Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-01-21
JUMBO, THE DEPARTED.
The Late Elephant had his Vices as Well
~ Virtues.

rs Virtues.
Mr.. James II. Davis. for many years
foreign agent for =. L. Barnum. told a
Tribune reporter some unpublished
TACT, about Jumbo When sent from
Paris to the London geological Gar
dens in exchange for lippopotamuS
he was placed in charge Of Scott. who
remained his keeper until the ele-
plants death. Mr. Davis has a pho
tograph of Scott and his charge as they
appeared ut that time. Jumbo reach
es Just TO his keepers shoulder. Scott
is character in himself. Until he
came to this country with Jumbo he
had not, in the recollection of man.
been outside Of the Geological Gardens.
He was Jumbo's in5eparablc compan-
ion. He slept in the hayolt above
Jumbo's quarters and took all the care
Of him. This intimacy could not fail
to have its effect upon one or the other,
ard, as consequence, Jumbo con-
traeted some OF SCOTS bad habits.
The keeperwas an inycterate cheWer
of tobacco. Jumbo acquired the habit
and to the day OF his death had TO have
his allowance. lie also regarded
onions rs great deliclcy. Jumbo's
exact hight was eleven feet four inches
70 the shoulder and twelve feet i've
inches to the top Of his head. lis ac-
tual weight, given in the circus bills as
ten tons was seven and u half tons.
This country did not seem 10 agree
with him at first as he lost lesh, but be
soon began to gain until he exceeded
his English weight, and, though he did
not grow in hight, continued to iu-
crease in weight until the day Of his
> death. The increase in the receipts Of
The performances in New York during
the first week that Jumbo was exhibit
cd there more than paid his entire
cost to his new owner, and during the
ten days that he was first exhibited
here in 1888 the receipts were the
largest in circus history
Jumbo did not ut first take readily
TO peanuts. It was an American Gus
tom oil his kindred that he did not un-
dorstand, and He WAS afraid OF them
lie watched the other elephants close
" when they ate them but after
while, when he saw that ihcy aid not
suffer from The effects, he dared TO ven.
ture, and ended ~ becoming very fond
of them. Railroad travel also seriously
alarmed him. Scott always slept in
the car IN a bunk about six feet from
the floor aud at Jumbo's head. When
ever anything occurred ON the road that
rgucned The elephant he would
stretch M his trunk and feel for MS
keeper. Scott, thus awakened, had
mcroIy to pat the elephants trunk and
nc was Immediately quoted. Jumbo
was excessively tmid. lie was never
punished in his life, but was always
most susceptible 10 kindnass. His Sal
gucity, Mr. Davis said, was rcmarka-
blo--his intelligence almost human.
lie expressed himself in signs almost
us complete rs the deaf and dumb code.
Jumbo always had a great foudness
for the smallest kind of his species. A
child. pony, or little dog won his al
lection. Most elephants have dog
tor a companion. Mr.. Davis thought
Jumbo would be pleased with one and
so bought three German hounds, I'M
tended TO make the elephant present
of one. Jumbo at the time was in win
ter quarters at Bridgeport Conn. The
elcpnant-hOusc was boarded over, the
boards being nailed outside of the sup
ports. Jumbo was chalnod at one end
oi the house aud when the hound was
brought mp to him eyed it lurtivcly
for a moment and then ciaspiug il iu
his trunk threw II against the side of
the house with such force that the
boards were knocked on Mr.. Davis