Evening journal., 1903-01-10
ANIMALS WILL
COME TOMORROW
Where Elephants Are Sold
by the inch and Snakes
by the Yard

Carl Hagenbeck whose show comes to
the Opera House next Monday, has
been handling wild animals for forty
years. Before him the elder Hagen
beck. affectionatsly called "Unser
Carl" was a dealer Of note and sup
piled the big ZOOS Of Europe with their
rarest specimens. The third Carl
Hagenbeck is now a man OF 30, and Is
prepared TO assume the management or
a business that shows an annual proht
of half million dollars. lin Hamburg,
where their principal depot is located,
they sell snakes by the foot, and ele-
plants by the inch. Twice a year a
big catalogue is issued in four or fiyel
Languages, describing the goods on
hand, and calling attention to certain
bargains in monkeys, job lots OF camels
or a few ostriches that have become
shop worn in slbck. It is an unusual
business. TO be Sure but TO the Hagen !
becks il possesses neither novelty nor
| the merit Of extraordinary interest.
Carl HagenbeclS, the third, is thel
chief clerk In this animal emporium.
Under his direction all the sales are
made not only for the continent and
England, but for THE United States. In
this country the house of Hagenbeck !
has one travelling man, Lee Williams, |
by name, and the show that comes tOl
Wilmington serves as his sample case.
Some sixty odd years ago "Unserl
/ Carl" Hagenbeck. was a fish monger
in Hamburg. One day whaling YES
sci just down from the North sea made
anchor in the river Elbe and brought
ashore a healthy young polar bear,
consigned as a present to a young
, nobleman of the town. The noblemanI
had little interest in geological mat
ters was anything but delighted with
the present. He was decent enough to
} keep the animal until after the whaler
? had left, Hagenbeck in the meantime
/ supplying the fish that the bear ate.
This fish bill soon came to an appalling
figure and in due course of time the
lnobleman gave Hagenbeck the bear to
offset the obligation.
Bruin was comfortably housed in the
, fish monger's shop and every Sunday
] great crowds of people came to see him.
! In those days a polar bear was a rare
beast in Europe. The Germans called
, him the "ice bear" and marveled at
! his great white coat and wonderful ca
pacity for fish. Later on Hagenbecl1
|, bought a couple Of sea lions and a
monkey. Then he began charging an
admission price to the Sunday visitors.
Little by little the constantly increas-
! ing geological exhibit crowded out the
fish stalls and Hagenbeck, much against
the advice of his wife and neighbons,
/, became a full-fedged animal dealer.
In the summer he formed a small
caravan and exhibited at village fairs.
a The sailors learning that Hamburg was
!. good market for all kinds of animals,
! brought specimens from every cline.
. II was not long before lions and tigers
and finally an elephant found their way
into the old fish store.
The geological societies of Berlin,
, Paris and London heard Of what Hag-
: enbeck was doing and were soon buy
ing goods of him. When me didn't have
: just what they wanted he sent for IT.
, Expeditions we're formed to capture
animals that were known to exist, but
= had never been brought to Europe. In
! this way Hagenbeck scored his great
J triumph by delivering to the London
Geological Society the first hippopota-
mus ever seen outside of Africa. The
. rhinocerous followed and then the 81
! berian tiger, and the MOngolian horse.
The business grew from year to year
and became enormously profitable. All
of the big ZOOS Of the world we're stock
ed from the Hamburg depot A hun
dred men were required to care for the
animals. butchers, cooks and care TAX
ers of every description. A force Of
architects employed to draw up plans
D for new ZOOS in various parts Of the
5 world.
The business Of training animals was
g more or less of side issue, tried at
2 first more for amusement, and then
simply to advertise the HagenbeclI
D name. But that, too. became profitable
I and is now an important feature. The
= hundreds of specimens that were re-
= ceived in Hamburg gave the trainers
r lunriyaled facilities. Only the best for
! est-bred animals were selected for this
: work The more vicious beasts were
rejected and the groups formed Of ami
] mails that showed the best temper and
q the quickest intelligence Illustrative
I of this process Of selection IL is said
= that there is one group in the Hagen
J, beck show that comes to Wilmington
e consisting of sixteen lions. tigens, leop-
S ards, pumas, bears, etc, for which over
? seventy-flye animals were at least par
Q TALLY trained before the proper num-
Der was found that would live together
q in peace and harmony.
Dancing Glass Matters