Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-06
HUMAN BRIC-A-BRAC.
The AlIurements of the Dime Museum
Bustness-WiId Men of the West.
from the Ne2p York Tyi6une

FroustAe Neao York Tribune.
"The dime museum business is posi-
lively fascinating" said an old manager
of those eyanescent enterprises to a Iri-
61tRe reporter the other day. "0nce in it,
you stay there. The whole thing is so
like gambling that those whom it enthralls
fade away, when distant from cannibal
company, and simply perish while bask-
ing no LONGER in the CircasSian beauty's
smiles. They say there's money in it. So
there is. But it is the money of the faro
bank, and when made floats away on the
same swift wings. l have started, OF as
sisted in starting, over fifty of these shows
in all parts OF the country, and il there is
anything new under the sun that haven't
exhibited and which VIII "take" with
dime museum patrons, L should like to
see IT'D
GLOW do you organize such queer,
new cOmpany~
''NOthing is easier, and again nothing
is more difficult. There are always some
monstrOsities out Of a job-the dwarfs,
the giants and the fat folks, for instance
but, except it be in a fresh place out
West, they will not draw unless invested
with the lustre of strange romance made
plausible by new names. In town that
has never enjoyed a galaxy of our pro-
fession it is simply picnic to set up in
bu5lnGocs " Z uAEG q bAa CC-eDAelf DuttQiuEs
and fix up the interior " It'll bunting and
green and red clotn. In the top story we
put few monkeys and arrange row of
gaudily colored pictures behind magnify
ing lenses. If we can hire a coal mine,
salt works or saw mill cheap it is placed
on this same floor. (Don't look astonish-
ed these things are in miniature.) After
having thus contrived to prepare the Yisi-
tor who begins at the top for greater
things, we put on the second floor the
stars. These are the terribly hackneyed
human monstrosities, the magnetic and
optical illusions, the glass-blowers, and
ne irrepl essible Punch and Judy. The
hold which the latter have on the people
Is simply astonishing. L have seen per-
sons visit museums several times a week,
and while they might grow indifferent to
every thing else, they never tired of watch
ing this time-honOred drama. The trick
of the 'electyic boy is generally very soon
discovered, as it consists in the simple
fact that his touch establishes the connec-
tion between The poles of a battery. But
the variety business on a little stage on
the first floor is the climax of the whole
establishment and Of our patrons de-
light"
chow long does Unpopular enthusiasm
last?'
about three or four months. Then the
smart Alexis in the community have Wis
ions Of too much wealth made by the pro-
prietOrs,' and the first ding you know
there is a lull in the receipts. You try to
liyen up matters by engaging at a stitf
salary the two-headed girl and the Yam
kee Whistler, but suspicion is rife and
you can't overcome it. After struggling
q few weeks you give up the ghost, and
sell out witt a lew hundred dollars profit.
The next man is as good as new, however.
ii will make very nearly as much money
as you did, and will lose il in precisely
the same manner. So Will two or three
after him. Thenceforth the place viii
settle down for a humdrum lie that would
Kill men like me-"
"Are the eX-managers always the VIC
tins of evil tOnguesp
"Well, to tell the truth, no. sometimes
we have had luck with the blasted curiOsi-
ties. A wild man once played the dedce
with me, or rather a fool set Of humanl-
tarians that 'interfered' in his behalf. He
was rather a nice fellow when first met
him in a State west Of the mississippi,
where he had been born. We drank eacn
Otner's health, and as he had soft
growth of hair all over him, and was
quite averse 30 hard work, we struck u
bargain. / dubbed him the Siberian Wild
Man, and placed him, chained, in a cage.
II was a great hit. / advertised that he
had slain ha.fa dozen Cossacks before he
was captured, an you ought to have
seen the idiots stare a. aim, "a he ratified
his chains and glared thr' lgh the iron
bare OF lis cage. The thing was talked
about until some fool officer Of an anti
cruelty society got out a warrant for the
fellows release. We had 20 strike cOlors,
confess the humbug, and-lcave town.
Then again we have prohtcd by fools.
A. one place business was so poor that
despaired Of yer making itgo 4 Was
on the point OF throwing up The sponge,
Zen an outside accident wrought com-
plety marvel for ouT good. We had a
man called Texas jack who wos very
adept Ia handling his lstols, besides
bang a good shot. lie couh tGirl a re-
NOlyer around his index finger, either
way, and then grasp the bust ready for
aim lie never did this, however, with a
] ..ded weapon. A German coachmsn
having seen jack in this trick sought TO
reproduce IL before his friends with a
loaded revolver. and fatally wounded him.
self His iortitude aud bravery under
his suffering was a great advertisement
for Us, and we coined money even while
the poor devil was being buried. ours IT,,
You see, world Of ups and down., Of
goasure and dlsappoint.ients, and still