Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-06-22
NOVEL SPRING CLEANING.
Ceremony of OiIing Elephants for the
Summer Campaign.

\STcHHOHS VI 1OT tnS
Summer Campaign.
The annual ceremony of lubricating the
elephants was pulled off yesterday at
Coney island. Three husky Hindoos
from Avenue A and two Coney island
song-and-dance men out of a job officiat-
ed as lubricators. The pachyderms OPP
Grated upon were Baby Ruth and Gypsy,
and between them they absorbed nine
kegs of neatsfoot oil and upward of nine
tons of profanity, net. In addition to be-
ing fabricated, the elephants took a bath
and otherwise prepared for the summer
season.
In his native wilds the elephant is;
equipped with patent, self-acting lubrica-
commission the year round. When trans
ferred to this climate the self-feeding
lubricators become clogged and artificial
fabrication becomes necessary. Some
owners of elephants lubricate them twice
a year. On Coney island they are lubri-
Gated once year, because it costs money
to do it,
The preparations for yesterdays sacred
rite, which occurred within the precincts
of the Indian village, formerly the streets
of Cairo, were simple. The three Hin
docs from Avenue A took three drinks
apiece, the actors smoked two cigarettes
apiece, and all hands fell to. armed with
brooms, brushes and swabs. 1t is no soft
job to wash an elephant, which is a pre-
liminary operation to the fabrication.
The elephant is not model of personal
cleanliness. During his winter hiberna-
ton it is his custom to inhale the dust
from the floor of his quarters, pack it in
his trunk and then blow it into his skin
with great force. 1t stays right where he
puts it, and when spring comes the ele-
plant has a coat about foot deep and
as hard as the lot Of a volunteer soldier
This coat serves to keep the elephant
warm, but it also serves to close up the
pores of his skin and make his move
ments stiff.
dot water was used yesterday-barrels
of it-and liberal quantities of soft soap.
The elephants were secured until they
were masses of lather, and then were
rubbed down with stiff brushes A
drenching with hot water followed this
operation until they were as clean as it is
possible TO get an elephant. Baby Ruth
kicked somewhat at being washed but it
was great sport for Gypsy.
Then came the fabrication. To al IN
sophisticated onlooker lubricating an ele-
plant seems to be very simple operation.
1t is not. There is cavity just forward
of an elephants hip which marks the spot
where the self-acting lubricator was locat-
ed in his native wilds, for 1t simply clam
ors for oil. All able lubricators of ele-
plants know of the location of this cavity,
and Mr.. Vallett the gentleman who su-
perintended the oiling of the pachyderms
yesterday, is an expert. He started his
Hindoos from Avenue A and his song and
dance men out of a job at thefcavities
Baby Ruth, being somewhat Of an ac-
climated elephant, readily absorbed the
oil applied to the cavity aforesaid and
soon glistened all over her body with a
seasoned elephant and one whose self-act-
ing lubricator has been long out of COM
mission, was a problem. The cavity
soaked up Oil as West street soaks up
beer when a ship comes in, and it was not
applied to her with a whitewash brush
that she consented to absorb the lubricat-
ing fluid with the rest of her hide.