San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-09

Mt the museum for % cents admis-
sion. The first Punch and Judy show
ever exhibited in this country was
one of Barnum's early attractions.
Barnum's aim was to make the
museum the talk of New York. and
he used for this purpose every avail
able means of advertising, creating
means when they were not available.
A Brick on Each Corner.
A man came to the box office OF
the museum one morning and asked
for money. Barnum inquired why
he did not work, and, after buying
him a breakfast, employed him at
S1.50 for the day.
The mans job was to place brick
at the corner Of Broadway and Ann
street, another brick at the corner
of Broadway and Vesey street. an
other in front of the Astor House,
and another in front of st. Paurs
church. The bricklayer was to
hold fifth brick in his hand, and he
was to continue from brick to brick.
exchanging the brick in his hand for
the brick on the walk, without tax
ing to any one en- route.
At the end of every hour OF this
work. he was to present ticket at
the museum. walk through the build
ing and pass out to continue solemn
ly his brick work.
Half an hour after the man began
his rounds 500 men and women were
watching him, and trying by conjec-
lture and questions to solve the mys-
terry Of his purpose. Solemn and taci-
turn, he went from brick to brick,
ignoring the comments and questions
of the crowd, and at the chd OF the
first hour the streets surrounding the
museum were filled with people.
Whenever he entered the museum;
people bought hckets and followed
him, hoping that inside was the solu-
ton to the riddle Of his strange ac-
tons. After several days OF tins
walking advertisement, the police In
terfered and insisted that Barnum
must withdraw his man because oil
the congestion Of traffic he caused;
for the crowds practically closed all
streets near the museum. But BAR
NUNS bricks were discussed for sew
eral weeks and received due newspa'
per notice.
Chasing Them Inside.
The ordinary devices of showme1
. were used by Barnum on his own
exaggerated scale. Huge posters out
side announced the contents of the
museum, and long descriptive adver
tisements in the newspapers heralded
new attractions. On balcony which
circled. the outside of the museum.
building, band of music played all
day long, and a huge poster an
nounced, "Free Music for the Mil
lion."
Barnum took care, he confessed. to
choose the worst band he could find
on the chance that the discordant notes
would drive the crowd into the
museum. This appears a far-fetched
method Of advertising. but he assured
the readers of his autobiography that
it was profitable.
Powerful Drummond lights. the first
New York saw, shone from the top oil
the museum and lighted Broadway
from the Battery TO Niblo's Garden.
Barnum planned in advance to dis
pose Of the entire profit of the first
year in advertising, and the profits
came in so fast that he had difficult.
devising enough media. Paintings OF
strange animals were made for Bai'
mum in panels that attached to the
entire outside surface of the museum.
The work of putting up the paintings
was performed in one night without
advance notice, and the next morning
when New York saw its popular land
mark, it looked as IL it had broken
out into q huge rash. The changed ap-
pearance caused people to hurry inside
to see il corresponding changes had
been made there.
Barnum estimated that these gauds
pictures increased his profits by 500
day, and they never fell back after
the novelty had become n tradition
it may be that it was impossible 10
grow accustomed to Barnum's animals.
and undoubtedly they always attract
ed the streams of immigrants and
western visitors ever flowing into
New York City.
Letting the Public Fool Itself.
1t was the worlds way. Barnun,
wrote, ito promise everything for next
TO nothing" and he confessed that ne
fell rapidly into that way and excelled
in it. This, he insisted. was not be-
cause he was less scrupulous, but he
cause he was more ingenious and en-
ergetic than his competitors.
However. there were instances Of
deception in which Barnum allowed
the association of ideas TO work to his
advantage. He promised nothing. but
allowed an innocent observer to jump
to his own conclusions. contributing
by his advertisements a slight shove
in the wrong direction.
The best of these was Barnum's ex.
ploitation of a negro violinist. He en-
gagged this negro artist, who had a
foreign musical education and a repG
tation in musical circles. TO play at
the museum, and be advertised tbs
negro widely. but the public did no.
appear TO be interested. The receipts
/ did not increase, and Barnum issued