Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-19

~ AON, Il. C., "a
HOW JUMBO WAS KILLED.
The biggest Elephant ON Earth, puu,
Down by . Freight Train.
| special dispatch to the Philadelphia Pres
nom toronto, Ont, September 16. gives the fol.
| lowing details OF the death of Jumbo. A mos;
serious event for the proprietors OF the greatest
| show on earth happened last evening on the
Air Line At st. Thomas, Ont, about one hun.
| oreo ana twenty miles west of here, when
| Sunoo' Inc "orio-famous elephant, was killed
Dy oeins run into by freight from the east.
Snortly AFTER the ring perform ance in the large
tent commenced last evening. the circus EN-.
pioyes began to load up. The loading was done
Just IN 'front.' OF where the tents were pitched on
st e a., property A train of Barnum's cars
Aer I the s aet the main track being clear
the circus platform by fom thumb, the trick
to- poad ih and clown the employees proceeded
loaded ' With Sni t6a All the elephants were
ION Tom Thumb, the two most valuable in
the r herdain fact, valued more than all
| rs tney were being taken along the main
e esacK freight train approached from the
ti,'. Sdgnals were given and, about the same
| t tiach ana Whistled for down breaks three
| LILIES LILIES ana reversed his engine, but the track
bae sto being down grade the train could not
STRIKING THE GIANT.
1unoo was ahead, in charge Of his keeper,
MI. scott, known to all the circus people as
| Scotty, with Tom Thumb in the rear. When
Scotty noticed the danger he urged his elephant
sS. started on run down the track, with its
Keeper Dravely running by its side. But 1t was
f. me Train could not be stopped, ana as
| ~ came numbering along, first struck the clown
eiepnant, throwing him into the ditch, ana
then dashed into Jumbo. The shock was as II
Two trains had come together, and the freight
train was stopped, the engine and two cars
Deing derailed. Jumbo was struck in the rear;
ih n, as the cowcatcher hit him, he emitted a
louu roar and fell, the engine and edge OF the
nrst car passing along his back and infiictlng
| terrible bruises. Jumbo was not instantly
struck, expiring while efforts were being made
70 take him from under the train. The engine
Was padly damaged and will have to be sent TO
tne snoP and be rebuilt. The cowcatcher, the
neadlight and bell were smashed, and the sides
OF the engine badly damaged, the steps to enter
Tue DoX being Knocked out of position.
DRAGGING HIM OFF THE TRACK.
A Few minutes after the accident occurred
men were set to work to pull poor Jumbo off
the track. Large cable ropes were attached to
him, one to the front and another to the back
part OF his body, and about 100 men buckled
onto the cable, while another force with planks
nall an hour labor JumbO's body was dragged
into the ditch While Jumbo was being pulled
on the track the veterinary surgeons in connec-
tion with the show were attending to the ele-
Phant Tom Thumb 1t was found that his left
hlnd leg had been broken. It is expected that
was lifted in a car and taken with the rest OF
the animals when the train left for London in
the morning.
an loea Oh the immense size and weight of the
amman: circumference Of fore leg, feet &
inches around front foot, s feet 6 inches; twice
around his foot is about his height, viz, IL feet
length of trunk, Z feet 4 inches; around his
tusk, foot 49, inches; length of fore leg, feet
A telegram was sent to the directors of the
Smithsonian Institution, and their representa-
t1ves are expected in ST. Thomas to skin the
animal and preserve the skeleton. The Grand
Trunk people claim that the accident was due
70 the circus men insisting ON loading up the
cars at different place to that assigned them
by the company and agreed upon.
HE LOST HIS LIFE WHILE TRYING TO SAVE HIS
LITTLE FAVORITE, TOM THUMB.
A Buffalo special says: From advices received
to-day, through circus people who witnessed
the killing of Barnum's elephant, Jumbo. it ap-
pears that the noble beast lost his life while try
elephant Tom Thumb. When Jumbo saw the
impending danger, which was not until the loco
motive was almost upon him, he grasped his
out of danger. The little beast struck against
box car with sufficient force to break his leg
and lay there whining like q wounded puppy.
Jumbo made an effort to save himself then, but
1t was too late and he was crushed. Not only
the engine but five box-cars were forced from
VIC ticCh ny IHc dcClueuC. Inc GraQQ trunk
company, which controls the wires at St Cathe-
rines, has attempted to keep back the news and
the facts have been hard to get at Tom Thumb
was shot last evening.
CREMATION OF THE REMAINS
A telegram from st. Thomas, Ont, September
II, to the New York Herald, says: Professor
Henry A. Ward, proprietor of Wards Natural
Science Establishment IN Rochester, N. Y, ar
rived In the city. accompanied by Messrs. Will
mists. He came on instructions from Mr. P. T.
Barnum, his orders being to skin Jumbo, mount
him and send him to TUT College, Massachu-
sets. The skeleton he was TO send to the
Smithsonian Institution at Washington. Act
ing upon these instructions the professor and
menced the task of measuring the animal.
which occupied a couple of hours. At one
o'clock Professor Ward with his two assistants
and q corps of city butchers, stood around the
departed Jumbo to take off his skin and dis
sect out his bones. The dead monster drew
crowds to the last, and there were hundreds on
the ground to take farewell view. 1t was
supposed that the exhibition would be free, but
this was not the case. Some enterprising fndi-
an admission fee. Policemen were placed
crowd eseept at field ga keeP whe e"t t as,
Jumbo still lay on the side of the bank in an
admirable position to be advantageously
hnns sad Two T Of his legs So placed @
mists and butchers cut down the back and took
off half the skin. Then they disjointed the two
ieSs WHICH, Aclu nIui W the DonK. AFTER which
he was rolled over without difficulty, and that
part of the task was accomplished The work
OF diSSecting the huge bones was more difficult
and 1T required all of the ingenuity OF Pro.
fessor Ward to devise means to handle the i'm.
mense limbs and masses of muscle. While
this was being accomplished, in accordance
with the order of the health inspector about
four cords of wood were procured and the fune-
raj pyre built. The body of the great Jumbo
was soon laid on this and slowly reduced to
ashes. No other creature, human or brute
ever before had such we'll attended funeral in
this town and no other will be remembered SO
long. After the cremation is completed the
ashes will be gathered and placed in an urn.
HIS GLORY BELONGED TO TWO HEMIsPHEREs.
Jumbo was formerly British possession and
for years was one Of the leading attractions of
the London Geological Garden. Thousands of
little jingoes have taken rides on his broad
back, and hundreds of indigestible substances
known as "buns" in the British metropolis have
been his daily tribute; but fame never came to
the vast beast until the enterprising Barnum
coveted his possession, and finally in the spring
of 1882, purchased him from the London Zoo
logical Society for $4,000.
the papers a howl OF Indignation burst from the
British public. Whether 1t was love for Jumbo
or jealousy of an American having secured pos
session OF the huge beast which caused this sud-
den exhibition OF feeling, is an open question
However, all sorts OF attempts were made by
Jumbos English admirers to prevent his leav
ing the country, and even one or two law suits
were begun with that end. The opposition was
futile. Firstly, the authorities of the Zoo have
the right 10 dispose OF any Of the animals in the
light OF personal property; and, secondly. they
Justihed their action by asserting that Jumbo
had grown SO vicious that his possession had
become source OF grave apprehension to his