Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-12

ONAhNE.
As the spring approaches and the young
mans fancy lightly turns to thoughts of
love, while the young woman's mind is
! wrapped up in lovely spring bonnets, the
; practical Snowman cogitates about the new
stock of wild animals he will have to lay
in for his summer campaign. Perfumed
note paper and little bonnets might natu-
rally be expec ed to increase in price al
! this season, but doubtless intense general
grief will be caused by the announcement
that owing to the troubles caused by the
turbulent prophet Ell Mahdi in Central At.
RIGA, all the wild animals to be found only
on the African continent have gone up
considerably in price. while some are not
to be obtained for love or money -es-
pecially not for love. The distressing in
telligence is given that there are no hip
popotami for sale at the present time eth
er in America or in Europe.
A New York reporter was vending his
weary way down the wilds of Chatham
street, one day last week, when roar
that drowned the rumbling of the elevated
train above struck his ear. 1t is violating
no professional secret to say that the ele-
plant may be seen early and often in the
lars of Chatham street. and that sharks
swarm in the dark depths there, but as
such roar could come from neither spe-
cies. an investigation was at once begun.
A number of cages from which strange
and ancanny noises of every kind proceed
ed were being unloaded in front of a
store few doors above William street.
The wagons which had brought the cages
were surrounded by host of small boys,
who clambered on the wheels while
the unloading was in progress. and
peeped through the iron bars on the top
of the heavy wooden boxes to get free
show of future circus performers. Urchins
ran their hands over the tawny hide
pressed against the iron bars, and yelled
with delight when the eager monsters
roared and snapped their shaggy jaws
viciously in the vain endeavor to get a
tender piece of human arm for dinner.
When all the big boxes had been safely
stored and some others put on the wagon
to be shipped away, the reporter pushed
through the crowd of boys, who still be-
sieged the door and flattened their noses
against the glass in their endeavors to
catch one more glimpse of the animals
within. The young man in charge OF the
store was asked how business was in wild
animals.
at is always good at this season." was
the reply. "The show people are begin
ming to make their purchases now, and
for animals Of certain kind the demand
exceeds the supply. We formerly got a
great many orders from the geological
gardens of St. Louis, Cincinnati and Phil
adetphia in the spring, but of late years
their business seems to have been dropping
off, and they buy very little"
How are the prices this year?"
The receit troubles in Africa have
made all African animals expensive; but
so many Indian animals have been shipped
to all parts of the world that they can be
bought very cheap. You can now get a
fine Bengal tiger, that would have cost
you from 50 900 to $4,000 not long ago
for 81 600 or $1,000
What sort of animals command the
highest prices?' questioned the reporter
well YOU know there is a good deal
of fraud in the show business as well as
in other professions and other lines OF
trade. On general principles, Snowman
will pay the highest rates for any animal
he can advertise for any special pecullarl-
ty or quality. The most glazing instance
| can remember is the price paid for jun
bo. We had here a couple OF Malay ele-
plants that came from a mountainous
country, and which by a provision of ma
ture were covered with hair four or five
inches long to keep out the cold, There
was nothing very extraordinary about that,
perhaps but those animals were widely
advertised as 'woolly' and we had no diff
iculty in disposiug of them for $4,000
each though they were as poor, small
specimens as | ever saw. One was only
b inches high.
(Which animals sell the best ?'
The most expensive probably are hip
popOtaml. There are none to be had in
the market at the present time. if we
had one we could readily get $1,000 to
s.. 900 for it. rhinoceros will COM
mand from $4,000 to $1,000, and is hard
to get. Elephants are now glut on the
market, and are consequently selling cheap.
Those we used to get $4,000 for we now
sell for 81 900"
'lIow do the felines sell ?"
well, here's lion, in good condition,
we have marked at $1,000. Lions are
caught when about five or six months old
by our agents in Africa. and kept for about
n year when they are fully grown. 1t is
almost impossible 20 catch them when they
are old. Tigers bring the same prices, a
tiirst-class one running up nearly to 81
600 have a magnificent pair of black
leopards over there, pointing to a cage in
which two huge creatures were growing.
"Thev are the crossest brutes I've ever
seen, though we've had them some time.
They re worth $500 each. Here's a nice
little pair of spotted leopards,' putting
his hand through and caressing one of
them, that are worth $500 for the two,
because they particularly good for circus,
being quite tame and consequently avail
able fol exhibition by beast tanner or
tor a parade"
"Do any other animals bring good
prices P''
"Oh. yes, A chimpanzee brings $500
If we had a dozen giraffes to-day we could
sell them for $4,000 apiece. A good ba-
boon is worth $3.50. Little monkeys sell
from Sl5 upward. There are few African
anlelppes now in the market, but thew al