The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-12-22
HOW TOM THUMB WAS FOUND.
Barnum', First introduction to the Great

TBarnum'S First EntrOducIlOh 10 INC
Little Man-An Interesting Chat.
aPm the man who was the means of
Tom Thumb being found by Z. L. Bar
num-" was the remark made by Mr..
Henry Folsom, of South William street,
to a reporter the other afternoon.
"How SOP" was the query of the person
to whom this information was vouchsafed.
well, will tell you how it came TO
pass" Mr. Folsom responded. ABOUT
FORTY wears ago l knew a family named
Stratton who lived in Bridgeport, Conn.
The head of the family was in the haDlt
of indulging too freely in liquor. Some
people called him hummer but, as Tar
/ ever knew, he was a quiet, incfenslve
man. He was in very poor condition
financially, and his family sometimes sui
fered for the want of the necessarles OF
life. This man had a son, who was the
smallest child of his age l ever saw IN my
life The little fellow was probably OF
years of age at the time He was cum
ming youngsteri and the wonder OF tne
neighbor hood in which he lived. This
small chap was Charles 5. Stratton, AFTER
ward known as Tom Thumb"
"But how did Barnum find himY
"Oh, rn explain that to you presently
There was restaurant and liquor saloon
in Bridgeport in those days. The proprie-
tor had trap door in the floor OF ms
saloon that opened into sort of cellar
where CLAIMS were kept This establish
ment was situated on the docks, so that
boats loaded with CLAIMS could come
alongside for the purpose of dumping
their loads into the cellar aforesaid. A
large number of men who were engaged
in the clam business were in the habit OF
freuuenting this place. There were other
| customers who came there to eat choWoer
| and to partake of the liquid retreshmenC
loon
! known as the headquarters of class OF
! happy-go-lucky men, of whom the elder
| Stratton was one of the acknowledged
! leading spirits. Tho elder StrattOn often
| brought his dwarfed boy into the saloon
! toamuse the men who congregated there
| Nobody then had any idea that the little
fellow would ever be of much account 1
was then acquainted with 2. L. Barnum
| At that time Barnum kept a small mu-
scum His museum was such one
horse affair that there was not sufhclenI
/ income from it to keep its proprietor rom
financial embarrassment.
~One day Barnum asked me if would
! take the trouble the next time L visited
Bridgeport to go to his brother, PhlIo
| Barnum, who lived tire, and obtain Tor
the Snowman loan of $50. did the er-
rand as requested. Feeling interested II
| Barnum's museum enterprise, l naturally
/
helping him in his business. said to hlm
"See here, Barnum, there is a dwarf
named Charlie Stratton up in Bridgeport.
He isn't bigger than pint OF cider.
seems to me that it would be good idea
for you to get him for your museum.
Thank you for the suggestion returned
Mr.. Barnum and I'll go up to see the III
tie chap Barnum accordingly went CO
Bridgeport and saw Charlie Stratton. Ht
was greatly pleased with the dwarf, ane
, forthwith resolved to bring him to New
York and place him on exhibition. 1t wai
not difficulty task to make bargain
with the elder Stratton, who was de
lighted at the prospect of making little
money without having to Work Tor IL
Well, to make long story short, Charlie
Stratton's name was changed to ION
Thumb, and he was exhibited as tn
smallest and most wonderful dwarf OF
/ the face of the globe He was great at
traction for the museum, and 1t was no
long before the proprietor began to reallz
the fact that Tom Thumb was 'truml
card People came from far and near Z
r visit the liliputian wonder. New 1orl
f Star.