Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-29
How Museum Managers Search for
Marvellous Attractions.
SALARIES PAID TO THE STARS.
Demand by the People for Something New
and Attractive.
INCIDENTS IN 4 TOUR OF DISCOVERY

/ introducing to the shoWman's boards the
anomaly known in popular Parlance as "a
freak" The crippled mendicant who ex-
i poses his distorted limbs on the street cor
ners Of European cities. in America poses
on the stage as star, while paying audien-
ces flock to view him. A freak must not neces-
sarily be deformed in order to fulfill the re-
quirements Of his calling. If he be sufi-
GENTLY differentiated from his fellows by
any startling peculiarly, he is thoroughly
equipped for a professional career, and is IN
| position to draw a substantial salary,
while, like the Pharisee, be thanks God chat
he is not like other men. There is a peculiar
pathos in the life Of freak, which, sketched
bv the master pencil of the creator Of Little
Nell, would challenge the tenderness and
pity Of all mankind. The misshapen OF
spring, whose existence is q reproach and a
burden Of woe to INDECENT parents, frequent
" becomes their staff Of strength and the
source of goodly income, but at the cost Of
sacrificing shame ,and making Of deformity
stock in trade.
Humor and pathos usually go hand in
hand, and the freak is not wanting in hu-
morous aspects. There is something ex-
quisitely funny in the thought of adopting
obesity as profession. or the idea or chew
ing tacks for livelihood, and it Is very pos
slble that many patrons Of the freak are at
tracted to the platform where ne aoldes less
by curiosity than by sense Of the ludicrous
elements in the spectacle which he presents.
The freak, as such, first made his appear
ance In the sideshow which was feature Of
the old-time circus. 1t was soon discovered
that he was q paying attraction IN and by
himself, and the evolution Of the dime mu-
scum was the result.
A PROSPEROUS BUSINESS.
This institution came into being about ten
years ago, and has had phenomenal run Of
prosperity. Shrewd managers have built
up fortunes by exhibiting their anomalous
fellow creatures, and the freaks themselves
have earned handsome salaries simply by
putting themselves in evidence.
But the range OF human deformity and &C.
centricity is necessarily limited, and most of
the attractions in this line have become
familiar to the public, and passed into the
realm of what show people know as back
. numbers" As a consequence, the managers
of dime museums are Obliged to exercise the
greatest ingenuity and industry in order to
secure prodigies for the delectation of their
| audiences
.The freak is still the drawing card Of q
dime museum" said one of these gentlemen.
"That this is recognized by the museums Is
. best shown by the fact that their managers
invariably make the freaks the chief sdver-
Using feature. But freaks are scarce, and
: one Of the species soon becomes a chestnut
: after showing about the circuit. A freak
: that commands $500 week during his first
) season is often glad to GET $50 a week year
: or two afterward."
B sWhat methods do you adopt to secure
d freaksY" asked the writer.
: "WelI. in the first place, the museum
managers, IN common with the rest OF the
world, rely for news on the columns Of the
daily papers. The appearance Of prodigy
in the physical or mental order is matter
; Of news, and is chronicled as such. We scar
!, the great daiIies closely for announcements
: OF this sort; and an agent is at once dis
u patched to interview the marvel. and, if j
I be found bona ide, to secure it for exhibi
; ton. That is the standard method. Then
too. in vacation time it is usual for tht
= superintendent or agent Of q museum u
! make haphazard tour in out Of the wal
e districts, and strive, by diligent inquiry, t.
d discover freaks Of nature IN the human fam
ily."
what arduous, and adventurous, as well,
/. said the reporter tentatively.
; HUNTING FOR FREAKS.
/ "You may we'll say sc,'' was the reply
= sI have been on numberless expeditions o
the sort, and / can assure you that the worl
= cut out for man is of a sort that is calcu
lated to try his patience and tax his IN
= genuity to the utmost. My usual metho'
= is to register at hotel in an out of the wa,
" village and allow my mission to becom
known to a few of the oldest inhabitants
These are usually the greatest gossips in th
neighborhood, and what they don't knov
E. about the family affairs Of the country sid
le isn't worth knowing. It is not difficult t
u get them to tell you countless stories oil th
,e rarest prodigies indigenous to the vicinity
er but on inquiry, you usually learn that th
'. invaluable freaks you fancied yoursel
IS about to secure are all dead now. If, b,
Of chance, one still survives, and you shoull
ID seek it out, you are, indeed, fortunate II ex
" asperating and Iudicrous disappointment j
u not your portion. Several years ago, at
le little hamlet in Aroostook county, Me.
Y, was told that some 10 miles away
n babe had been born with full set Of teeth
:; at once engaged team and drove post
d haste to the farmhouse in which the infan
70 was said to have first seen the light of day
g On arriving at the place was met by de
(, .crepit old woman, who invited me into th
r. kitchen, and, in reply to my queries, sol
$, emnlv assured me that my Information wa
D, correct. She, herself, she averred, ha'
given birth to the phenomenal baby. Sh
had all the appearance Of centenarian
and YOU may imagine that her statemen
was something Of staggerer. Ny discom
= fiture was complete when she hobbies
out into the garden and returned with
bulking. sheepish fellow Of 30 odd years
d whom she introduced as her son and tn
IS babv in question. Show the gen'rman ye
g teeth. ,Lige,' shrieked the old crone, Will
.. the infant Of 80 grinned hideously in obedi
g euce. Amt them beauties? He bad 'er
ali when he was born. Er course they'v
groTed some'at, but they're the same eedeu
teal teeth, an don't yer fergit it.
re A MANAGERS DIsAPPoINrMEETs.
3 .It would be superfuous to say that di
q not engage that freak. 1t isquite usua
g thing 70 huDtfor daysfor an alleged prodigy
81 and fnd, at last, fellow with club foot
a wart on his nose. Last spring I started j
search Of three brothers, who, Dame Rumo
1 avaryed were ali three the unfortunate poi
{ SCISSORS Of jointless legs. The upshot OF N
n quest was the discovery Of farmers 30
who was suffering from a stiff knee.
D. saThere are three difficulties with whic
e the searcher after freaks has to contend
p These are the lack Of freaks in nature, th
e, difieultv of finding them, consequent upo
:, the secrecy in which men envelop their il
IS firmities, and, lastly. the shrinking modest
u which renders it often impossible to secur
70 An attraction alter it has been uneartheC
Freaks of a peculiarly curious nature al
freouentlv found in wealthy families, b
whom the very suggestion OF exhibiting
n deformitY for the sake OF pecuniar
n oaiu would be received as an insul
-. T.. -. L. hoao ~.li~fo,,