New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-20
A ARHINOCEROS FOR THE PARK
BoMBr NOT sEAsICK ON THE ELDER

pErrED BY TIE PASSENGERS. HE EsJoYxD THE
yoYAGE-BRoUGHT FROM HODoKEN on TRUCK.
Ten wears ago in u midst Of the bogs and marshes
of Dacca near the delta Of the Ganges, small
rhnoceros was captured by party of Indian Shikarris
His mother had been shot and killed instantly Win
one OF the explosive bullets which
USE and he himself nooscd in panic OF frght oc-
fore he had gone fifty yards from the fatal spot ihe
natives in him the promise OF gigantic Deast an"
named him Bombi. which may be taken to stand tor
bigness the language OF Daccs. HIS short horn was
cut carefully off and made into dainty drnkingcup
for An Indian prncess-one OF the sort in which tho
superstitous Hindoos believe pos onous mud can
be put without foamng up, and thus making ITSELF
known in the bowl In time the infant Bomb grew -
huge proportions caught the eye OF some travelling
dealer in wild animals Three or four years ago no
was put on an East Indiaman and landed, after long
voyage. in Bremen. Hagenbeck, Of Hamturg, the
great dealer in wild beasts got possession OF him and
made him famous In the geological gardens and ex-
hibitons of Germany.
Early in March the New-York Park Commissioners
decded to add a rhinoceros to their stock OF wid
animals at the Arsenal in Central Park and ordered
Frank F. Thompson, local dealer of No. All East
Sxty-fths to get them the largest and best specimen
of ar,nored hog obtainablc. Mr.. Thompson, who had
natl Geological Gardens for than thirty years and
knows every animal in Asia Africa as well az the
dogs and chickens in his back yard telegrsphed at
once to Hagenbeck tor Bombi The bargain was
closed the magnificent rhinoceros shipped on June
0 from Bremen on the Elder and late last night was
dumped cage and ALL to the CONSERVATION OF the hons
and the elephants, into the Central Park Arsenal
The voyage over was made easily and swiftly. The
huge beast packed securely in wooden box, ten
feet long eight feet WIDE and eIgt feet high Tho
sides were heavily guarded with crossbeams and IN
side there was scarcely for the animal to move.
This cage strapped with iron chains, was taken oy
rail from Hamburg to Breme erhaven, hoisted by tho
help of a derrick up a gauaway on the Elder, and
landed ten days later about o'clock yesterday after
noon, at the pier in Hoboken AT first the cage lay
along the starvoard side of the upper deck between
the main and mizzen masts. 1t was afterward rolled
over to port and kept there until landing was made.
Bomb was made pet of by the passengers OF the
Elder during the voyage Like most herbivora he was
not troubled with sea-sckness. He took his ten
gallons OF water every day and an unlimited amount OF
hay bran, carrots aud potatoes: he was docne anu
good -natured and licked the hands OF those who
patted and caressed him. His Keeper FRITZ. however
was always Oh hand to that these familiarities
did not terminate unpleasantly The onlcers
took especial interest in the bulky rhnoceros and to
the disgust of Fritz began to call him Gumbo, which
is as near perhaps the German tongue can come to
A small crowd OF people gathered on the per AZ
Hoboken to see how Superintendent Conklin aud Con-
tractor Thompson would get her ates. a,tsr
o'clock the Elder was laid alongside the pier aud
began to discharge her passengers. Some OF the curl
mounted the upper deck aud peeptd IN through tne
breatblng-s 81 aces at the rtnoceros lie looks IKE
huge hog in dirty plated armor. lie ls from eigbt 10
ten feet long and about broad he high thick
set and decidedly band y-legged. His horn Is cut on
short and his hat nose was bleeding from rubbing
against the boards of hs cage. HE eyes roll about
quickly and have a sort OF dull intelligence 10 them
lie weighs now from 4, 900 TO 1000 pounds. The
price given for him by the Park COMMISSIONERS was
II was not until o'clock that the cage fairly in
motion Then the ropes and pulleys had all been adj
iusted and suddenly lifted the astonished rhnoceros
mis- wooden house into be air Bomoi vas furious
and began to rock the cage from side TO -r'e IN an
alarming manner Fritz with his month full or Ger
man expetves mounted the side of the ship where the
animal could him and the shaking subsidized. The
work OF sliding the box down the gangway was slow
and there another long delay abou, getting 1t on
the Custom House dray, which Mr. thompson rad
hired for the occasion. BY D o'clock the procession
started down tle pier toward the gate The rhlnoceos
persisted in throwing his weight to one side OF rho
truck and. when the springs had been hattened OUT
and the scraped the back right shee 1t looked
rs if there would be a breakdown and a rtinoeeros
hunt eniven the afternoon quiet oi liOboken Near
the gate another obstacle was met. customs officer
had found that the duty of $1,000 on the animal bad
not been paid and there a halt and discussion for
fifteen minutes more Mr. Thompson finally got
through by showing order from the Custom House
on promise to pay on Monday. the heavily Laden
draw rove round to le Christopher Street Ferry and
all got over the river safely. The route from Chriso-
pher-st to the Arsenal was as follows; to Eightaye.
to Fify-ninthst to Fitthave to the entrance to the
parb at Sixty-iiith-st
All was smooth sailing until the steep incline near
the Arsenal was reached. The horses behaved sd-
miraby however. and the biz dray with is load was
soon backed inio the front door Of the menagerie
building. Superintendent C0lklin was on hand to re-
ceve the new conner but the rhinuceross cage was not
finished and the animal had to pass the night Oh the
menagere floor. The elephants snorted little as the
Llama snlfta .nn vylfh
good deal Of interest but there hostile demon
stratIons. The cage measures 20 by l3 by
feet ana is foored solidly with cement that even
the rhinoceros's strength cannot shake it, The bars OF
the sides aud roof are iron halt inch in diamstet
Bomb will not enter his new quarters until . oclycb
Tomorrow morning.