The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-17
DEATH OF JUMBO.
The Big 100000 Elephant Run Down and
Killed by Canadian Railway Train.

ST. THOMAS, Ont, Sept. 16.-Jumbo, the
$500, 900 elephant, was killed on the railroad
track half mile east of here, last night. His
keeper was leading him along the track to load
him on car, when freight train came up be-
hind unnoticed and run him down. He was in
jured so badly that he died in thirty minutes
The trick elephant Tom Thumb was also in
jured his leg being broken.
Prof. FL A. Ward, of Rochester University,
will take the skin of the elephant Jumbo and
stuff it for the Tuft College. of Massachusetts,,
to which it has been presented by P. T. Barnum.
The skeleton will probably be sent to the
National Museum at Washington
Jumbo was born on the west coast of Africa
in or about the year 1861, and was consequently
twenty-four years of age. When still baby he
was caught and carried into captivity, his first
destination being Paris, where he was kept till
he four years of age He was then pur
chased by the Geological Society of London,
England, and removed to their gardens in that
city. He arrived there in June 1865, when he
was placed in charge of Mr.. Scott. He was then
four feet ten inches in height and did not weigh
onc-third much as he did at the time of his
death. On his arrival in England Jumbo was in
very bad state of health. He had evidently
been subject to neglect during his stay in
Paris and when he dleft there he was suffering
from a skin disease, superinduced by filthiness.
This caused him great pain and annoyance His
back was covered Win large ScaDS, from unQer
which there was copious discharge of very of
fensive matter. Fortunately he had fallen into
the hands of q man who knew how to treat him,
and, the remedies proving quite effectual, he
was restored to perfect health in months time.
In addition to his great size there were several
peculiar physical features about Jumbo which
excited much curiosity among naturalists, and
led some eminent scientists to express the opin-
ion that he was not an elephant at all but that
he was allied to the old and now eXtinc tSmaSto-
n hacE waS h0J-
low, where, il other elephants there was large
convex curve, and his head was curved in a
marked manner where other elephants are hol-
low. His knees, too, are not in the same place
as are those of other elephants They were
much nearer his thighs making the upper part
of his leg unusually short and the under part
unusually long.
Nothing of very peculiar interest occurred to
vary the ordinary course of his everyday life
till he was twelve years of age. He was then
taken violently sick, and so i'll did he become it
was thought he would die. Indeed, at one time
he had sunk so low that it was believed by every
body but his keeper that he dead, and per
sons had actually arrived at the place where he
was kept for the purpose of purchasing his skel-
eton He was very low for three weeks but
gradually his disease. which was Inflammation
of the bowels, began to yield to the remedies
applied, and Jumbo recovered. His growth was
quite gradual and was not distinguished by any
marked peculiar changes. AS he grew in
years and size, he grew in knowledge and wis
dom. He was very fond of society. and was
never happier than when contributing to
the amusement and entertainment of vast
crowds of people. His peculiar favorites, how
ever. were little children, who were always
treated by him with the greatest care and gen
tleness. He knew when a crowd of them were
mounted upon his back. He allowed the little
ones to handle his trunk and play among his
feet, and was very careful not to trample on
them or injure them in any way. On one occa-
sion he was carrying a load of children in the
" a a nm nhc0r ruod
by his keeper crossed his path and stood right in
his way. The sagacious animal at once stopped
his course, and for wonder refused to go on
when ordered TO do so. The keeper then went
round to see what was the matter and found
was right at his foot, with his trunk and plac-
ing him carefully out of his way.
When he had accomplished this he
went on as if nothing had occurred. When
Jumbo left England he was followed by the re-
grets of all his acquaintances, including her
Majesty Queen Victoria, who expressed her
dissatisfaction with the SALE He arrived in this
country in April. 1882, and had been engaged in
visiting the principal cities ever since. AS a
traveller Jumbo's reputation was not very bril-
liant one. When crossing the ocean in stormy
weather he was often very restless and exhibited
many signs of fear, and sometimes on the cars
he manifested the same symptoms. His food
consisted of grain, bran, hay, vegetables, such
as carrots or beet roots, etc, and of these arti
cles he consumed between 500 and 600 pounds
per day He drank about three barrels of water
a day. Big and tall as Jumbo was, he had not
attained to his full size, and was expected to
grow for three four years to come. He had
grown considerably since his arrival in this
country He was twelve feet high and weighed
ten tons. His trunk was ten feet long.