The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-05-21
EASY IF YOU KNOW HOW
CHAIN THEM UP, TAKE A WHIP AND
DON'T SHOW ANY FEAR.

When They Jump at You Hit 'Em, Talk
to 'En. Hit 'Em A gain If They Jump at
Yea and Let 'Em Know You're Their
BTaster-rhat's the Way to Train Tigers.
$50 you think there amt any work
done in winter quarters, eh?" said George
Conklin, superintendent of Barnum's
menagerie, as he chewed bit of straw
by the big stove in the middle of the
wild animal room in the quarters at
Bridgeport. mo work, eh? You think
we just loaf all winter, keep the fires
up and feed the animals? Well, that
shows how much you know about it. Do
you see that den of tigers over there?''
Mr.. Conklin and his visitor ap-
preached a long cage standing in line
with many other cages in long one
story brick building, which bounded the
eastern end of the great inclosure which
the big show occupies during the winter
season. The cage had five Bengal tigers
in it. Four of them were together. The
fifth was separated from the others by a
temporary iron grating. Two of the
four tigers which were in company had
thick leather collars round their necks,
and stout chains several feet long fast
ened to them. The tiger in solitary con-
6nement was similarly harnessed.
'Well, said Mr.. Conklin, ''I'll tell you
one thing we do besides feeding these
tigers. We train them. Those fellows
in there who have chains on them, and
are just now splitting and growing at us
in such savage style, are new. We ehave
had them only month or two. The
others are old boys who will let me go
into the cage and not say word to me.
By the time we go on the road they will
all let me go into the cage. give them
lesson every day. That's one thing we
do during the winter"
HOW TO TRAIN TIGERS
"How do you tame them" asked the
visitor.
'.It's easily done," said the trainer
carelessly. EVERY day have the men
catch the ends of the chains which hold
the new tigers, and fasten them to the
bars so they can only move certain dis
tance. Then arm myself with raw
hide whip and stout club and enter the
cage. / take chair with me and sit
down in a corner.
.'The minute | get in the unframed
tigers spring at me. No doubt they
would chew me to shreds if they got at
me, but the chains hold them back and
they only tumble on the floor. l hit
them smartly with the whip and they
crouch back and snarl After little !
shove my chair closer. Then they jump
at me again, but again are thrown down
by their chains.
81 shove closer and repeat the pro-
gramme, and finally / get so close that
they can touch me with their noses, but
h TO =
talking to them as long as they remain
quiet, and switching them with all the
force possible when they become fierce
In the course of a few weeks they be-
come used to my entrance, and only
cringe and snarl at me. Then l try them.
one by one, without chain. ~ ~
3. II have never so far used the club. Now
hold it ready to deal mighty blow if
necessary, but it is seldom necessary
The tiger is subdued and permits my en-
trance whenever 1 choose. l have got
these tigers here nearly trained. They
snarl yet, you see, but next week will
tackle them without chains. That fel-
low in the other compartment is tract
able enough, but he persists in fighting
with the big Bengal. so we have to keep
them separate Do you see that long
!
low had particularly hard fight the
other day, and that is one result.
POWER OF THE HUMAN EYE
"If we hadn't had the igfellow's claws
clipped beforehand he'd have ripped open
the new one from end to end. So there's
another delicate job for me. I've got to
get those tigers on good terms"
''Is there any basis of truth in the
many stories that are told of the power
of the human eye over wild beastsY'
mot the slightest" said Conklin dis
dainfully. ..Of course it is true that q
man who aims to subdue wild beasts
must show fearless front, and no doubt
the eye shares with the body generally
the task of impressing the beast. But
| the real requisite is real fearlessness.
mans heart is sturdy he need not care
a rap about his eyes. He can leave then
to themselves, just as he leaves the Other
members of his body. The secret OF
| tanning wild beasts is the realization that
all wild beasts, however ferocious, are al
heart particularly if they be
long to the cat family, as lions, tigers
leopards and panthers do. That granted
stout heart, stout arm and stout
whip or club is all that is necessary.
never have known fear"
do you always clip the claws of you
ferocious animalsY
''Those of the cat tribe always" sale
the trainer. 1T is quite a job, too. and
requires number of men. You've got
to get your lion or tiger bound in such 8
way as to throw MIN on his side and
then reach in through the bars and grat
his four feet. These you pull out be
tween the bars and hold tight. This is
no small job in the case of very Large
lion or tiger.
''They struggle violently, even after