Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-25
THE DEATH OF JUMBO.
Details of the Occurrence-what Mr.. Bar
mum Says.

/
mum Says.
Correspondence from st. Thomas, p. o.
gives the following details of the melan
cholly killing of the great elephant After
the evening performance the animals were
loaded as usual and all the elephants had
been placed on board of the cars with the
exception of Jumbo and Tom Thumb, the
dwarf clown elephant. AS these two were
being walked along the track IN order to
reach their cars, about $3.50 O'Clock, Il spe-
cial freight train, approached from the
east. The headlight of the locomotive
was not seen until it was within 800 yards
of the animals, when the engineer no
tced the elephants on the track, and
whisted for brakes and reversed his en-
CINE, but the track there being down
grade the train could not be stopped.
Jumbo was in charge of his keeper, Mr..
Scott, known as "Scotty,' with Tom
Thumb in the rear. The long circus train
was on one side of the track aGd an en-
baukment ten feet high on the o. her. Scott
at first tried to make Jumbo 90 down the
embanl<ment: but not underS audiug his
danger he would not 60 down the steep
pitch of its side. Scott urged Jumbo to
increase his pace, and the noble animal
started on II run down the track, with its
keeper bravely running by its side. But
it was of no use. The train could not he
stopped, and as it came laundering along
1t first struck the clown elephant, throw
ing him into the ditch, and theu dashed
into Jumbo. As the locomotive struck
the mighty monster it was as ii two trains
had come together, the engine and two
cars beng derailed
Jumbo was struck in the hind legs, and
as the cowcather hit him he gave IL loud
nd fol "A IA nj Ia
back and intlicting terrible bruises. He
lived for - minutes after being struck,
dying while efforts were being made to
take him from under the train. The en-
CINE was badly damaged and will have to
be rebuilt.
While Jumbo's body was being pulled
off the track with ropes and tackles the
veterinary surgeons connected with the
show were attending to Tom Thumb, WHO
had been thrown into the ditch. 1t was
found that his left hind leg had been
broken. 1t Is expected that the leg can be
was lifted into Il car and taken with the
rest of the animals when the train left
for London in the morning.
Upon examination it was found that
there were deep gashes in Jumbo's flank,
his feet were torn, and the blood ran out
of his mouth, but he looked more mai"s-
tic in death than ever before. Long after
his life was extinct his keeper, who
brought him from the Geological Gardens
in London, laid ON his body and wept.
JumDO's measurement after death was :
Circumference OF forearm, . feet inches {;
around front foot, ; feet Is incues height.
II feet length of trunk, 7 feet 1 inches :;
around his tusk, foot 81 inches; length
of fore leg feet
sketch of Jumbo's Life.
Jumbo was caught by IA party of Arabs
in Africa, when IL very small calf, and in
due time was purchased for the JdrdW
dCS Plants in Paris In some exchanges
of animals with the London Geological
gardens, the young elephant became the
property of the latter. No one then antci-
pated his further greatness. But as he
grew he developed extraordinary size and
when he reached eleven feet Mr.. Balnum
marked him for his own. Some apprehen-
sions had been expressed in the London
papers lest he should become ill-tempered
and dangerous, as he grew older, and the
directors of the gardens accepted an offer
of $4,000 from Mr.. Barnum's agent.
When the English people found out that
he was sold, an extraordinary excite
ment was aroused. The papers and even
the queen protested against his being
allowed to leave England. An attempt
was made to keep him by legal proceed
ing but the purchase and sale had been
a fair one and the London courts sustain
ed it. During this row over the sale, the
extra receipts of the gardens, from Eng
lish people who crowded in to see Jumbo,
amounted to $50, 600. Mr. Barnum was put
to extraordinary expense i'll order to get
possession of his treasure and trans
port him to this country, and when he ar
rived he represented an outlay of $40 200.
But the great Snowman never made Il
better investment 1t is estimated that he
has been seen and admired by IA 100000 OF
people. He was supposed to be about %
years old when he first stepped on Ameri-
can shores in 1852, so that at the time of
his violent death he was still Il young
elephant probably not over % years OF
age.
Interview with Mr.. Barnum.
"The death of Jumbo" said Mr.. Bar
mum to New York reporter, will make
necessary IA complete change in our plans.
Our intentions for next season were to
travel through the West as far as Cali
fornia, then through Australia, ana from
there we We're to go by way of the Sucz
canal to Europe, where we intended to re
main several years. All Europe was
waiting to see Jumbo. His death robs Us
tour. and we shall not 90 to Europe now.
But let me say this to you no jumbo eau
take away with him the life of the great
SHOW. The show has cost us over -, 900
600, and it pays from fifteen to twenty per
cent every year, and we mean to make it
better than ever in spite of .Jumbo's loss
WAS ,Iumbo's life insured -
NO; the loss is IA total one. unless the
railroad company is liable, and I'm not
sure that | would Sue for damages in any
event. Poor Scott. ! don't know what
he'll do without Jumbo. He cares moth
ing for human companionship, Jumbo
was all the world to him. The affection
manifested between him and the elephant
was simply wonderful. | remember, IL
year or two ago, when our elephants
stampeded and Scott was in a position
where he was in danger of being trampled
on and killed, Jumbo saw the peril,
and, reaching out with his trunk,
snatched Scott up, drew him between
his forelegs, and kept him there
in safety until the herd was quieted.
They loved each other dearly. Scott was
the elephant, and the elephant was Scott.
They slept together, ate together, and