The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-15 00:00:00

ESCAPE OF ELEPHANTS AT a

RAILWAY STATION.

In London, on Sunday afternoon, the usually quiet
neighbourhood of Kentish Town was the scene of
extraordinary excitement. The well-known establish-
ment of Messrs. Sanger and Sons had been advertised
to give performances at Agincourt-park, leading out
of the Mansfield-road, which unites Gospel Oak village
with Lower Hampstead. A special train conveying
the troupe of artistes, a portion of the large equestrian
establishment, and four of the five performing elephants
arrived at the Kentish Town Station of the Midland
Railway at 1.45 p.m. The artistes having left the train
at the passenger platform, the trucks containing the
horses and elephants were drawn round to the cattle
platform. These trucks were ranged alongside the plat-
form; but it being necessary for the elephants to be
taken out at the end of trucks, some sleepers were laid
down between the end of the carriage and the yard,
over which the two elephants, known by the names of
Jim and Rose, which were in the nearest truck, safely
walked, and were quietly ranged in the station yard,
getting a welcome supply of water after their journey.
The sleepers were then removed to form a passage-
way between the first and second trucks, so that the
two elephants in the latter (known as Palm and Ida)
could cross over and be landed as the first were. They
had reached the front carriage, and preparations were
being made for their disembarkation by removing the
sleepers that had been placed between the trucks to
the end of the first carriage, as before. Whilst this
was being done one of the sleepers was accidentally
thrown, and the noise of the fall so frightened the
two elephants that were waiting that they leapt over
the intervening space some four feet— rushed
through. the open gateway in the yard to the front
gates, which were closed, in their headlong flight
knocking down one of the keepers, named Charles
Miles, whose collar-bone was dislocated. These front
gates are very massive and heavily framed, but as
Ida, followed. by Palm, charged the gates these gave
way instantaneously, and broke off from the solid
hinges as if made of matchwood. As soon as they
reached the open they started along the Highgate-
road, knocking over an unfortunate pedestrian
who had not time to get out of the way. Happily he
wtts more frightened than hurt, as he was seen to
get up and run away, leaving his hat behind him.
Pursuing their course along the Highgate-road, they
presently left the main thoroughfare, turning to the
right by the Vine public-house, which is close to
College-lane. Here there was a knot of people,
and in their hot haste to get out of the way,
one of the party was knocked down and trampled
on, not by the elephants, but by his friends, with the
result of a broken collar-bone, it is said. The lane
which the elephants had strangely selected for their
route is very narrow, and terminates at the Highgate
road Baptist Chapel in Carroll-road. Here Palm and
Ida attempted to get over the chapel boundary wall.
In this they were foiled, and, rushing along the com-
mencement of Carroll-road, they turned to the right
into Twieden-road, knocking down a child, who is re-
ported not to have been seriously hurt. Coming out
from Twisden-road, they proceeded' up Chetwyncl-
road, and when they reached the top which leads into
Dartmouth-park-hill they crossed. over to a fence.
which encloses a private road, Cathcart-hill. This
fence they soon cleared, and at the bottom of Cathcart-
hill proceeded along Junction-road, until they arrived
just opposite the tramway stables, when they turned
down Francis-terrace. This is a cul-de-sac. At the
bottom, however, there is a closed passage which leads
into Pemberton-terrace, between Nos. 29 and 31.
The boarding of this passsge, in width about Oft., was
got over, and on their arrival at the other end they
continued their course until they reached a flight of
steps, which gave way under their weight, precipi-
tating first Ida and then Palm into the cellar. Here
they were stuck fast, and a large crowd, as may be
supposed, soon assembled. The other two elephants
—Jim and Rose--were sent for to draw them from
their place of confinement, and in the meantime, after
about one hour's working, the pavement was removed,
and an incline made from the cellar. When this was
completed, the keepers had provided themselves with
a supply of bread, which they broke up and gave to
the elephants, who quietly waked up the incline and
allowed themselves to be coupled by the chains which
they wore. They were then led to the camping-
ground at Agincourt-park.