The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-06
Unique Scheme of Lewis Sells
for Propagating Wild
Animals.
THEY WILL ROAM as IN NATURE
Five Hundred Acres in Hand and
Another Five Hundred to Be Sc.
cured for the Big Plan.

Lewis Sells, one of the proprietors OF
Forepaugh & Sells Bros. Circus, owns 500
acres In MERGED, and the firm is trying to
obtain 500 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 animals
properly mated here. The firm has 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
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 ele-
plants, there are one pair of llamas, seven
camels, all sorts of antelopes leopards,
one pair of tigers (Royal Bengal), one pair
zebras, one Gland, one pair of nylghaus,
seven kangaroos, and specimens of ali
kinds of wild animals.
The elephants will be placed in a retreat
representing as near as possible an African
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
confinement OF the grated cages the condi-
lions will be almost identical with their
native lairs.
IT, Eai1 ~ Axyo
fence will be the places for the Glands,
nylghaus, niger and other antelopes, and
in another the Zebras, llamas and cameIs
will be raised where they will be broken
to work in harness and to bear packs SINH
lar to the work done by these animals in
their native country.
1t is expected that the camel ranch will
be most profitable part OF the enterprise.
Camels breed in captivity even better 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 railroad cannot
be built. 1t is expected 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 turned
loose, and l. 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 am phitheater will be erected, covered
with glass, in which the birds will be
turned loose.
A large artificial lake will be made, the
water for which will be supplied from the
HoffmanCrocker irrigating system, and
the pair of hippopotami will be placed in
it, where they will be undisturbed for
months at time.
George Starr, who has been the foreign
agent OF the Forepaugh-Sells Brothers
show and for the Barnum show, is ex-
pected to arrive from Africa within the
next few days and will superintend the
enterprise. He has visited every country
on the globe and viii bring a number of
natives from Africa VINO will assist in the
work.
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. 1t is expected to supply the
geological gardens and menageries OF the
entire world from this only geological
breeding ranch on earth, and il 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.