Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-11
BARNUM AND JUMBO.
Great ThrOngs of People ana Most
Successful Exhibition.

Barnum and Jumbo have come and gone,
and the visit has been not less profitable to
the managers than satisfactory to the public.
The turnout of the inhabitants was simply
immense. At about daybreak the streets
began to blossom with people and all day
long the sidewalks were densely crowded,
and the roadways filled with vehicles. The
| steamboats, and railroads came in loaded
| with people, and Chittenden county ap-
pcarel to pour its entire population
into the city. The first thing to see
was the street parade, and it proved
to be well worth seeing 1t was long and
| brilliant, and as it swept along the universal
verdict passed upon it was that it was the
| finest thing of the kind ever seen in Yer
mont. The promise of the parade, further
more, was more than fulfilled by the mena-
gcrie and the ring performance. The old
Reunion grounds were covered with canvas
The great tent stretched before the spectator
to the crack o DOOM" while on either side
were arranged the tents devoted to the curl
osites of the side shows. The first tent en-
braced a splendid collection of animals bet
ter than is usually possessed by the best
menageries. or course the first object sought
for and one which no one could overlook if
he would, was the great elephant Jumbo.
There was no disappointment concerning
him. His proportions were found to be as
enormous us have been related. He was
quiet and good natured, and politely accept
ed and put away all the cookies and buns that
were offered him. Beyond this inter esting ex
hibilion was another tent even larger than
the first one. In this were three large rings
in which performances take place simultane-
o,isly, while enclosing all these rings was a
wide race course, and beyond this were seats
for about sixteen thousand spectators. The
grand entrce was fine display of superb
horses, elegant trappings, rich costumes,
golden chariots, elephants, dromcdaries and
ponies, oil passing around the race course,
and forming glittering spectacle, continual
ly changing like an immense kaleido.
scope and dazzling the eyes of the
spectators with its new combinations
When this triumphal procession had
passed, the special curiOsities of the eX
hibition, the Norwegian giant, eight fee
high, the wonderful Chinese dwarf anC
OTHER members of the family were presented
/, A grand lcaping contest in which host o.
athletes participated gave an opportunity fol
some wonderful exhibitions OF jumping, Mr.
John Batchelder turning double somersau
over several elephants, one of them standing
upon pedestal By some mysterious con
trivance, Lulu was shot upward to the top o
the ient--up like rocket, but not down lik
a stick, for the descent was made by mean
of rope adroitly caught at the highest poin
of the ascent. Madame Elsie Dockrill CAV
some fine bareback riding, and later rod
: four bareback horses in her well-known dar
. ing manner After balancing on an invisibl
: wire, Zazel was pulled up to the top of tn
=. tent, whence she took headloug dive into
r net spread far below; and, not content witl
this was fired from a huge cannon The
p Lulu, hurled by powerful ROMA
a hundred feet or more, whirling owe
i and over, and finally alighted i
/ safety in the net spread for that purpose
@ While the huge elephants were performing i
n one ring, the smaller ones were going throug
Il a similar series of evolutions in another par
A of the enclosure, all showing remark
II able degree of intelligence, and one perform
ing many funny tricks. But the most eX
citing of all the performances were the races
&c with which the entertainment closed. The
e were among the very best and most intel
IS esting features. There was an eephar
q race, u horseback race, ladies' flat race
II n pedestrian hurdle race, wheelbarrow race
a u standing two-horse race, race by ponit
IS ridden by monkeys, a four-horse chariot race
d and race between Zulu and horse. A
of these were extremely interesting and mo-
j. of them highly exciting; and the cheers {
:, the audience were rapturous
n As to the attendance, it is safe to say Thu
n %, 900 people were present at the two pc
n formances The members of the Pre-
:. Jared excellently well under the carab
= charge of the Press agent, MIR. ID.
:, Thomas. He showed them through the who
~ affair from beginning TO end and Shove
~ them every possible courtesy.