Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-08-14
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
DAN RIGGS STORY OF TIE IMPORTED Co
RILLA.
Hew Great Excitement was Worked Up Before
the Animals Arrival, and How Professor Az
assn Gave the Snap Away" by Decla-
ing the Gorilla TO be Common Apa

! ibis nfSt experience, as tue great
modern phoenix, was in 1865, when the
American Museum" corner Ann
street and Broadway, persisted. The
site is now occupied By the New York
Herald.
He Immediately began prospecting
! for new site, and the granite edihce,
No. $50 Broadway, then called the Chi
nese buildings, struck his fancy. IL
was occupied at the time by Van Am
berg & Co., with their Golden Mem
| agerie." A union OF forces was the
main idea which followed mis- fancy.
Acting upon the thought, he sought the
sole manager and one Of the proprietors
of the show, Hyatt Frost. and laid his
project before him. The idea I'M
pressed Hyatt favorably and a contract
was at once entered into, combining the
two shows. Barnum, who had stored
at different places various quantities OF
museum material, transferred 1t at once
20 Van Amberg's, and the gigantic
combine was extensively advertised,
exciting widespread comment from the
press and people.
The town was soon ablaze with picto-
rial descriptions of the wonders in pos
session Of the great combination, the
public excitement was renewed, and the
profits OF the establishment melted pro-
prietors TO new ventures, gratifying 10
the public tastes or prevailing predl-
lections, and also led 10 an investment
which made Barnum blush, probably
for the first time in his life.
just previous to this combination
Manager Frost had dispatched 10 Europe
a Mr.. Ferguson, one Of Van Amberg's
most experienced and trusty agents, In
search of animal attractions and novel
ties. A letter was received from Lon
don, Eng, informing Frost that large
ape, four and one-hslf foot high, could
be secured; with the intimation that be
could be exhibited in America for a
gorilla" Phineas T. eagerly grasped
this idea; orders were sent Ferguson 10
bind the bargain and ship the animal
at once"
"But, said Manager Frost, "ii such
an imposition be discovered IL would
ruin the reputation OF the Van Amberg
show.
"Ah," remarked the celebrity from
the wooden nutmeg State. III as
sumo the entire responsibility. I'll call
II 'Barnum's Gorilla, the first and only
one ever captured alive"
Instructions and money were at once
mailed TO the agent in London (the ca
BILE then being u thing OF the future).
He was directed TO purchase the brute,
the entire transaction TO be secret, aud
get the London papers interested to the
greatest extent possible In the purchase
of gorilla" not specimen OF which
had ever been captured alive. SO sue
cessfully was this done that on receipt
OF the London papers here the New
York sun printed tho following:
"Barnum cannot be kept under or
dlsheartened at the Ioss OF his museum,
and while the FIRE fend plays through
his famous resort al agent traverses
Europe in search OF wonders. He Is
Just now in receipt OF the information
that, at an enormous expense, the
agent has secured live young gorilla,
standing four and one-half feet In
height"
The animal meanwhile, from the mo-
ment of its purchase, was concealed
from the gaze Of the curious in Britain,
although tor several years 1t had been
an inmate OF a compartment OF the
Geological Gardens, and had cost the
society and its subsequent American
purchasers only nominal sum.
The paragraph from the sun given
above was followed by many others In
the different papers OF the metropolis,
until, by the time the animal arrived,
via the Cunard line, the public interest
was excited TO the highest pitch, even
to the point OF offering premiums for the
first sight OF the 'gorilla."
A four-horse animal den was prepared
tor him aud publicly exhibited, the po-
lice made arrangements for the protec-
ton Of the people along the route should
the brute escape while being transferred
from the docks at Jersey City 10 the
Museum. An extra posse was detailed
TO keep the crowd back from In front Of
the Museum, and TO warn the public OF
the immediate danger should the goril-
Ia eude its custodlans and get out OF its
cage"
With much difficulty, because Of the
necessary concealment OF the ape, the
brute was transferred from his apart
mepts on the vessel to his coach. his
com panion for the trip being the clever
agent, Ferguson. The den was locked
and covered. The property man OF the
museum had furnished for this famous
act a large OK chain, which the COM
panion in the den ratified loudly and
almost continuously during the famous
IN
The gorilla, by the aid OF prod or
two and the musical sound OF the chain,
would below Justify, thus arouslng the
curiosity and attention OF thousands,
who lined Broadway from Bowling
Green to Spring, and thence around
into Mercer and up TO Prince street.
The famous Snowman was all this
time actively at work planning recep-
ton worth so great natural curiosity.
No one had been allowed In the museum
Ali that day, and the announcement
was conspicuously displayed that the
show would not open until after tne
Rorilla's cage had been secured 10 the
nosition assigned IL. The entire block
on Mercer Street, from Spring TO
Prince, was filed with people eager 10
enter the show when the embargo was
removed.
At last the CRY "It's coming" lead TO
the clearing OF both street and sidewalk
for several feet north and south OF the
building, 'for safety Of life and limb"
It was given out. Then canopy was
RIM out from the museum door and 10 a
sufficient distance over the street 70 con-
cesI the transfer from van TO building.
Loud cheers greeted the monster van
as IL rolled u6 and in very few min
utes the poor ape, unkempt and indis-
posed from the fatigue OF his long yoy-
soa vas asfalv enseonced In the sacred