The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-01-23
THE ELEPHANTS
LITTLE JOKE
How Gaskilrs Street Fair At
traction Stopped a Train.
CONSUMED ALL THE WATER,
That Was Intended For Running the
Engine and Created Consterna-
tion Among the Train

Engine and Created Consterna-
tion Among the Train
The Youths Companion prints a
pretty little story about one Of the
elephants owned by Frank Gaskill, of
Canton, for his street exhibits. The
story is related by lad named B. E.
Stevenson and is as follows:
Last year, on a hot day in September,
Gaskills street fair, a show which has
with it two big elephants, was being
! carried from Parkersburg to Cincinnati
on the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern
railroad.
The elephants were in the car be-
hind the engine and port in the end
of the car had been opened in order
that they might get plenty of air. Soon
one of the elephants thrust his trunk
out of the window and began to search
over the tender, and quickly found and
removed the cover of the hole through
which the tender is filled with water.
Running his trunk down into the hole
he was rejoiced to find water.
Here was amusement for atraveling
elephant! He took trunkfuls Of water
inside the car and spouted it over him
self and his companion in delightful
shower-b baths. He doused astonished
country folk standing beside the road.
About fifteen miles from Parkersburg,
Johnson, the engineer, happened to
glance at his water guage, started in
dismay. He called to his fireman, and
together they wondered over the
the mystery.
The tank had been filled full at
Parkersburg, yet the gage showed
barely enough water to carry them to
the next station. They decided that the
tank must have sprung a leak.
well, I only hope the water will last
till we get to the next STOP" said the
engineer. At this time the level of the
water in the tender had got below the
elephants reach, and so the train did
succeed in getting to the station. Then,
to the astonishment of the conductor,
the locomotive backed up to water.
Whats the matter Bill?" he asked,
running up to the engineer. 1--WE haven't
got time to water here. What's the
matter, anyway? You took water
back at Parkersburg."
II can't help 1t whether we've got
time to water or not" answered Bill,
angrily. II can't go any farther with
out water, unless you want me to blow
up the engine. Yes, we did water at
Parkersburg, but the tank is leaking"
Mighty funny!" said the conductor.
1t aint leaking now"
Sure enough, not sign Of leak was
to be found. The fact was bewildering.
They all watched the tank filled Sec
ond time; the water was not turned off
until 1t was stopping over the top of the
tank. Then the train was started again
Fifteen minutes later the engineer
cast confident eye at the water gage
The next minute the fireman saw aston
ishment and perplexity leap into his
face. The gage showed that their water
was nearly half gona.
Fireman and engineer looked at each
| other in dumb amazement. Then the
fireman climbed up on the high laden
tender to investigate. Reaching the top
OF the coal, he was met by what he
took to be an enormous serpent, and
scrambled hastily back into the cab.
BILL" he gasped, white with con-
sternation, there's a snake on the tank
as big as my arm"
Stuff" said Johnson. The engineer
with wrench, and the fireman, with
a pick, climbed the coal together
Cautiously raising their heads over the
top of the heap they received a stream
of water full in their faces.
TITS Helephant!" said Bill, as they
regained the cab. "We'll have to stoI
him someway, or our water won't last
us half way to Chillicothe. I guess the
only thing to do is to stop and nail uI
that window so he can't get his trunl
out"
In order to have little fun with tn,
conductor he threw on the air brakes
and brought the train to a standstil
with a jerk.
TITS the elephant" he said cheerfully
as the conductor came running up anC
stopped just where the elephant coult
see him.
Whats the elephant" said the con
ductor; but a second later a cascad
of water answered his question, an,
Bill and Jack had gained companion
In misery.
The train crew was summoned an,
with the assistance of some of TIN
circus people, got the elephants rrunl
back In the car anG nailed up the win
dow. Fifteen minutes later the trail
started again, and after that the ele
plants did not get so much fresh ali
or so much fun out OF the railwa,
travelling.