Daily Republican., 1883-04-23
THE CIRCUS.
Arrival Of FOrepaugh's Great Show
Sketch OF the ShOwman's Life
An Example for Boys.

1
An Example for Boys.
Forepaugh's circus arrived In thi
city about 3 O'Clock yesterday morning
and commenced tOu'lload atFourthstree
and the Railroad. The tents and som
other articles were removed first, ant
taken to the exhibition grounds OF
Pennsylvania avenue, where the tent
were put up and the work of taking
over the cages containing the beasts wa
proceeded with. by afternoon all thu
animals, except the elephants, somt
dromedaries, camels and sacred cows
were removed and housed under thu
tents.
During the afternoon the elephants
in one of the cars became impatien,
with their long confinement, and broke
off one of the doors of the car. There
are twenty-seven elephants in the
drove, and forty-four cages of wild ami
mails with the show, besides caIlels,
sacred cattle and dromedaries. There
are three hundred horses, and five hun
dred and eight persons, including per-
formers, keepers Of the animals and
other assistants. Mr.. Forepaugh boasts
that he now owns and controls more
live animals than any other man in
the world. The establishment is GER
tainly immense, and a few years ago
he had two trains Of sleeping passen-
GER. box and fiat cars constructed to
convey it from place to place.
The senior proprietor, Adam Fore
paugh, is remarkable man, and liv-
ing example of what can be accom-
plished by energy and perseverance,.
He was born in Philadelphia on Febru-
ary 2Sth, 1881, and at twelve years of
age started to work for butcher at four
dollars a week. When he was sixteen
years of age he ran away from home,
and found employment with butcher
in Cincinnati, at fifty dollars a month.
He only worked one month at this sal
ary, an his employer found him SO per-
severing and energetic, that he doubled
1t. He remained in this situation eigh-
teen months, and then from some cause,
was thrown out of employment
He remained in Cincinnati until his
money was exhausted, when he started
on foot for Dayton, distance of forty
miles. While he was on this journey
night overlook him on the road, tired,
footsore and hungry, several miles from
his destination. He saw a farm house
a short distance from the road, and he
returned to the door and asked for food
and lodging The farmers wife took
him in, and gave him hearty supper,
and after good nights rest, and a
bountiful breakfast he started on his
way, feeling like new being. He took
the lady's name, and years after when
he became prosperous, hunted her up,
and rewarded her kindness in sub
stantial manner. After that he visited
her every year, until her death in 1881.
He secured work in Dayton, where he
remained for several months, and then
returned to Philadelphia, and worked
at butchering until 1913. He worked
steady, and having by past experience
learned the value of money, was econo-
mical, and saved few thousand dol.
lars, with which he started two omni-
bus lines While in this business he
bought and sold a number of horses,
and lie conceived the idea of engaging
in that busines. In 1854, he bought
and sold over 10000 horses, and in 1861
he sold 62 horses to John OBrien for
his circus, for 81, 900. The war coming
on, Mr.. O'Brien was unable to pay the
bill in full, and Mr.. Forepaugh took an
interest in the show as part payment.
A short time after, while the show was
in Pittsburg, he bought Mr.. O'Brien's
share, and n few months later he pur-
chased Mabel's menagcrie, consisting
of two elephants and eight wild beasts,
for S42 200 cash, and paid the money in
Chicago, the very day that President
Lincoln was assaSsinated.
He then engaged the famous clown
Dan Rice at 81 900 per week for thirty
weeks, and his business as Snowman
was full y established. For eight years
he devoted all the profits to enlarging
his show, and when he had increased
his menagcrie to twenty cages, older
managers shook their heads and said he
was on the road toruin.
Every year he increases his show, and
it is now valued at one million dollars.
Besides this he owns five hundred
thousand dollars worth of real estate in
Philadelphia and brooklyn. He pos
sesses stalwart frame, combined with
perfect health. and sanguine temper
ment, and among all his employees
there are none who work as untiringly
and energeticallv as the proprietor.