Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-03-01

-
Adam l'orepaugh, proprietor OF lh'
wcll.kuown circus aud mcnagcri'
known rs Forcpaugh's Aggregation
was born in Philadelphia, February %
1881. lie began life as II butcher DO,
in the employ Of one John llmklc, ut
salary Of four dollars II month aud hi
board. At tho age Of sixteen he raj
away from home aud went 10 work iol
John Butcher, II butcher in Cincinnati
who, by the way, is still living II
Charlottesville, Indiana, Young Adam
remained in his employ for year an'
a.half, receiving fifty dollars for thu
first month nnd one hundred dollars
month the rest of the term, Leaving
Cincinnati, he entered the employ o
John Gray, II butcher and horse dealer
Returning to Philadelphia, he was il
the butcher business up to 1913, whel
he embarked in running stage lines
aud continued therein up to 1901
While in the omnibus business, Mr.
Forepaugh dclt in horses and cattle
and bought in single year as many ~
ten thousand lorscs. In 1861 he SOLE
to John O'Brien, who was runnin!
small wagon show, sixty-two horses
for 5000, and took us part payment Al
interest in the show. At this time Mr.
Forcpaugh had no idea of permanent.
embarking in the show business, bu
visiting the O'Bren Show in Pittsburgh
he purchased the same, and, buying
Jerry Mabie's menagcrie, combined
the two, which formed the nucleus o
the now leviathan-proportioned grea
Forepaurh Show. The Mabie pur
chase consisted of two elephants ant
cight animals. for which he paid S42,'
600, and the property was delivered t'
him mt Twelfth and State Streets
Chicago, on the very day of the assas,
sination of Abraham Linaoln. Desir.
ing Il name to attract patronage, Dan
Rice was secured at salary of $1,000
a week for thirty weeks, and at this
figure he remained in Mr.. Forepaugh's
employ for three seasons. For eight
years the earnings of the show were
invested in its enlargement. Mr.
Forepaugh increased the number O
cages on exhibition until they number
ed twenty when the veteran managers
declared that he was on the road tt
ruin. Next the number was increased
to thirty, and tast to forty-four. UI
to 1876, the Aggregation had moved
by wagon, but having now reached
such gigantic proportions, he had con
structed his own trains of sleeping
coach, fiat, box, and stock cars, as wei
as q special car, for the transportation
of his business agents and advertisers
Of late years, Mr.. Forepaugh has in
creased his menagerie each season b.
direct importations from the wild-beas
dealers of Europe. 1t is his Toast tina
he Gowns, controls and exhibits NOR
wild animals, and individually posssesse
more show property than any othe
single person or firm in the world. ,
Dnring the past winter his establish
ment was entirely lefited and repainted
and the features of the procession in
creased by three new tableau-cars o
elegant design and massive proportions
1t is u remarkable fact that during Mr.
Forepaughs managerial career he ha
never suffered financial reverse, bu
during the past fifteen years has con
tinued to add to his fortune. He is
large real estate holder in Philadelphia
and Brooklyn, and in the former, hi
native city, he owns nearly one hun
dred houses, making his real estat
possessions foot up over a half mil
lion dollars. Manager Forepaugh
eminently practical man. During thu
travelling season he is rarely absen
from his show, paying the creates
attention to even the most minute de
tails, and giving everything his person
al supervision. Possessed Of stal