Life of Hon. Phineas T. Barnum

by The Life Of The Honorable Phineas T Barnum [Rtf]

  After parting with Barnum, Miss Lind gave a number of concerts, with varied success. Then she went to Niagara Falls for a time, and afterward to Northampton, Massachusetts. While living at the latter place she visited Boston, and was there married to Otto Goldschmidt. He was a German composer and pianist, who had studied music with her in Germany, and to whom she had long been much attached. He had, indeed, travelled with her and Barnum during a portion of their tour, and had played at several of the concerts.

  After the end of their engagement, Barnum and Miss Lind met on several occasions, always in the friendliest manner. Once, at Bridgeport, she complained rather bitterly to him of the unpleasant experiences she had had since leaving him. "People cheat me and swindle me very much," said she, "and I find it very annoying to give concerts on my own account."

  "I was always," said Mr. Barnum, sometime afterward, "supplied with complimentary tickets when she gave concerts in New York, and on the occasion of her last appearance in America I visited her in her room back of the stage, and bade her and her husband adieu, with my best wishes. She expressed the same feeling to me in return. She told me she should never sing much, if any more, in public; but I reminded her that a good Providence had endowed her with a voice which enabled her to contribute in an eminent degree to the enjoyment of her fellow beings, and if she no longer needed the large sums of money which they were willing to pay for this elevating and delightful entertainment, she knew by experience what a genuine pleasure she would receive by devoting the money to the alleviation of the wants and sorrows of those who needed it."

  "Ah! Mr. Barnum," she replied, "that is very true; and it would be ungrateful in me to not continue to use, for the benefit of the poor and lowly, that gift which our kind Heavenly Father has so graciously bestowed upon me. Yes, I will continue to sing so long as my voice lasts, but it will be mostly for charitable objects, for I am thankful to say that I have all the money which I shall ever need."

  It is pleasant to add that this noble resolution was carried out. A large proportion of the concerts which she gave after her return to Europe and during the remainder of her entire public career, were devoted to objects of charity. If she consented, for example, to sing for a charitable object in London, the fact was not advertised at all, but the tickets were readily disposed of in private for from $5 to $10 each.

  As for Mr. Barnum, he was glad to enjoy a season of rest and quiet after such an arduous campaign. After leaving Miss Lind, in Philadelphia, therefore, he went to Cape May for a week and then to his home Iranistan, where he spent the remainder of the summer.

  It is interesting, as a matter of record, to review at this point, the financial results of this notable series of concerts. The following recapitulation is entirely accurate, being taken from Mr. Barnum's own account books:

  JENNY LIND CONCERTS.

  TOTAL RECEIPTS, EXCEPTING OF CONCERTS DEVOTED TO CHARITY. ---- New York .............. $17,864.05 " .............. 14,203.03 ----------- No. 1. "................ 12,519.59 2. "................ 14,266.09 3. "................ 12,174.74 4. "................ 16,028.39 5. Boston............ 16,479.50 6. "................ 11,848.62 7. "................ 8,639 92 8. "................ 10,169.25 9. Providence........ 6,525.54 10. Boston............ 10,524.87 11. "................ 5,240.00 12. "................ 7,586.00 13. Philadelphia...... 9,291.25 14. "................ 7,547.00 15. "................ 8,458.65 16. New York.......... 6,415.90 17. "................ 4,009.70 18. "................ 5,982.00 19. "................ 8,007.10 20. "................ 6,334.20 21. "................ 9,429.15 22. "................ 9,912.17 23. "................ 5,773.40 24. "................ 4,993.50 25. "................ 6,670.15 26. "................ 9,840.33 27. "................ 7,097.15 28. "................ 8,263.30 29. "................ 10,570.25 30. "................ 10,646.45 31. Philadelphia...... 5,480.75 32. "................ 5,728.65 33. "................ 3,709.88 34. "................ 4,815.48 35. Baltimore......... 7,117.00 36. "................ 8,357.05 37. "................ 8,406.50 38. "................ 8,121.33 39. Washington City... 6,878.55 40. "................ 8,507.05 41. Richmond.......... 12,385.21 42. Charleston........ 6,775.00 43. "................ 3,653.75 44. Havana............ 4,666.17 45. "................ 2,837.92 46. Havana............ 2,931.95 47. New Orleans....... 12,599.85 48. "................ 10,210.42 49. "................ 8,131.15 50. "................ 6,019.85 51. "................ 6,644.00 52. "................ 9,720.80 53. "................ 7,545.50 54. "................ 6,053.50 55. "................ 4,850.25 56. "................ 4,495.35 57 "................ 6,630.35 58. "................ 4,745.10 59. Natchez........... 5,000.00 60. Memphis........... 4,539.56 61. St. Louis......... 7,811.85 62. "................ 7,961.92 63. "................ 7,708.70 64. "................ 4,086.50 65. "................ 3,044.70 66. Nashville......... 7,786.30 67. "................ 4,248.00 68. Louisville........ 7,833.90 69. "................ 6,595.60 70. "................ 5,000.00 71. Madison........... 3,693.25 72. Cincinnati........ 9,339.75 73. "................ 11,001.50 74. "................ 8,446.30 75. "................ 8,954.18 76. "................ 6,500.40 77. Wheeling.......... 5,000.00 78. Pittsburg......... 7,210.58 79. New York.......... 6,858.42 80. "................ 5,453.00 81. "................ 5,463.70 82. "................ 7,378.35 83. "................ 7,179.27 84. "................ 6,641.00 85. "................ 6,917.13 86. New York.......... 6,642.04 87. "................ 3,738.75 88. "................ 4,335.28 89. "................ 5,339.23 90. "................ 4,087.03 91. "................ 5,717.00 92. "................ 9,525.80 93. Philadelphia...... 3,852.75

  Of Miss Lind's half receipts of the first two Concerts she devoted $10,000 to charity in New York. She afterwards gave Charity Concerts in Boston, Baltimore, Charleston, Havana, New Orleans, New York and Philadelphia, and donated large sums for the like purposes in Richmond, Cincinnati and elsewhere. There were also several Benefit Concerts, for the Orchestra, Le Grand Smith, and other persons and objects.

  RECAPITULATION.

  New York 35 Concerts. Receipts, $286,216.64 Average, $8,177.50

  Philadelphia 8 " " 48,884,41 " 6,110 55 Boston 7 " " 70,388.16 " 10,055.45 Providence 1 " " 6,525.54 " 6,525.54 Baltimore 4 " " 32,101.83 " 8,000.47 Washington 2 " " 15,385 60 " 7,692.80 Richmond 1 " " 12,385.21 " 12,385.21 Charleston 2 " " 10,428.75 " 5,214.37 Havana 3 " " 10,436.04 " 3478.68 New Orleans l2 " " 87,646.12 " 7,303.84 Natchez 1 " " 5,000.00 " 5,000.00 Memphis 1 " " 4,539.56 " 4,539.56 St. Louis 5 " " 30,613.67 " 6,122.73 Nashville 2 " " 12,034 30 " 6,017.15 Louisville 3 " " 19,429.50 " 6,476.50 Madison 1 " " 3,693.25 " 3,693.25 Cincinnati 5 " " 44,242.13 " 8,848.43 Wheeling 1 " " 5,000.00 " 5,000.00 Pittsburg 1 " " 7,210.58 " 7,210.58

  Total 95 Concerts. Receipts, $712,161.34 Average, $7,496.43

  JENNY LIND'S RECEIPTS.

  From the Total Receipts of Ninety-five Concerts.....$712,161.34 Deduct the receipts of the first two, which, as between P. T. Barnum and Jenny Lind were aside from the contract, and are not numbered in the table.....32,067.08

  Total Receipts of Concerts from No. 1 to No. 93....$680,094.26 Deduct the Receipts of the 28 Concerts, each of which fell short of $5,500.....$123,311.15 Also deduct $5,500 for each of the remaining 65 Concerts.........................357,500.00 480,811.15

  Leaving the total excess, as above....$199,283.11 Being equally divided, Miss Lind's portion was....$99,641.55 Barnum paid her $1,000 for each of the 93 Concerts.....93,000.00 Also one-half the receipts of the first two Concerts...16,033.54

  Amount paid to Jenny Lind.....................$208,675.09 She refunded to Barnum as forfeiture, per contract, in case she withdrew after the 100th Concert..........$25,000 She also paid him $1,000 each for the seven concerts relinquished..........................7,000 $32,000.00

  JENNY LIND'S net avails of 95 concerts................$176,675.09 P. T. BARNUM'S gross receipts, after paying Miss Lind ....535,486.25

  TOTAL RECEIPTS of 95 Concerts $712,161.34

  The highest prices paid for tickets were at auction, as follows: John N.
Genin, in New York, $225; Ossian E. Dodge, in Boston, $625; Col. William C. Ross, in Providence, $650; M. A. Root, in Philadelphia, $625; Mr. D'Arcy, in New Orleans, $240; a keeper of a refreshment saloon in St. Louis, $150; a Daguerrotypist, in Baltimore, $100. After the sale of the first ticket the premium usually fell to $20, and so downward in the scale of figures. The fixed price of tickets ranged from $7 to $3. Promenade tickets were from $2 to $1 each.

  CHAPTER XXII. A FEW SIDE ISSUES.

  THE EXPEDITION TO CEYLON--HARNESSING AN ELEPHANT TO A PLOW--BARNUM AND VANDERBILT--THE TALKING MACHINE--A FIRE AT IRANISTAN--MOUNTAIN GROVE CEMETERY.

  The great showman did not allow even so great an enterprise as the Jenny Lind concerts to monopolize his attention. In 1849 he planned the formation of a great travelling show, combining the features of a museum, a menagerie and a circus. In this he associated with himself Mr. Seth B. Howes, who was already a noted and successful showman, and also Mr. Stratton, the father of Tom Thumb. In order to procure a supply of novelties for this show they chartered the ship "Regatta," and sent it from New York in May, 1850, to Ceylon. The object of this voyage, was to procure, either by purchase or by capture, a number of living elephants and other wild animals. To make sure of a sufficient supply of fodder for them, nearly a thousand tons of hay were purchased in New York and taken out aboard the ship. Five hundred tons of it were left at the Island of St. Helena, to be taken up on the return trip, and a great supply of staves and hoops were also left there for the construction of water casks.

  This extraordinary mission was successful. In almost exactly a year from the day of sailing the ship returned to New York. Its novel cargo was unloaded, the ten elephants which had been secured were harnessed in pairs to a gigantic chariot, and the whole show paraded up Broadway past the Irving House. It was reviewed from the window of that hotel by Jenny Lind, who was stopping there on her second visit to New York. An elaborate outfit of horses, wagons, tents, etc., was added, the whole costing over $100,000, and then the show went on the road under the nominal leadership of Tom Thumb. It was called, "Barnum's Great Asiatic Caravan, Museum and Menagerie;" it travelled about the country for four years, and yielded to its proprietors enormous profits.

  At the end of this tour Barnum sold out the entire establishment, including animals, cages, chariots and everything else, excepting one elephant. This huge brute he took to his farm at Bridgeport, for advertising purposes. It occurred to him that if he should keep the animal there for a time and put him to some novel use, such as working on the farm, it would set people to talking and greatly add to public curiosity and interest in his American Museum.

  He accordingly took the elephant to Bridgeport and put him in charge of a competent keeper, who was dressed in a striking Oriental costume. A six acre field close by the New York and New Haven railroad track was set apart for their use. Barnum gave the keeper a time-table of the road and directed him to make a point, whenever trains were passing, always to be busily engaged with the elephant at plowing or other agricultural work as close to the track as possible. Of course the passengers noticed the strange spectacle, items concerning it appeared in the newspapers, extending even to the press of foreign lands, and thousands of people came from all parts of the country to witness the strange sight. Every mail brought numerous letters inquiring about it. Many of these were from the officers of agricultural societies in all parts of the United States, making serious and earnest inquiry as to the utility of the elephant as an agricultural animal. These letters were greatly diversified in tone, but the substance of their inquires was about as follows:

  1. "Is the elephant a profitable agricultural animal?"

  2. "How much can an elephant plow in a day?"

  3. "How much can he draw?"

  4. "How much does he eat?"--this question was invariably asked, and was a very important one.

  5. "Will elephants make themselves generally useful on a farm?"

  6. "What is the price of an elephant?"

  7. "Where can elephants be purchased?"

  Then would follow a score of other inquiries, such as, whether elephants were easily managed; if they would quarrel with cattle; if it was possible to breed them; how old calf elephants must be before they would earn their own living; and so on indefinitely.

  Barnum presently began to be alarmed lest some one should buy an elephant and thus share the fate of the man who drew one in a lottery and did not know what to do with him. "Accordingly," he says, "I had a general letter printed, which I mailed to all my anxious inquirers. It was headed 'strictly confidential,' and I then stated, begging my correspondents 'not to mention it,' that to me the elephant was a valuable agricultural animal, because he was an excellent advertisement to my museum; but that to other farmers he would prove very unprofitable for many reasons. In the first place, such an animal would cost from $3,000 to $10,000; in cold weather he could not work at all; in any weather he could not earn half his living; he would eat up the value of his own head, trunk and body every year; and I begged my correspondents not to do so foolish a thing as to undertake elephant farming."

  The result of this experiment in advertising was highly successful. Newspaper correspondents sent highly colored accounts of it all over the world, and numerous pictures of the elephant harnessed to a plow appeared in the illustrated papers and magazines. After the field had been plowed over fifty or sixty times, Barnum concluded that the elephant had been "worked for all he was worth," and sold him to Van Amburgh's menagerie.

  In 1851 Mr. Barnum became a part owner of the steamship "North America," which he proposed to run between America and Ireland as a passenger and freight vessel. This idea was presently abandoned, and the ship was sent around Cape Horn to San Francisco and put into service on the Pacific Mail Line, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt having purchased a one-half interest in it and Mr. Barnum retaining one-third interest in the remaining half. After she had made several trips Barnum called upon Mr. Vanderbilt at his office and introduced himself. It was their first meeting, and this is Barnum's own account of the interview:

  " 'Is it possible you are Barnum?' exclaimed the Commodore, in surprise, 'why, I expected to see a monster, part lion, part elephant, and a mixture of rhinoceros and tiger! Is it possible,' he continued, 'that you are the showman who has made so much noise in the world?'

  "I laughingly replied that I was, and added that if I too had been governed in my anticipation of his personal appearance by the fame he had achieved in his line, I should have expected to have been saluted by a steam whistle, and to have seen him dressed in a pea jacket, blowing off steam, and crying out 'all aboard that's going.'

  " 'Instead of which,' replied Mr. Vanderbilt, 'I suppose you have come to ask me to walk up to the Captain's office and settle.'

  "After this interchange of civilities, we talked about the success of the 'North America' in having got safely around the Horn, and of the acceptable manner in which she was doing her duty on the Pacific side.

  " 'We have received no statement of her earnings yet,' said the Commodore, 'but if you want money, give your receipt to our treasurer, and take some.'

  "A few months subsequent to this, I sold out my share in the steamship to Mr. Daniel Drew."

  Numerous smaller enterprises also marked this stage of Mr. Barnum's career. Some of these were connected with his museum, while others were entirely independent of it. Thus in 1844, in Paris, besides purchasing Robt. Houdin's ingenius automatic writer and other costly curiosities for the museum, he had made at great expense, a huge panorama of the funeral of Napoleon Bonaparte. This gigantic picture showed every event of that pageant, beginning with the embarkation of the body at St. Helena and ending with its final entombment at the Hotel des Invalides. This exhibition, after having had its day at the American Museum, was sold, and extensively and profitably exhibited elsewhere. While Barnum was in London, during the same year, he engaged a company of "Campanalogians, or Lancashire Bell Ringers," then performing in Ireland, to make an Ame
rican tour. They were really admirable performers, and by means of their numerous bells of various sizes, they produced the most delightful music. They attracted much attention in various parts of the United States, in Canada, and in Cuba.

  After the loss of the bell ringers to the English public Barnum secured and sent thither a party of sixteen North American Indians, who were widely exhibited. On his return to America after his first visit to Europe he engaged an ingenious workman to construct an automatic orator. This was a life-size and remarkably life-like figure, and when worked from a key-board similar to that of a piano it actually uttered words and sentences with surprising distinctness. It was exhibited for several months in London and elsewhere in England, but though it was really a wonderful machine and attracted the earnest attention of some people, it was not a popular success. The Duke of Wellington visited it several times, and at first he thought that the "voice" proceeded from the exhibiter, whom he assumed to be a skilful ventriloquist. He was asked to touch the keys with his own fingers, and, after some instruction in the method of operating, he was able to make the machine speak, not only in English but also in German, with which language the Duke seemed familiar. Thereafter, he entered his name on the exhibiter's autograph book, and certified that the "Automaton Speaker" was an extraordinary production of mechanical genius.

  Barnum also secured duplicates of the models of machinery exhibited at the Royal Polytechnic Institution in London and a great many interesting panoramas and pictures. These were all exhibited at his museum in New York and afterwards sold to other travelling showmen who exhibited them throughout the country. In the summer of 1850 he added to the museum his famous Chinese collection, including a Chinese family of two men, two "small footed" women, and two children.