Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-30
A BOYS BIG FEATS.
SLIGHT OF BUILD, YOUNG HARROW
PROVED HIMSELF POWERFUL.
Made His Living BY Giving Exhibitions in
Saloons After He Gave Up
Farm Work.
New York Herald


A boy who smoked cigarette and
about whose appearance there was no.
thing unusual. entered saloon at Sxtieth
street and the Boulevard few days ago.
and surprised the men at the bar by pro-
posing to give an exhibition OF strength.
The newcomer was little below the
average height. and looked like the ave-
rage youth OF II. except. perhaps. that he
was lighter in build. He weighed only
about 100 pounds. and the men who turned
from their drinks to '1ook him over"
laughlngy suggested that he couldn't INT
anything heavier than bit OF free lunch.
There are chairs in the saloon. and In
one OF them was a man who weighed
about 200 pounds. The young man smiled
at the remarks OF the contingent at the
bar, and approached the man In the
chair.
THESE fellows don't think I'm strong"
he said. "Sit still minute. will your
The sitter was willing. The newcomer
laid aside his cigarette and seized the
chair with one hand. Then he braced
his feet and lifted chair and occupant
clear Of the floor. Seven men asked him
to drink the next minute, but he declined,
and went back to his cigarette.
That was the beginning OF a series OF
remarkable exhibitions on the upper west
Young mans reputation as youthfui
Hercules. Fisher the owner OF the sa.
loon. became interested in the boy. ana
secured a position for him In Bartow-on-
the-Sound. where he is working.
CAME FROM A FARM.
His name is Emil Jarrow He Is OF
German birth. and is Is years old. lie ~
anxious to go on the stage. now tnat nv
has discovered how strong ne really Is,
but as yet no chance has offered. Jarrow
came 10 this country two years ago, anu
for time worked as a farm hanh III
Illinois. He says he went to country
fair there and a "fakir'' who was WORK.
ing the farmers saw some of his feats OF
strength, and induced him 10 80 10 I'M
cago. ,
There he gave exhibitions in saloons,
and the "fakir." who passed as his mana
ger. made bets on him with sporting iisI.
by allowing the full measure OF ms
strength to dawn gradually upon ,,e I'm am,
aged to make 5000 In a few weeks. me
"fakir" kept the money. paying ihe pUy i,h
expenses, and agreeing TO diViue VIZ ~
him when they had competed d 'oui VI
" The '"faklr" finally fed with all II q, the he
money, and Jarrow, VINO mcheI
his dishonest managers business Ines,
ability. beat his WAY 10 hetter Ne to
do. Here he attempted to work the sane .hi
game that proved so successful IN M
cago. but he lacked the smooth tongue
and engaging manner OF ms laAf IMAM
ager, and made little money ~, .,
The Spalding Literary club, or NO 81
west Sixtleth street. heard about Jarrow,
and one night last week he went 20 tne
club house at the request of the oihcers.
They have some athletes there whose
opinion of themselves declined materially
after they had seen the German boy at
work. There IS in the gymnasium ,,IHra ,ha a
three hundred pounds. The clubs strong
est man could do little more than move
IT, Jarrow lifted II from the noor anu
held 1t level with his head without any
Inconvenience. Then he stretched out his
right arm and invited the club men 10
bend IL. They gave 1t up after five
minutes work. His wrist stood a similar
test With a forty-two-pound dumb-bell
tied 10 his wrist he wrote his name on
the wall.
HIS FEATS OF STRENGTH.
His reputation became noised about on
the west side. and many saloon-keepers
invited him to give exhibitions as an
aid to trade. Crowds raised thirst while
they watched him lift six chairs with one
hand and hold them at right angles WIN
his body favorite feat of ARROWS IS
10 lift a quarter-barrel OF beer with his
right hand, without the aid OF his thumb,
from the floor to a table, and then with
both hands raise IL above his head sixteen
times I'm succession. This astonishing
beer-handling feat surprised many west
side FOUNDERS so much that Jarrow was
able 20 collect money enough to support
him
The boy does not yearn for regular en-
ployment In the line Of manual toll.
though, and eeems to prefer TO live upon
what he can pick UP by private exhibit
tions. He has a thirty-seven- chest;
and a biceps that measures fourteen and
a half inches. He is five feet seven
inches in height. and weighs only lS2
pounds.