Birmingham state herald., 1896-10-11
Plaster and hair-Mayberry & Watson.
TO RAISE ELEPHANTS.
A California Ranch on Which It Is Pro-
 posed to Breed Big Stock.

San Francisco Call.
 Lewis Sells, one of the proprietors of Forepaugh & Sells Brothers Circus, owns 300 acres in Merced, and the firm is trying to obtain 800 more acres to add to them.
 Instead of raising fruit they will raise animals. They have come to the conclu- sion that the climate of California is ad- vantageous for that purpose, and in view of that fact are endeavoring to get ami mals properly mated here. The firm has man in England, George o. Starr en- gagged in securing animals. He has been an extensive traveller in South Africa, East India and throughout the world, having made forty-two trips between America and Europe. His whole time is devoted to securing animals. The firm already has a big stock.
 First there Is pair of hippopotami, the only pair any circus has. There are two or three pairs of lions of the African and Asiatic variety; there are fourteen elephants, there are one pair of Ilamas, seven camels, all sorts of antelopes, leopards, one pair of tigers (Royal Ben- gaD one pair zebras, one eland, one pair of nylghaus, seven kangaroos and speci- mems of all kinds of wild animals.
 The elephants will be placed in re- treat representing as near as possible an African jungle. They are the most se- cretive of all the animals and will not propagate in public. There will be large cages built for the lions and tigers, the floors of which will be the ground, and in these cages there will be compartments made of trees and tropical plants, so that aside from the confinement of the grated cages the conditions will be almost identi- cal with their native lairs.
 In field enclosed by 16-foot high fence will be the places for the elands nylghaus, niger and other antelopes, and in another the zebras, llamas and camels will be raised, where they will be broken to work in harness and to bear packs similar to the work done by these animals in their native country.
 It Is expected that the camel ranch will be a most profitable part of the enter prise. CamelS breed in captivity even bet ter than in their wild state, and will be invaluable for use in sections of the country where water is scarce, and where it is impossible to drive mules, or where a railroad cannot be built. It is expected that the development of mining in the desert sections of this country will give employment to large numbers of camels, and the demand for them will be un- doubtedly very great.
 A whole flock of kangaroos will be turn ed loose, and it will not be strange if within ten years California will become as noted for kangaroos as Australia is at this time.
 Tropical birds will be another feature A large amphitheater will be erected, cov- cred with glass, in which the birds will be turned loose.
 large artificial lake will be made the water for which will be supplied from the Hoffman-Crocker irrigating system, and the pair of hippopotami will be placed in it, where they will be undisturbed for months a a time
 Over 1000 acres of land will be used and natives will look after the work who un- derstand the habits and characteristics of the animals. It is expected to supply the geological gardens and menageries of the entire world from this only geological breeding ranch on earth, and it will be the means of advertising California more than anything yet introduced. Agents will be sent to every part of the civilized world to represent this enterprise and to sell and trade new animals.