Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-07-12

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Augusta on Thursday.
barnum's great combination has arrived in
Maine. and will be in Augusta tomorrow.
In Portland on Monday IS 900 people attend
ed the three performances. The Press gives
the following extended notice.
Barnum's day always was jubilee 1t is
constant succession of Fourth of July's
from the time it leaves New York un il the
end OF the season. There is no show, no
entertainment Of any kind that possesses the
drawing power Of Barnum's magic name.
Yesterday this Greatest Show on Earth
exhibited in Portland-or Deering rather
giving three performances for the first time
IN Portland since 1871, when Barnum's Hippo
drome first startled old-fashioned circus
goers by its marvellous wonders as presented
on the field at foot of New High street While
the character of the performances has not
changN since then-Barnum AWAY securing
the very best and most expensive performer.
IN every branch Of the business-new features
have been annually introduced thar have
always caught the popular fancy. This year
1t was the mammoth elephant Jumbo, and he
fully bore out all statements made in regard
10 him. Every body was satisfied that he
was mammoth, as he looked down on the
other elephants as the giant looks down on
ordinary men. When the keeper put the
largest elephant alongside of him he was
''head and shoulders so to speak. above him.
His great corrugated trunk seemed TO start
from the top Of his head and stretched out to
the end of time
The procession in the morning was not AS
large As usual. for the very good reason that
little time was afforded for a parade before
tee first performance. But it was brilliint
and dashing and excited much favorable com
ment. The streets were jammed with people
who had travelled 100 miles to see Jumbo
and the unrivalled menagerie and circus.
From an early hour they poured into the
city by every possible conveyance. Long
extra trains Fan over all the railroads, steam
boats made extra trips, and farmers wagons
Of every conceivable shape, drawn by every
kind Of a nag. were put into reguisition. The
horse cars and picnic wagons did a thriving
business conveying passengers from the city
to the grounds. while thousands patronized
''sbanks mare"
Once there the great tent stretched before
the spectator to the ''crack of DOOM" while
on either side were arranged the tents devoted
to the curiosites of the side shows. The first
tent embraced splendid collection of animals.
better than is usually possessed by the best
menageries. Beyond this interesting exhibit
first one. In this were three large rings in
which performances take place simultaneous
", while enclosing all these rings was a wide
race course and beyond this were seats for
about 1000 spectators. The grand entry
fine display of superb horses, elegant
trappings, rich costumes. golden chariots.
elephants, dromedaries and ponies, all pass
ing around the race course, and forming
gilt ering spectacle, continually changing like
an immense Kaleidoscope and dazzling the
eyes of the spectators with its new combina-
tons. When this triumphal procession had
passed, the special curiOsities of the exhibit
ton, the Norwegian giant, eight fee. high,
the wonderful Chinese dwarf, and other men,
bers of the family were presented, and the
baby elephant, jealously guarded by its moth
er, and the monster Jumbo, passed around the
track to give one more opportunity to see
how small and how big an elephant may be.
The Trakene stations displayed their won
dertul intelligence in one ring. A grand leap
ing contest in which host of athletes partic-
ipated gave an opportunity for some wonder
full exhibitions Of jumping, Mr.. John
Batchelder turning double somersaalt over
several elephants, one of them standing upon
q pedestal. BY some mysterious c0ntrivance,
Lulu was shot upward to the top of the tent
up like rocket, but not down like stick,
for the descent was made by means of rope
adroitly caught at the highest point of the as
cent. Miss Eva Walker gave a graceful exhi
btion of tight-rope dancing, and VIM. DuttOn
followed with bareback somersault act in ali
other ring. Then while the Clifford Brothers
were lifting immense weights, the Egyptian ath-
letes in another ring were building pyramids
on ladders it'll all the skill which familiar
ity with the massive specimens of that style of
architecture in their own country would give.
and in the third ring the Japanese were per
forming wonderful feats Of balancing and Jug
Cling. Madame Elise Dockrill gave some fine
bareback riding, and later rode four bare
back horses in her well-known daring manner.
After balancing on an invisible wire, Zazel
was pulled up to the top of the tent. whence
she took headlong dive into a net, spread far
below and. not content with this. was fired
from a huge cannon. At the same time
Maggie Claire was performing high in air
upon the fving rings. Then Lulu. hurled
by a powerful Roman catapult. came fly
ing across tine arena, a hundred feet or more,
whirling over and over. and finally alighted
: i'm safety in the net spread for that purpose.
But the most exciting of all the perform
ances were the races, with which the enter
tainment closed. They were among the very
best and most interesting features. wheel
barrow race by 10 men was followed by an
exciting standing race, each rider being
mounted upon two horses. 4 race between
monies. with monkeys for riders. caused much
amusement among the children for whom it
was intended. A handicap race between a
Zulu and horse was won. without apparent
effort. BY the former. The chariot races
were superb.
KIrTERY NAVY YARD.