Evening star., 1896-10-14
TO RAISE ELEPHANTS,
A California Ranch on Which IL fs
Proposed to Breed big Stock

Troposeu 10 breed Zig stock.
From The San Francisco Call.
Lewis Sells, one of the proprietors OF
Forepaugh & Sells Brothers circus, owns
5oo acres in Merced, and the firm is trying
TO obtain 500 more acres to add to them.
Instead of raising fruit thex 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
mails properly mated here The firm has a
man in England, George o. Starr, engaged
In securing animals. He has been an ex-
tensive 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 se-
curing animals. The firm already has big
stock.
First there is a pair of hippopotami, the
only pair any circus has There are two
or TIN ee pairs of lions. OF the African and
Asiatic variety; there are fourteen ele-
plants, there are one pair of llamas seven
camels, all sorts of antelopes leopards
one pair of tigers (Royal BengaD, one pair
zebras, one Gland. one pair of nylghaus.
seven kangarcos and specimens of all kinds
of animals.
The elephants will be placed in a retreat
representing as near as possible an Afri-
can jungle. They are the most secretive
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 con-
finement of the grated cages the conditions
vii! be almost identical with their native
lars.
In a field inclcsed by sixteen-foot high
fence will be the places for the elands,
nylghaus, tiger 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 SINH
lar to the work done by those animals I'm
their native country.
1t is expected that the camel ranch will
be most profitable part of the enterprise.
Canels breed In captivity even better than
In their wild state, and will be invaluable
for use n sections of the country where
water is scarce, and where it Is impossible
to drive mules, or where a railroad cannot
be built 1t is expered that the develop
ment of mining in the desert sections of
this country will give employment to large
numbers of camels, and the demand for
them will be undoubtedly very great.
A whole flock of kangaroos will be turn
ed loose, and Ii Will not be strange II with
in ten years California will become as
noted for kahgaroos as Australia is at this
time
Tropical birds will be another feature.
I A large amphitheater will be erected. COW
| 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 irrigation system. and
| the pair Of hippopotami will be placed in
| 1t, where they will be undisturbed for
months at q time.
| Over LOCO acres of land will be used ana
natives will look after the work who un-
derstand the habits and characteristics OF
| the animals. 1t is expected TO supply the
/ geological gardens end managers of .he
| entire world from this only geological
| breeding ranch on earth, and II will be
| the means of advertising California mo q
| than a lything yet introduced. Agents will
be sent to every part Of the civilized world
l to represent this enterprise and to sell and
trade new animals.