The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-04-30

Bailey 6 Hutchinson procured him through
the el forts of Jim Davis, a well known
Snowman When Jumbo arrived in the
United States he was lank, lean and tall
At the time Of his death he had improved
from weight 1860 pounds, height II feet
D inches, girth "a feet 5 inches, to 2O,190
pounds in weight, 13 ieet inches In
height, % feet inch in girth an increase
of 1,54O pounds in weight, inches in
height and in girth
Jumbo had never been thoroughly
broken. He had been trained to do moth
ing but carry big saddle, upon which the
little children sometimes rode, but he had
never been taught anything. While he
was generally under Arstingstalls s charge
with Barnum, he was under the personal
keeping of his old keeper, Scott, who had
been with him nearly all his life
Mr. Barnum himself told this story of
the purchase of the big elephant
During my visits to London had often
seen the famous big elephant, and had rid
den on him, but it never entered my head
that / could buy him. i eventually told my
agent to approach Mr.. Bartlett, the super
intendent of the garden, on the subject.
He conferred with the council of the gar
den, and they accepted my offer of $4,000
for the animal.
When the English people got informa-
ton that Jumbo was to be taken out Of
the country they were fairly wild with ex-
citement. Many newspapers looked upon
it as an outrage, and blamed the superin-
tendent of the garden, the council and
every one who had anything to do with
the affair. The great art critic, John Rus
kin, took part in the discussion, and said
that England was not accustomed to sell
her pets. There was so much dissatisfac-
ton expressed that the geological garden
people tried to induce my agent to resclnd
the sale, but told them could not; had
announced the purchase of the elephant
and could not afford to disappoint the
American people.
The stockholders of the geological garden
held a meeting where they insisted that
the council had no right to sell without
their consent, and got out an injunction
on US, which by some legal hocus-pocus
which l cannot explain, came up i'll the
court of chancery. The editor of the Lon
don Telegraph, Mr.. Lesarge, sent me a
telegram in which he stated that all the
British children were distressed at the ele-
plants departure; on what terms would
return Jumbo? 'Answer, prepaid, unlIm-
| ited."
When | read the last three words of this
! dispatch l am afraid that the spirit of prac-
| teal joking took possession of me for a
| moment. I took the Englishman at his
word and answered Unlimited" | told
| him that G10O, 900 would not induce me to
cancel my purchase and then gave him a
pretty full description of my circus, COM
mencing, "My largest tent seats 10000 per-
sons" ETC., and ended with wishing long
| life and prosperity to the British nation,
! The Telegra oh and Jumbo" This dispatch
was published in The Telegraph the next
morning, and was republished on the fol
lowing day in the principal newspapers
throughout Great Britain. 1t did its part
in keeping up the excitement.
Jumbo had never been out of the garden
since the day he entered it, twenty years
before. When my agents attempted to get
him out he would lot stir; he seemed te
know instinctively that something extra
ordinary was going to happen. Ny agent
cabled me: Jumbo is lying in the garden,
and will not stir. What shall we dor"
replied, LET him lie there as long as he
! wants tor All this, it will be observed
kept up public interest.
Then we built cage on wheels, and sunE
the wheels into the ground, leaving botf
ends of the cage open. 1t was many days
before he could be induced to walk through
We let him get used to going through fol
several days. and finally shut him in. L
sook score of horses 10 pull the cage out
Of the earth after we had dug around th'
wheels and we dragged the wheels dowr
to the wharf. There Jumb met whole
crowd of his : l.nirers, including such fash
ionable people as Lady Burdett-CcuttS
who brought him cakes and Gainties Cn'
enthusiast te tilted his affection by send
ing some champagne and oysters. On tn
vessel we la / to cut away part of tn
deck above h.s lodgings to make his apart
ment large enough. The original cost o
Jumbo was $4,000; his final cost wa
$4,000 He paid for himself the first tel
days after his arrival
Professor Henry A Ward, of Rochester
\. Y, afteryzard set up Jumbo's skeleton
stuffed the skin and burned the flesh Hi
prepared remains were given by Mr.. Bai
mum to TUFTS college, a Universalist In
stitution of learning at Boston