The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-09
MORNING. g. 198-sXTEEN PAGES

100 English cavalryInen from the Royal he-
serve. two batteries of artillery and the
incidental full uniform and equipage- me
raw natives of the far East present a as
tinct entertainment in themselves, in their
curious costumes, camp trappinGs, arms and
religious rites and pastoral games. In the
battle which ensues between the natives
and the British troops, infantry cavalry
and artillery are hotly engaged, and, as if
these were not enough to furnish the neces-
sary noise and excitement, a gunboat from
the Nile takes a hand in the melee. There
are bombardments, cavalry charges. artil-
lery practice and hand-to-hand engage
ments of the most blood-thirsty character,
the getting of the British forces into action
forming one of the most thrilling battle
scenes ever placed upop ne stage. All of
this is made to clothe story of love and
British heroisnn.
IN THE PALMARIUM.
Auditing on the main building, or the
Olympia proper, is another large semi-cir-
cular building, with the fiat side joining the
former, and called the Palmarium. In this
are displayed the menagerie and the
freaks. Entrance is by three passages from
the corridors of the main building. though
as in the case of the latter, there are nu-
merous emergency exits for immediate con-
venient use. The Palmarium was used for
an extra show, for which an extra price
was charged. 1t is built like a wheel within
a wheel, a broad outer corridor opening
into the middle space by great archways
placed at regular intervals The central
roof is supported by noble iron columns
representing palm trees, the outrageous
capitals of which give peculiarly inviting
aspect to the place. Beneath these palms
are tethered the great elephants, the cam
els, zebras, buffaloes, and all the vast col
lection of lied animals The cages, be-
ginning with Johanna and the carnivari on
the left, are arranged around the semi
circular corridor in the rear No better ar
rangement of the liberal space allowed the
big menagerie could have been devised. 1t
affords a grouping at once convenient and
picturesque. Between the archways against
the walls of the central room, are high and
narrow stages on which the numerous
freaks are displayed. And finally, the in
evitable band has it's daily Standard dis
courses sweet music, while the British pub
lie hustles up and down, along the cages, or
stands agape before the sword-swallowers,
fre-eaters, giants, midgets, tattoed and
bearded ladies' armless and leglesS men,
and so on. The showmen have already
nicknamed this place ''the JUNGLE" and the
tropical effects the roar of the lions, chat
tering of monkeys, trumpeting of the ele-
plants. and all the other familiar sounds
and sights of the American zoo, suggest
the peculiar appropriateness of the title.
An altogether new circus attraction here
is the horse fair, to be seen daily in the
annex. In the distribution Of stables, or
tents, at home the Barnum show was un-
ot,Io of
as a whole. Very few people, compare
lively, were able to visit the places con-
tanning the superb ring stock, and no at
tempt was ever made to place these ami
mails on exhibition. Here, however, there
are facilities in space and distribution to
open an immense stable in which there is
ample room to roam about, and where a
full military band plays during the ex-
hibition hour. 1t takes wonderfully with
the English, every man and woman of
whom seems to be imbued with sporting
blood.
The Annex is across the street from the
Palmarium and is entered by a roomy
well-lighted, underground passage that
suggests the tunnel connecting the Audi
forum Hotel, Chicago, with it's pile of
buildings across the street. At the top of
the further incline the visitor is ushered
into an immense and lofty room, some
three hundred by four hundred feet. irreg-
ular in shape and lighted by immense
arched windows and skylight. The big
columns that support the vaulted iron roof
are similar to those in the Palmarium. The
roof proved to be a condenser of moisture,
shedding it back in copious showers upon
the unprotected horses, and this exposure
brought more animals to their knees in a
single day than fell during the twelve days
ocean passage between decks. 1t was death
to remain, and yet there was no other place
to receive. The more precious animals were
hustled out. and the process of putting in
a wooden ceiling began. In a week and
with the expenditure of a thousand pounds
the. change was effected since which the
place has been dry and comfortable.
And now that the big American show,
which has been kindly treated piecemeal
in hundreds Of columns and pages of illus
trations by the London press, is finally
open, the prospects of ample returns for the
great exertions and immense expenditures
of ready money are very bright. 1t prom
ises to be the London social fad and to
fully Justify the expectations of the great
American Snowman. 1t reaches the popu-
lar heart, and, as it is all to be seen for a
shilling, 1t comes within the popular pocket
book.
CHARLES THEODORE MURRAY.
A-e-$