The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-02-28

While on this subject may add that |
met representative of MIR. Bailey the
other day, who had just returned from an
important mission to Europe. Bailey ID
now the successor of p. T. Barnum and
the owner of Forepaugh's show as well.
While the latter organization will be kept
moving through the country this season as
light artillery the heavy Barnum show will
be converted into q grand spectacle based
upon the discovery of this eoun ry by
Christopher Columbus. 1t is proposed to
give under enormous tents, or III great
buildings to be erected in principal cities,
magnificent pageant representing TOUR
phases in the career of the great discoyerer.
Mr.. Bailey has invested a quarter OF a mil
| lion of dollars in costumes, scenery ,armors,
etc.
A dozen of the best scenic artists of Paris
have been at work for months upon the
scenery. and his agents have been into
every hole and corner of Europe engaging
artists and securing exhibits. At least 250
| people will be brought over from Europe,
and with the auxilliaries to be added here
| the company Will number at least 500 per-
sons. A magnificent ballet, of course, will
grace &nd adorn the entertainment 1t is
estimated that Uncle Sam will secure at
least S25, 900 from Mr.. Bailey in the shape
of tariff on the goods and material to be
employed in this great spectacle. Speak
Ing of shows and showmen, l am reminded
| that we have here in this city retired cir
Gus man of the modern school, Mr.. w. H.
Cole. He travelled through the west and
south with the old-fashioned circus and
menagerie for fifteen years, made nice bit
of money, invested it In Chicago and New
York real estate, and now, at the age of
/ forty -five he is living quietly and peace
fully here in New York with an accredited
| fortune of a million and a half.
MR. FLAGLER's FAD.
The fads of millionaires have been pretty
| generally exploited in the newspapers of
late years, but l really can recollect moth
ing in our national history which equals the
Quixotic effort on the part of MIR. Henry
! Flagler, of the Standard Oil company, to
convert the coast of Florida into com bined
American Nice and Mentone. The old city
of ST. Augustine was for years a quaint
and pleasant winter resort. Running pack
to 1900 or whereabouts, its antiquity was a
source of interest, and two or three little
cheap hotels managed to exc out an exist
ence there. Having more money than he
knew what to do with, Mr.. Flagler con-
ceived the idea of converting the stoli6 old
Spanish town into fashionable resort. He
built the Ponce de Leon hotel, one Of the
most expensive as well as one OF the most
beautiful structures in the country and
organized several real estate and improve
ment companies to participate in the effects
of his speculation. He also induced many
of his associates in the Standard Oil com
pany to invest IN lands throughout Florida,
and chief among his great schemes was the
construction Of a waterbreak at ST. Angus
tine, with view to making it railroad
terminus and great Atlantic seaport
1t is now, or at least the story is eXtan1
that the Ponce de Leon hotel was built over
made ground in very swampy portion oil
ST. Augustine, and that the great palace is
practically saturated now with malaria
At all events, the hotel has been practically
empty all winter. Perhaps if we had haC
colder season in the north more rict
valetudinarians would have been driven IL
ST. Augustine. But as our weather has
thus far, been exceedingly mild, the grea
Ponce de Leon is almost as lonely as the
broken palaces of Aihambra. 1t is sale
that Flager and his oleaginous partners
absolutely own more than half Of Florida
That is TO say. the money which they haSs.