The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1891-04-28
BARNUMs CAREER BRIEF
LIZ TOLD,


Phineas p. Barnum began life as clerI
In country store at Bethel, near Dan
bury. Connecticut. He became a mil
llonaire in the city of Bridgeport, which
he did SO much to improve He bull
hundreds of houses there, and sold them
or rented them at nominal prices tC
workingmen. He laid out miles Of
streets, and planted beside the streets
more than $4,000 hardwood shade trees.
For his public spirit and practical phil.
anthropy he was elected and reelected
Mayor of that thriving city. In the early
days OF Denver and Pueblo, Colorado,
he bought property which to-day is
worth million or more.
Barnum frequently protested against
the name humbug so often applied
to him. He said he gave more genuine
attractions for the money paid than any
other manager-therefore he was not q
humbug. He invented and put on ex-
hleltion the famous woolly horse, but
with this and few other exceptions his
" marvels 7" were of real interest to the
world. Having been humbugged in a
lew Instances, the people had learned to
respect him as true American who
whetted public curiosity and then more
than satisfied the natural appetite for
sensations.
FLOWING WITH AN ELEPHANT.
A notable example of Barnum's ferti-
lily OF resources in keeping himself be-
fore the world, even when far away from
his museum, is the following incident:
He had spare elephant on his hands.
10 make the beast pay dividends he
sent it to his farm in the suburbs of
Bridgeport. The keeper was gorgeously
arrayed In oriental costume and made to
pillow with the elephant in a forty-acre
lot adjoining the railroad, where trains
were constantly passing between New
York and New Haven. 1t proved
tremei dous advertisement. The trains
ran slowly, crowds went out to see the
elephants pillow, and presently articles
about it began to appear in all the lead
ing newspapers in America and Europe.
After getting about $4,000 worth of ad-
veTtising out OF this agricultural exploit,
Barnum sold the elephant for a good
round sum TO travelling managerie, and
the beast proved greater attraction
than a dozen ordinary elephants from
the jungles of Africa, having never plow-
ed in the fields OF New England.
BRINGING OUT JENNY LIND.
Barnum's negotiations and success
with Jenny Lind are unparalleled in the
history of the "show business" Bar
mum says; "No one can imagine the
amount OF head work and hand work
which | performed during the first four
weeks after Jenny Lind's arrival in
America. An enormous sum of money
had to be secured before negotiations
could be opened with the Swedish song
stress in Europe. Nearly 100000 was
deposited with London bankers as a
guarantee of good faith. The American
public knew little or nothing of her
genius as a singer and the press of the
had to be filed with stories
about her to create curiosity and de-
sire to hear her.
At last she came. A multitude were
at the wharf in New York. Floral arches
and enormous placards OF welcome
greeted her. Her eyes filled with tears
IS she witnessed the ovation. Barnum's |
money paid for it all at first; then the |
public did the rest. Her fame soon |
spread to all lands and the name Jenny
Lind became household word from San |
francisco to Calcutta.
BARNUM AND TOM THUMB.
One of Barnum's European achieve
nents was the exhibition OF Tom Thumb |
n England. He was assured by British |
'howmen that the kingdom was overrun
With dwarfs and the people were tired of |
hem. But Barnum's genius made Tom
Thumb the sensation of the day. Royal |
" patronized the little fellow until his |
anne spread through all Europe. When
3arnum reached London with his mu-
'eum show he took furnished mansion
It the West End. in the very center of
ashton and wealth. The house had
,nce been occupied by Lord Brougham.
from this mansion letters OF invitation
we're sent to members of the nobility to
zee Tom Thumb They came in crested
carriages and were ushered in by liveried
ervants at the door.
The browning event in the show world
It that period was Barnum's feat in get
ing Tom Thumb and himself received
~ Queen Victoria. Edward Everett, the
American Minister, Baroness Rothschild
AiN AAouJ POAOOAO OlOoC " btiC COuIb were |
o much interested in the little General
hat royalty itself wished to see the AM
rican wonder. Barnum's tact and good
ense never deserted him in the presence
{ the Queen and her illustrious retinue.
o the surprise of the lord in waiting, he
roke all the rules of court etiquette and
7as allowed the great honor OF convers-
ny with Her Majesty direct, without the
ormafity of speaking through the third
erson, who officiates on all such occa-
ions. After the reception refreshments
'ere served to Mr. Barnum and the Gem
raj in the royal palace. On the follow
~ day the Court Journal contained an ,
long and detailed &C
punt OF the event. 1t is needless to say
nat it was written by Barnum himself
nd printed as he wrote it, thus proving j
i'm to be the prince of press agents as
ell as the prince of showmen.
Barnum gave Bridgeport magnificent
rive-way along the Sound and a public
ark. The most recent of his many
fits is the memorial building devoted to
Science and History" and costing
rs, 900, and presented to the Scientific /
II