The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-12
TALES AND ANECDOTES
OF MERRY GALVESTON
By THOMAS S. RICE.

bridge across the canal 10 close. The old
est inhabitant can't remember when the
thing was closed IL he happened to be
IN hurry. II is q primitive affair.
right at the door OF the hotel, and
patient, unhurried philosopher works IL
with Windlass. Instead of lifting up
II swings sideways and entirely clear
of the shore at both ends. resting com
IOrtdbly alongside the bank. How the
keeper knows when 10 start IS a mys-
terry, for he begins the operations long
before tug or dredge is ia sight, and
keeps n open until the vessel has moved
around the corner, probably thinking
the captain might change his mind and
decide 10 return. Then, after exchanging
greeting with friends on the bank and
taking fresh chew. lie begins 60 wind
MS floating roadway back TO the old
stand Invariably there Is a big gather
ing either end waiting to get across.
out on the Few occasions when you can
sneak up behind the bridge and catch
II closed you do not ste a soul III
sight.
Galveston is the original and lasting
home Of the fve-cent th.ater. The city
Is alive with them, and they do a ire
meudOus business. The entire pOpula-
ton, rich and poor. seems crazy on the
subject Last year we found q surpris-
ingly large humber Of these amusement
places IN re city, but there are prob
ably three times as many now, all -four
ishins nightly, day and night.
A part Of Parker's zoo IS wintering
here. aud a man named McCarry, who
knows his face would make it useless
for him TO call himself SignOr Some
body or other, is breaking in a set OF
unusually savage Hons, while another
man is breaking the spirit OF two ut
t2rly vicious pumas and q man-eattng
honess. One man was killed in the
place in January, and another horribly
OH md nsa
ess, while the lions have nearly taken
McGarry's life on several occasions. It
is a thrilling sight to see the trainers
working with these treacherous bTutes.
most of which have been rejected by
other ZOOS as untameable and any nor
NAL person gives a, long breath OF re-
lief when the performance closes. yet
last night I met I'm there three well
educated young fellows, prosperous
business men and apparently sane on
every other subject, who have not
missed a performance at night and Few
IN the daY since the killing IN January
They predicted that McGarry and the
puma expert would get theirs some day
lust as sure as fate, and they want to
be on hand Probably long experience
with Galveston mosquitoes has insured
them to bloodshed and scenes OF
misery.
ClaIveston's method Of advertising
anything III g hurry is somewhat unique
The promoters hlre a mountain OF Ies u
who looks like the president or beef
steak club, arm him with huge meg
aphone. seat him in a wagon, and send
hlnl forth through the city to bawi out
the auuring inducement- He breaks
an union rules by his industry and zeal
business, and when he has made the cir
cult Of the town there IS not man,
woman or child outside of the deaf and
dumb establishment who has not heard
what can be seen at small price at
such and such a place. Tt was that way
the hastily arranged game between the
washington Regulars and Colts was an
nounced on Saturday as an especially
delectable feature for these who found
the time hanging heavily IA their hands
on Sunday afternoon.