The Montgomery tribune., 1910-08-19

keSS$S in New York city that carry on
an immense business in the trans
portation of animals fresh from
The jungle And this number, of course, does not
include such immense foreign animal firms as the
Hagenbacks. 1t Is paying business, indeed,
are all businesses where the demand exceeds the
supply. The demand for wild beasts is far greater
than the supply. and consequence prices are
good, and the dealers men of wealth. The extent
of this demand may be appreciated when one con-
asders that most of the great cities in the United
States have geological parks menageries and
that the animals are constantly being purchased
by them Then there are private collectors and
circuses and the like, that ever ready to pay
the highest prices for desirable animals The ami
NAL dealer who could secure and bring to this
country three or f lr gorias would make small
fortune. But no dealer has succeeded in do
ing this. The gorilas die in few weeks in cap
tivity; they could not stand an ocean trip for a
day.
rusty old German liner lumbers noisy into
Quarantine, and then lies motionless on the tide.
An officer, with broad, red, bewhskered face,
islands at the head Of the companion ladder, and
he smiles peculiar SMILE husky screaming
rululation rises from below. "The animals get,
ting hungry" he explains; "you know we have
several hundred of them on the tween decks
Want to see them? All right" In another minute
probably the most competent animal man In the
world is at our side. He is not trainer, or even
"a tanner; he is more He is sort of animal cook,
and his special business is the personal manage
'enent of wild animal tours He receives them
lions tigers leopards elephants, everything else
at Hamburg, where they have been brought
tfresh from their native wilds and not only super
intends their shipment aboard a vessel bound for
New York, but he sails with them to make sure
that they arrive safely and in good health. And
be sure that If the tiger gets off on his diet and
needs nice fresh live rabbit to tone up his sys-
tenn, this man will be aware of the fact almost
before the tiger is-and, ergo, nice big jumping
Eounny is sacrificed in accordance with the pre-
Scepts of wild beast materia medica. Then, too,
one can never tell just when the big boa Is 60
ing to rouse from his last gorge; when he does
The wants a toothsome young goat, and he wants
;it quick. 1t is part of the animal mans duties
ito anticipate the boa's appetite with all possible
expedition.
He is a quiet, unassuming man, with stoop
shoulders and bushy whiskers, and he leads the
way to the tween decks without word. Per-
haps the uninitated may believe that tour
through the animal section OF a freightcarryng
vessel is unimpressive experience Well let
them try 1t and see! This can be said at the out
set-it is somewhat different from menagerie
1t means something to come into close proximity
TO hundred and odd wild animals that have been
ruthlessly snatched from their lairs In Africa or
Asia, or elsewhere, and capped into little barred
boxes. not as large as dry goods cases; slammed
IN and out of dark holes in the vessels of several
the way 10 hamburg, tnen Hndly pldceu
in the stygian tween decks OF German hooker.
The swinging cross seas Of the North Atlantic
have not improved their tempers, or their nerv-
sons systems, and the visitor at Quarantine Is
quickly impressed with that fact. The howls and
-whnes and the barks abruptly as the stran-
gers enter For they bring the smell Of land, and
the great beasts sniff inquiringly, and hungrily.
too.
The cages lined both sides Of the gloomy space,
with a little passageway between the boxes. Per-
haps this passageway was three feet wide not
more The cages were piled two and sometimes
three deep. In the bottom cage, for instance,
would be tiger; In the next above smaller AMI
NAL say, leopard or lynx, and above that
parrot or bunch of neerkats. Think Of 1t!
Hhree-foot passageway, with ferocous animals,
stretching along for 100 feet on all sides. Talk
about nightmares! The reporters hair stinened
out like SO many pieces of wire, and he wished
most fervently that he had not come. 1t was more
agreeable he felt. to see these animals in me-
magerie where the cages are ample and the bars
AN inch thick.
BETTER keep in the middle Of the aisle" says
-oHs OF the animal men; these fellows sometimes
xreach out for you
Words such as these, of course, hardly tended
ITO reassure.
1t really was too dark to see much. One
scanght view OF the cages stretching away In
lgioomy perspective until lost In the darkness, Of
91fs eI