Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-08-03
THE PUTNEY COLUMN.
Elephant and Keeper Killed.

an Article In the New England maga-
Line.
Under the title "a Connecticut River
Ferry an article by Max Bennett Thrash
er in the August number of the New Eng
land magazine gives detailed description
of the ferry at the river between East
Putney and Westmoreland together with
several anecdotes told by William Brtton,
who has run the ferry since 1858. The
article is illustrated with half-tOne cuts of
Mr.. and Mrs. Britton, their seven sons,
family group, and four views of the ferry
and the boats. The story is Interestingly
and accurately written. People hereabouts
are familiar with the ferry and its sur
roundings; but the article relates one in
cident in connection with the earlier his
tory of the river at this point, which is
rarely mentioned and which probably has
never been heard by a majority of the citi-
zens of the town. 1t is as follows:
"Twice, early in this century, corpora
tions built a toll bridge across the river at
this point, and the ferry was discontinued;
but each bridge was carried away by ice
and high water after short life, and now
for many years the ferryboat has had no
rival to its claims. In summer, even now,
the foundations for the stone piers of the
old bridge which was swept away, may be
seen as the ferry boat crosses the river,
coming almost to the surface in low water;
and the massive stone abutments which
supported the ends of the bridge still stand
among the trees which have grown up on
both banks, time-backened ruins over
grown with tangled masses Of wild grape
vines.
about the ruins of the old bridge
fingers the ghost of strange tragedy.
Nearly hundred years ago the farmers
boys of all this region were thrilled by the
announcement that positively the only live
elephant ever exhibited in New England
was making a triumphant tour from town
to town, and could be seen at certain ad
vertised times and places for fee of
ridiculously small proportions. On ac-
count of the fact that the elephant was the
whole circus, and that he was far too
heavy to be carried in wagon, he was
taken from town to town at night, that
the curiosity of the people might not be
appeased by seeing him pass along the
highway, and thus the fee of 'Tidculously
small proportions be diverted from its pro-
posed destination.
'iApropos of this triumphal tour story
is told of two boys living near this ferry,
who were unable for some reason to go to
town to see the elephant, and so, learning
midnight march, determined to make him
come to them. They had heard from
some one who had been to see him that
the big animal was greedily fond of sweet
apples, which, fortunately for them, are
common in the Connecticut valley.
The boys provided bushel of sweet
apples beside the road, and waited in the
darkness. When, far on in the night, the
heavy tread and various unusual noises
announced the approach of the strange
beast and his attendants, the boys strewed
the apples across the road. The elephant s
long trunk, swinging vaguely in the dark
ness, could not help but find the fruit, and
after that 40 keepers could not have driven
him past it.
"When the boys found they had hooked
their strange fish, they lighted big pile OF
dry wood which they had built up beside
the road, and by the brilliant freight
proceeded to satisfy at leisure their curios-
ity as to what an elephant looked like.
The animals attendant, advertised as a
native Asiatic, brought at great expense
from the elephants Indian home, prodded
, the beast vigorously, and is said to have
INDUCED in profanity which had strange
ly familiar sound; but the procession did
not move on until the last sweet apple was
eaten and the light of the fire was growing
dim.
SIT was not long after this that the route
of the tour brought the aggregation to the
bridge, at this place, to cross. The ele'
plant turned back from the bridge repeat
eddy, and for long time refused to go on
to it. Finally, prodded and scolded by his
keeper, he ventured slowly out upon the
structure. He had crossed almost to the
farther end, when the timbers broke be
l. NJ Nd lyao,Nar fa11 n
the rocks, which low water had left bare
beneath the end of the bridge. Both were
killed. For the next few days the people
from far and near came to see the broker
bridge and the dead animal Eventually
the skeleton of the elephant was taken tC
Boston, where for many years it has beer
on exhibition among the cuTiosities dis
played in the foyer of the old Boston
Museum. The bridge was repaired, bu
was carried away by the ice not long after
ward and was never rebuilt"
H. P. Farr is building piazza on to hi
house in this village.
Frank Fuller and bride returned Mon
day from Hartford, Conn.
Miss Carrie Gale of Walpole recent!
visited Miss Flora Sanders.
o. B. Blodgett has bought an Adriance
Plat self binding harvesting machine.
Miss Mary Austin of East Putney il
spending several weeks in Mortified
Mass.
Mrs. Clara Kathan Ferris of Lawrence
N. Y, is visiting her mother, Mrs. Henri!
Kathan.
Miss Lillian Wheeler returned Tuesday
to Orange, Mass, after visiting at A. M
Corser's.
Mr.. Church and Miss Baker of Keene
N, H., were visitors with Miss Alice Far
he first of the week.
Mrs. George Howe of Hinsdale is visit
ing her sisters, Mrs. w. d. Waite an,
Nrs. Henry j. Smith.
Fred Merrill of South birmingham
Mass, is spending his vacation with rela
lives in Putney Falls.
Mrs. E. S. Munger and Miss Maud Nun
ger returned Friday from Windham, wher
they spent two weeks.
Eugene Willard, who has been employee
in Northampton, Mass, returned to worl
for +. L. Pierce Monday.
Mr.. and Mrs. W. j. Smith and Mr.. an
Mrs. H. j. Smith returned Saturday iron
a visit of a few days in Chester