Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
HOW JUMBO DIED.
Fun particulars of the Accident at st.
Thomas

Full particulars of the Accident at St.
Thomas
Several versions of how the elep.
liant Jumbo was killed have teen tele
graphed from St. Thomas, Ont. The
folio wing is the story IN detail IS told
by those who witnessed the accident
The Barnum, Baily & Hutchinson
shows arrived here from Chatham
Tuesday morning and unloaded near
where their tents where pitched, a
short distance east of miller street.
While the evening performance was
in progress the usual plan Of loading
the animals was proceeded with.
There are thirty-one elephants in
connection with the show, and of
these all had been placed on board of
cars with the exception of Jumbo and
Tom Thumb, the dwarf clown ele>
phant who created SO much merri-
ment during the performance. As
these two latter were walked along
the track in order to reach their cars,
special freight No. Isl, engine No. 50
Driver William Bornep, approached
from the east. The headlight OF his
locomotive was not observed until 1t
was within 500 yards OF the animals,
when signals were given.
At about the same time the engin-
eer not iced the elephants on the track
and vnistled for brakes three times,
and reversed his engine, but the
track there being down grade the
train could not be stopped.
JUMBO WAS AHEAD.
IN charge of his keeper, Mr.. Scott,
known to all the circus people as
"Scotfy," with Tom Thumb in the
rear. When Scotty noticed the dang
er he urged Jumbo to iacrerse his
pace, and the animal started on a run
down the track with his keeper rum
ming by his side, but it was nc use,
the train could not be stopped, and SIS
it came laundering along it first
STRUCK the clown elephant thro wing
him into the ditch, and then dashed
into Jumbo. AS it struck the mighty
monster it was as if two trains had
come together, and the freight train
was stopped, the engine and two cars
being derailed. Jumbo was struck
IN the hind leg, and as the cowcatchs
er ait him he emitted loud roar and
fell, the engine and edge of the first
car passing along his back and infiict-
ing terrible bruises Jumbo was not
instantly killed, but lived for fifteen
minutes after being struck, expiring
while efforts were being made to take
HIM from under the train,
THE ENGINE WAS BADLY DAMAGED
and will have to be sent to the shops
and rebuilt. A few minutes after the
accident occurred men were set to
wor K and the engiae and cars were
replaced on the rails and then the
work commenced of pulling poor
jun 60 from 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 on to each cable, while an
other force of men, with pianks and
crowbars, pried from behind, after
about half an hours labor Jumbo's
body was pulled off the track into the
ditch. The circus employees running
hither and thither with flaming torch
es, the cool-headed master of trans
portation giving orders to 200 men
pulling upon the cable and those pry~
ing behind, while on one side stood
Mr.. Hutchinson and other managers
OF the show sorrowing for the loss of
their favorite Jumbo, presented a
scene not soon to be forgotten. While
Jumbo was being pulled off the track
the veterinary surgeons In connec
ton with the show were attending to
the elephant Tom Thumb. He had
been thrown into the ditch and 1t
was found that his left leg had been
broken. It is expected that the leg
car be saved, and after the limb was
set he was lifte3 in car to be taken
away with the rest of the animals
when the train left for London.
AFTER THE ACCIDENT,
when the noise and confusion had
somewhat ceased, so that an examina-
tiol could be made OF Jumbo, it was
apparent that the hand of death was
uptn him. There were deep gashes
in his flank, his feet were torn, and
the blood ran out of his mouth, but
J unbo looked more majestic than
eve before. The king of the African
ftoest met the king of of terrors un-
& united. He gave one groan after
/ ng struck, then he assumed an at
t de of determination which he
I lntained till the last.