This great image comes from Buckles Blog. His site is a host for the discussion of Circus History from all over the world -- well worth checking out! On August 30th, he posted this scan of a photo postcard he has of this remarkable show horse. At the left of the image is the imprint of the photographer who printed it, namely I. L. Hammond and Co., of 129 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, Maine. (NOTE: That same location is known today as the Osgood Building, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Description states that it was built in 1892 by architects J. L. Coburn & Son. The white enamel brick front was brought from Leeds, England, and is unique in the State of Maine. I'm not sure what year the photo of Linus is from.)
On the photo is notation of the length of Linus' magnificent measurements -- his mane is 14 feet long, and his tail is 12 feet 3 inches. Whoa! What a beauty.
Dick Flint from Baltimore added an illuminating comment about the horse's history, and his relation to the state of Maine. "Linus was bred in Marion, Oregon, about 1884, then acquired around 1890/91 by C.H. and H.W. Eaton, brothers from Calais, Maine, who were the most successful promoters of the horse. Linus was 3/4's Clydesdale and his advertised weight was 1435 lbs."
