The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-06-01

Age!
He can BE Seen In FOrepaugh's Great
Show!
An Important, but Unexpected Event
Interesting Facts---COntrO-
versies Settled.
Philadelphia Daily Press February 18th.
1t seems not unlikely that the world
may become interested in another
Ger mantown baby. Poor Charlie
Ross set the world agog, and his fate
stirred the prOfoundes5 depths of love
in the hearts of parents everywhere,
and he has no doubt proven an ele-
plant on the hands of his abductors.
Germantown is again the scene of a
remarkable event, the like of which
has never before occurred in country,
and this time, too, it is "baby.''
On the night of the first inst, there
was born at the winter quarters of
FOrepaugh's Menagecie and Circus,
near Germantown, a female elephant.
This we believe, is the first event OF
the kind that ever occurred in this
country. On her arrival the ''baby"
weighed about one hundred pounds,
and during the
FIRST WEEK OF HER CAREER
she has gained about thirty pounds.
She is three feet and seven inches high
| and three feet and eleven inches long,
| and every way. except in size, a per-
feet elephant. "Minerva." the mother,
| is one of the largest elephants in the
country she weighs over z 200 pounds,
and is over fifty years old. She has
been owned by Mr.. Forepaugh about
| five years.
THE ELEPHANTS TIE DEUM.
Much has been told about the won
derful sagacity and knowledge of
the elephant, but of this and their
musical.quallties and tastes the keep
er of Forepaugh's relates a singular
fact. The arrival of "Baby" was
wholly unexpected, and no person
about the premises had any know
ledge of the important event until it
had transpired. The Waterman on
his rounds at II O'Clock on the night
of February 1, 1877, went into the
apartment where the phants-six
in number-are kept; nothing unusual
was observable, and he went on
through all the departments. About
/ two O'Clock there arose from the ele-
plants very strange noise. They all
seemed to be INDUCING in one grand
bawl. 1t was such chorus as would
|
| Whitneys and Karls into the shade,
and caused Wagner to dance with de-
light. The keeper rushed to the build
ing expecting to find the elephants
all loose, but found them fast and in
the best of humor, and after quiet was
restored discovered nothing unusual.
The next morning as he entered the
room he discovered "Baby," who SEEM
ed somewhat surprised but showed
signs of delight and a disposition to
play. Baby has teen steadily improV-
ing since and is very playful and as
tractable as a kitten. She sucks the
mother, eats bread and milk and po-
tato Parings, and yesterday made
several attempts at eating hay. She
manages her trunk with more inge-
nuity and with a confidence worthy
of a busted boarder.
CONTROVERSY SETTLED.
Although so much has been publish
ed about the character, habits and pc
culiarities of elephants, there is much
controversy upon some points, and a
great many interesting facts, especial
ly in connection with their young,
that have been ignored. The period
of CESSATION, the affection of mother
and offspring, and mode of sucking
the young, have all been deliberately
discussed and widely disagreed about.
OF the first, we believe that it is be-
ing generally admitted that the state
ment of Mr.. Corse, who for many
years had charge of the elephants OF
the East India Company, are correct.
He says the period is twenty months
AMI eighteen days. At birth the ele-
plant is about twenty-five inches,
: high; the first year it grows about
eleven inches, and from the second to
the seventh year the growth runs
from eight inches to two-and-a-half
inches per year, growing less as it
grows older: and at about twenty-fi
years old they cease to grow.
, 1t seems singular that the mode of
sucking the young should have been
so long in dispute. Many able writ
Houel, Herrault and Button, who have
especially written of the elephant,
) claim that the young elephant sucks
the mother with the trunk. This is a
: mistake, but so peculiar are the habits
of the elephant that the question
: could not be easily settled. The truth
! is, however, the baby takes the nipple
| in the side of the mouth, pressing the
f breast with the trunk, which, by
, natural instinct it seems to under
stand, will facilitate the flow of milk
The nipple projects horizontally from
the breasts, which are located almost
, between the fore legs. The baby
, stands either in front of the mother
or to one side, the mother looping one
: leg ont of the way; frequently the
/ mother is so large-as in this case-it
, is necessary for the "baby" to stand
on higher ground.
The affection of the mother can be
doubted only by those who know
} nothing of the facts. The mother
l pays but little attention to this "baby,'
4 but will not permit it out of her sight.
When she is taken into the ring fol-
& practice, "Baby" must go, aad when
any person approaches the queer lit
tie animal, she watches them with
= great care, although she pays less at
tsntion to person than when any
animal comes near. There can be DO
a doubt but that the affection between
them Is very great, as is claimed by
e Captain Knox, who spent a lifetime
! in captivity at Ceylon. He says sol
/; all irrational creatures the elephant
g bears greatest love for its young"
We have said that the "baby" al
/ Forepaugh's was the only event OF
! the kind ever known in the country.
i and we might add that only TWO such
: events have ever been known. For
in captivity would not breed and the
!, young have only been procured by
capturing wild elephants with cali
e In every way this "bsby" is q great
! wonder and curiosity, the like Of
b which is very rarely seen. There
o seems to be every indication that she
will be raised, and every care is being
7 taken to accomplish the desirable end
D Forepaugh's great show will be in
0 Emporia on the 18th, of June viii
4 give two exhibitions.