The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-07
ANNIVERSARY OF GREAT SHOWMAN'S
 DEATH IS TODAY
"Reminiscences of Man Who Was Bridgeport's Most Public Spirited Git
 iZen.
His Start in Show Business Was Old Negress Whom He Exhibited as Nurse of George Washington = He Was Once an Editor.

This evening at 6:34 will mark the
 eighteenth anniversary of the death of
 Br1dgeport's most famous and public
 spirited citizen; through whom the
 name of Bridgeport is known the world
 over. PhineaS T. Barnum. On Mon
 day April 6, 1891, MT. Barnum was ta-
 ken seriously ill and on the following
 day he died. The funeral, memorable to every resident of this city, was at
 tended by a closing of every place of
 business in the city.
 Tue life of such a man, who with
 one of the most exacting and absorb
 ing businesses to take up every in etAnt. but at the same time able to lind a way in which to help his city and state, is necessarily interesting and instructive. The late P. T. Barnu1n,
 whoee death is commemorated to-day, was Mayor of this city, a representa- tive to the state assembly for four tesrns and candidate for Congress. He donated to the city large part of Seaside Park, by far the most beau tdful park along the sound, and the Scientific Building at Main and Gill bert streets, besides giving large sums to the Bridgeport Hospital, the Libra ry and other institutions and charities in the city. East Washington Park is also in part his gift
 Barnum was born up in Bethel in 1S10 and after getting a. limited educa- ton in that town he went to New r Hork at the age of twelve and as an assistant to a cattle driver he "did'' the city, for which he relates he was soundly thrashed, having spent the dollar his mother gave him to be used in case of dire necessity. Returning to his home he started to work but showed a marked aversion to labor. In the bargaining line. however, he was very successful and if there was anythtng to be gained by bluff1ng he gained it.
 With a cash capital of s2O, and the remains of a severe attack of small pox, Barnum opened a tavern in Brooklyn and started to drift on to He made good, but not ha sing a taste for the liquor business nt back to Bethel and started an az ncy for the Louisiana lottery, and, w--h his usual ability. got the business firmly estab- lisf1ed
 The various rebuffs he received from the townspeople melted him to start a and forthwith start to years he was prosecuted three times for libel and at last was sent to jail for 50 days. The triumphant exit from the bars with a host of his admirers was matter of sweet memory to many old friends of the snowman.
 An old negreSS, whom he found in 1859, started Barnunl on his~real ca reer- Esxhi ibiting her as an old nurse of General George WaSnlnStOn, he began to make money. His fortunes va ried with the winds, however, and it was not long before he was in the shoe business, then back into the show life. In 1S41, with the founding of the Am erfcan museum, at Ann street and Broadway. New York, he became firm Iy established and although he was se- vereIy pressed many times, he never after succumbed to financial difficult | lies.
 It was in 1S4S that Barnum saw pos abilities in this city and coming here | 1e built a large and showy residence, | on fhe$north side of Fairfield avenue | where only a section of the iron fence | remains to-day. This is at Iranistan ! md Fairfield avenues The old man lion, Iranistan, (Oriental garden), with l