The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1901-05-31
RAhNl MS FlRST CIRCUS.
II was Located In washington Dur
Ina the War.

~ ""b tNuVNt'" J"
Ing the War.
at Is n fact, though not generally
known. that Rarnum's first venture as
n circus man was made In Washing
ton" volunteered an old circus rider
who Is now a clerk In an up town de-
partment to n Star reporter, AS II Is
also a fact that his engaging In the
circus business came about from n sug-
gestion OF n Washington boy, Hugh
Coyle. In the fall of 1868 Coylc, who
had been employed during the previous
GUNNER ms ! dIpmpeI " the band
connected with Gardner, Hcmming "
Co.'S circus, returned TO Washington,
having finished his engagement, the
circus going into winter quarters.
"W. Il. Sim was then running Can
terbury hall, on Louisiana avenue, as
a variety theater, and he gave Coylc n
Job selling tickets. lie never sold any,
however, for In talking over circus
matters with Sim he said he thought
II would be a good thing and make
barrels of Iloney-circus people always
talk of money 10y the barrel-if n win
ter circus was opened up In Washing
ton. The wal filled the city with sol
diers, and they spent their money free
ly. Coyle further suggested that, ms n
circus he had been with was doing
nothing, he thought 1t could he brought
here, but that to make II rs attractive
as possible there should be some anil
mails secured.
UP to that time Rnrnum had been
before the public only as the proprietor
of hall shows and museums. 1t was
known that he had about n dozen bears
in New York which the people there
had tired Of, and he thought they
might be secured. Correspondence was
entered into with the owners OF the
circus, Adam Forepaugh, James Il.
Cooper and John O'Brien, all Of whom
have gone to their reward since.
"The upshot OF the matter was that
Barnum agreed to contribute his bears,
handled by Grizzly Adams, famous
since as a clown; Forepaugh, Cooper
and O'Brien to furnish their circus.
and Sim to furnish the lot, pay for
advertising, billposting and the city H.
cense. The proceeds were to be d.
vidcd up, Barnum to get one-third, the
circus one-third md Sim the remain
der. Colonel Sim got permission of Is.
Il. French, then commissioner Of pub
lie buildings and grounds, to establish
the circus on Louisiana avenue, be,
tween Ninth and Tenth streets.
"As Bnrnum was favorably known
as a museum owner the establishment
was styled r. T. Barnum's circus, mu-
scum and wild animal exhibition The
museum part consisted Of n lot of stun
which had bccn saved from the fire
when Barnum's museum in New York
was burned. The bears were rather
old and out of form, but they went
just the same. Barnum's principal
contribution was his name, but the
concern paid handsomely. Two per
fOrmanccs were given most every day,
and the audiences were made up al
most wholly of soldiers Il Others
brought here by the war. l was q
leading attraction. riding a bareback
horse, which was then a sensation on
account of its novelty.
1--WE played there for the fall and
part of the winter. Barnum was pleas
ed very much with the amount OF mon
ey that was weekly sent as his share
of the receipts. The new business
caught his fancy, and two years after
ward he started out in the circus bust
ness on his own account. The museum
business in New York had been about
played out, and the tent show Offered
more certain proceeds."-Washingto
Post.