone started for the great
moral show. Barnum displayed Characters
tic sagacity when he engaged MIR. Thomas to
look after representatives of the press
GENIAL, unremittiug in his attentions and a
thorough gentleman, he makes the work of
collecting items apleasure.
And this. is jumbo
This is the first exclamation upon stepping
under the canvas. The pet of the London
Zoo. the browning wonder of this mammoth
exhibition confronts the visitor. Jumbo is
an elephantine mountain. His skin hangs
loosely about his carcass in great folds, and
he looks as il had Just been wallowing in
clav bank The other uachyderms
dwindle into insignifcance before this mon
arch. Crowds surrounds the enclosure where
Jumbo is confined, and pass over dainties for