The daily gazette., 1883-04-23
A VERY WET CIRCUS DAY
FOREPAUGH's SHOW READY
FOR BUSINESS.
DISMAL SIGHTS THIS MORNING.
Two Performances to be Given and the
Audiences 60 be Made as Comfortable
aa Possible.

Forepaugh's great show arrived in this
city from Philadelphia yesterday morning at
o'clock. The wagons were soon removed
to the grounds on Rodney street between
Pennsylvania and Delaware avenues.
The tents In which the menaeerie
and elephants are exhibited were put up at
0uce and also number of small tents fer
the horses, etc. Owing to the rain the large
circus tent was not raised until this morn
ing, but the wet had then done all the dam
age II was cap4tSt of. -a,..,-
A visit to the gfaalnds this morning found
the workmen busily engaged pulling each
oCher out of the mud and erecting the man.
moth tent In which the three rings are To-
Gated. The first attempt proved unsuccess-
full, owing to the slippery condition of the
ground. One of the main poles slipped and
the canvas came down with rush.
After slight delay the top was raised
and the work of fitting up the tent was
pushed along at lively rate, urged on by
the fearful yells OF the boss, who explained
that he was compelled to do 1t to keep
warm.
The workmen themselves looked the
picture of wretchedness walking around
one with hammer, another with long
wooden guy post, Others carrying all
sorts of paraphanalia necessary, and
all mud up to their knees, and
as wet as If soaked in tub of water.
With considerable difficulty the entrance
to the tent containing the Gagged animals,
was gained by a GAZETTE reporter, who, in
the passage to it from the large tent, was
compelled to fish his rubbers out ofthe mud
at almost every step.
In the menagerie things looked brighter,
the men employed naving built fire, around
which were huddled the lion tanner and the
keepers of the different animals, all having
but one object in view-to keep warm.
The reporter, after wiping his feet on the
canvass and making himself little more
comfortable, approached what he supposed
to be the manager of the whole show, and
asked with reference to the parade.
The gentleman questioned proved to be
the hippopotamus keeper, and he kindly
referred the questioner to the head hostler,
who he said could give the desired informa-
tion.
Before hunting the head hostler the re-
porter made a tour of the tent, but fr-...,
most of the cages closed, evidPr+' out of
regard for the feelings of the poor animals,
for more drears~ Surroundings could not
have been arranged Tor them.
Toward the end of the tent was stationed
the hippopotamus, who looked as il he
wished he had died two years ago. The
unwieldy pachyderm was trying to enjoy a
lot OF potatoes and bran, but when the re-
porter came up, looking by this time as
II he had been rolled in, soft clay,
the animal could not suppress sorrowfui
tear, the size of goose egg, which rolled
down its rugged cheek. Not word was
spoken, but any one looking upon the
solemn couple could at once have grasped
the situation.
From this cage the reporter made his way
toward the monkeys and began to feel at
home. The little chatterers were huddled
together, shiveriHg like aspens and carving
on an animated discussion among them
selves. The paper man hailed a passing at
tendant and asked what the racket was.
The p. a. stated that the monkeys were cuss-
ing the wet weather and mud.
From this tent 10 the one containing the
elephants it is but about 10 yards, but the
time consumed In covering that distance
was Is minutes by the watch. The mud
was several inches deep aud consisted prin-
cipally of clay which adhered with the tena-
city of Major cement
The tent was found to contain the ele-
plants, camels and small horses The ele-
plants had taken advantage Of the soft con-
dition of the earth, lain down, gotten up and
looked like huge banks of yellow clay.
The camels II their endeavors to keep
warm huddled together and wound their
ungainly necks around each other in an af-
tectionate and utterly wretched manner.
There is no chance whatever that the
ground will dry by 2 o'clock, and the ad-
vice to those who propose going to the show
is to wear high gum boots and carry rope
along to aid in a rescue from the mire. In
side the large tent, however, everything will
be made as comfortable as possible, and the
only drawback will be the atmosphere,
which is a regular pneumonia breeder in ite
cutting and chilling dampuess.
Notwithstanding the rain and unfavorable
outlook, Market street from Front to Tenth
was packed on both sides with people, anx.
iously awaiting the procession, which was
not expected to start until noon.
The crowds collected as early as O'Clock
BABY MONKEY.
Early this morning one of the femal,
monkeys gave birth to little missing link
which caused considerable excitement in thu
cage. The new arrival cast wistful glance
at Its mother, looked out upon the mud
shivered with the cold, laid down and died
To-NIGHT's PERFORMANCE.
The management states that every posi-
BILE effort will be made to have the ap
proaches to the tent this evening made al
passable as possible.
| sH~-%s
WILLIAM t. PORTER DECLINES.