The Portland daily press., 1882-02-11
SATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY IL.
Barnun's Baby.
The Snowman Talks of His Ponderous In
FAINT and the Revival of the Hippodrome.
philadelphia Pressl

While at the Westminster Hotel this morn
ing encountered number of prominent
showmen who ere discussing the prospects OF
the coming season. Among them l recognized
the familiar face of P. I. Barnum, and recol-
lecting that an interesting event in elephant
life in which two Philadelphia physicians, Drs.
Chapman and Lee, took prominent part,
had occurred in Bridgeport, determined TO
engage him in conversation. l had also heard
that some important changes in the circus line
were contemplated by the great Snowman in
making his arrangements for the coming sea-
SON When / mentioned the baby elephant to
him his eyes glistened, and, indeed, 1t is
most remarkable event. But two years ago,
and the idea of an elephant being born in car-
tiyity was laughed at as being without prece-
dent, and now Barnum has two OF these pono-
erous Youngsters "You may think am aw-
fully enthusiastic" said the great moral show
man. ssbut feel almost as glad at the appear
ance of the youngster as if it were child Oh
my own. Indeed, Mrs. Barnum said almost as
much 20 me this morning. l offered when IL
was born to pay $1,000 week for htty-two
weeks to insure its life for 100000 and the ar
rangement was perfected this morning. The
risks have been taken one-half in New York
and one-half in Hartford by insurance men,
They are acting individually and not in their
official capacity, The papers will be ready to-
night. 1 received an offer from an enterpris-
ing manager of New York OF 81 900 dayto ex-
hibit the mother and baby for three weeks. L
intend to let the little thing gain her full
strength and will not exhibit her publicly I'M
til open in New York on the 18th OF March,
in Madison Square Garden. At its birth the
baby weighed 145 pounds and was covered with
thick, lossy hair. 1t was first as blue as indigo,
Init now it is mouse color. Its vitality was
wonderful. 1 don't think it had seen the light
more than fifteen minutes before 1t stood up
right, looking around as though it was puzzled
al its queer surroundings Almost its first mo-
tion was search.for the breast of the mother,
hut this it failed to find During the few min
utes of its insensibility Queen rolled it gently
To and fro with her trunk, handling it quite as
gently as any nurse ever handled baby. The
baby had two well developed teeth. 1t began
to suckle about two hours after birth. L never
saw any animal suffer more intensely than
Queen did just after the birth. The period
of CESSATION in this case was about twenty
months.
1t is Mr. Barnum's intention to exhibit the
baby with her father and mother as the ''ele-
phant family" and he thinks that the attrac-
ton will be so extraordinary that ne can well
afford to pay for the enormous insurance upon
the baby's life.
Speaking of his arrangements Tor the coming
season, Mr.. Barnum said:
sit was our intention to order no increase to
our united shows for next season, as they are
now about as cumbersome an aggregation as
can possibly be handled and transported from
place to place. Somehow or other my partners,
Messrs Bailey and Hutchinson, who are young
and ambitious, got their heads together on this
that and the other feature, until before they
knew it they had figured an additional $1,000
per diem on our expense, which Will raise the
daily cost to over $500. Atfirst was inclin-
ed to be little angry, but after time was
persuaded to acquiesce in their plans.
"what is the cause of this additional ex-
pense?" was asked.
"Well, I'll tell you. We have determined
to revise the old Barnum Hippodrome with
greater splendor than before. In it we will
present attractions superior to anything that
helped 20 make the glory of the original. In
fact, we mean to totally eclipse the first ven
ture and to that end we have no less than i've
agents in Europe making costly purchases since
the fall Although we run the hippodrome, the
circus proper will not suffer. On the contrary,
we will introduce novelties that will be seen in
a circus ring for the first time in any country
Every portion of the performance heretofore
considered as belonging distinctly to the circus
will be dispensed with, and new and original
performances will be introduced, making our
ring entertainments entirely different from
anything of the kind ever witnessed under cam
YES. Our tents are now being made, and Will
be more than double the dimensions OF the
largest spread ever seen, which will, am
afraid, render it exceedingly difficult to obtain
pace on which to erect them. Every cage con-
tanning animals in the free street pageant will
be designed in the form of golden chariot.
This was never attempted before, and the
cost is almost incalculable. We have no less
than sixteen dens of animals in the street pa
rade, which is virtually exhibiting splendid
menagerie free. The handsomest woman in
the world and the handsomest man, to whom
we give $4,000 and $40, 600 respectively, lion,
bear, and tiger, led by hand, and countless
other novelties will constitute attractions OF
the same parade. We have increased our me-
nagerie to such an extent that it will require
two separate canvasses to contain 1t, while our
revised museum presents an array OF curiosities
such as are entirely new to that department.
You may rest assured that as l have always
been foremost in my profession, / have no dis
position to allow my prestige to wane, and that
even if had, my brace of partners are made OF
such metal that they would render s1ch thing
impoSsible.D