The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-05

securing Health. Independence. a Happy
Life. the respect Of Mankind. ans the spe- |
cal favor Of Our Father m Heaven.
PHiNE,s T. BAENrM
BRIDGEPORT. Conn.
ApTil 18th. isso
The copy ~ the book Inscribed was
~ the 1888 edition and revised by the
author down n that date, but containing
the familiar illustrations - the earlier
edition Of 1890. copies Of which were snld
by Mr.. Barnum himself in the sawdust
ring Of his earlier circus shows. There
is no reason 10 doubt the authors state
rpent in a preface 90 a late edition that
% the earlier more than a million copies
were sold" Certainly throughout the
Northern States and ~ far West az Ohio
-Barnuns Book was found alonRside
every copy Of Robinson CruSos' and
was Just o. much thumbed.
DO the youngsters Of to-day read the
shoWman's simple narrative Of early
practical Jokes. the transforming with
a grand moral show consisting OF
fiddler. a clog dancer and a clown; the
amazing Juror ~ Europe over Tom
Thumb and his guardian p. T BaFnum,
the unequalled triumph of the Jenny Lind
tour: the losses by fire; the droll and
cheeky sslf-advertissinehta devices o"
make the modern press agent seem
burEling butter-in by oomparisohp
p. T. Banum vas born in the little
town Of Bethel. Conn. July 5. 1870 His
father, Philo. was tailor. farmer and
tavern keeper. whose various occupations
served in a worldly sense no better than
did those Of most men Of his time and
neiEhborhood: he supported his family
paid most Of his debts and accumulated
nothing.
Young Phineas soon found that II he
wanted spending money he had n earn
il for himself and by small barter he had
when 9 saved cents enough % exchange
for a silver dollar. With this capital he
began his first business. and L 10 inter-
esting 20 Observe that Il was In competition
with shows on holidays and training days.
when the show 81 a parade brought visit
tors TO town. he became "A small pedler
Of molasses candy tof home make. ginger
bread. cookies and cherry rum. and gen
orally found myself a dollar NJ twO richer
AZ the end = a holiday than ] was az the
beginning
Master Barnum was but !, vears old
! when he first visited New York. walking
from Bethel 10 this city behind drove ~
+ cattle a breeder was bringing nere 10 sell
l The delights Of the metropolis a. o place
/ Of amusement appealed 10 him much a. =
place in which 70 make money much Rora
This notion was strongly IN biz mind 10
, the following years while he VA. accumu-
lAting a little money IN a curious variety
Of businesses harkeeper lottery ticket
agent. stOraksepeT. candy vendor auc-
tioneor. hook pedscr and editor % a news
paper. his own the Herald o. Freedom.
he was 10 when he founded the Herald
/ and had married Misc Charity Hallsif
! He Was - when he gave up HE various
callinRs in Connecticut and with hrs wife
came 10 NewYork. seeking larger and more
I profitable fields for his restless snergy
lie was not long In finding AN opening
3 IN the field he was 10 make almost ne gwu
; Tor a long time: he beg u the show business
/ IN 1855 by hiring and exhibriog -one ~
the greatest natural curiosltiCs ever wit
1 messed. viz. Joice Heth a ne gress i6i
/ years old. who formerly belonged TO tn
/ father Of Gen. Washington Such was
3
[ published IN July Is, 1893. IN description
% his first show
This enterprise brought him into con
, tact with the fraternity a shownen Of the
[ time. wandering vagabonds mostly, who
. had the instinct for securing attractions
| bat none whatever for interesting tho
| public in them That vas where the latest
| young member ~ the-wandering tribe -
celed. Each PAGE " the hook tells n
4 a. 4.
which bauum pun energy and his genius
for advertising: a chronicle Of much wan
dering from New York 10 New Orleans
with picked up odds and ends NJ tent peT-
/ formers. music hall specialists and A..
fractions Of various degrees Of value 20 the
ordinary Snowman. hut who an became
the most wonderful. the most something
or other under Barnum's genius FOR ad-
, vertising
There was in 1851 at the corner Of Broad
way and Ann street. a museum % natural
ouTiOsities u some real value. bat Il va
Jrotitless conOerngTs u was not forced
upon the attention - the public. This
j harnum secured. bought u. after n man
ner u his own: convinced unn with
money that 10 could be made profitable
and induced the capitalist 70 buy the mu-
+ scum and give Barnum the option IT buy.
ing u in turn II he could make II pay
| BY such advertising ~ New YORK had
never before heard Of the museum was
quickly made n pay. Rlrnum became L.
owner and soon biz most perpleNing prob
| lens vas how best IN spend all hes profits
, IN advertising. a. he had resolved d 40
, for one year. after reserving san for he
own and family's living eNpenses Ne
printed pages IN the newspapers about
I the great moral show he was running.
billed the whole town with such glAFing
. L. = a 4.
he lecture room intO u theatre for a
variety show where hs gave ~ many az
! twelve performance a DAY 10 crowded
houses and tried hard never h. Vt q DAY
3 paas without astonishing or amusing he
/ city with some advertising trick
There vas VT In many ~ these tricks
One u has earliest was ~ hire a shabby