Evening star., 1919-03-23
TWO BABY ELEPHANTS NOW
AT ZOO TO DELIGHT ''KIDDIES"
Captured About Year Ago in Sumatra
and Boug hit for $1,000 by
Contributions.

Boys and girls of Washington (and
meet two young ladies' newcomers
to the city. Their names are kechil
ana Hitam and their residence is the
Geological Park. If it doesn't turn
out to be a case of love at first sight
between you youngsters and the new
arrivals. people who have had the
pleasure of seeing the latter have
missed their guess by long way.
You've guessed it from the picture
the new arrivals are elephants-baby
elephants. the kind you've read about
and. perhaps seen pictures of i'll books
about the east. and littler than any
you have ever seen in a circus or any
where else. -..l..
The children of Washington have
never ceased to miss Dunk. that
good old elephant who was such
favorite with the youngsters here. as
elephants. of all the animal kingdom.
usually are with children. The half
gnown African pachyderm now out at
the Zoo has never exactly filled the
bill, although he is an animal of fine
character and model habits. When it
comes to elephants people seem to
want either great big busters" like
Jumbo. or cunning little ones. and If
hearts Of Zoo fans" it won't be their
fault. for young animals more bright
or more cunning it would be hard to
imagine.
Hard to Secure.
Their names are Kechil and Hit
am. Malay words meaning respec-
lively small and BLACK" The little
females are Sumatran elephants. cap
tured In the big island of that name
In the East Indies. Baby elephants
are not easy things to get hold of
and the story Of how they come to be
here is an interesting one.
way back last May Dutch tramp
steamer entered New York harbor and
reported that in addition to a cargo
OF merchandise, there were seven baby
elephants from Sumatra on board. AS
there was no permit to import them
the captain OF the steamer had to
hurry to Washington and secure per
mission from the War Trade Board to
bring the little things ashore.
through the captains visit here the
geological Park authorities heard that
there was an opportunity to procure a
couple OF them and thus replace Dunk.
the Old fellow in whose memory the
Children of the District wished to erect
Z tablet out at the Zoo a few years ago.
But an opportunity to procure usually
means money. and 1t did in this case.
The Zoo authorities had no money to
use in buying new animals. especially
such expensive ones as elephants. be-
cause the high cost Of living" had hit
the Zoo. just as 1t had hit every Ameri-
can household; meat and all other kinds
Of animal food had gone way up in price
There seemed no way of getting hold of
the two desired elephants, and the Zoo
people. especially N. Hollister. assistant
curator of the National Museum and
superlntendent Of the Zoo: w. H. Black
vync
Lewis. tho elephant man. who had tend
ed Dunk. felt greatly disappointed over
missing such splendid opportunity.
Mrs. Walcott Interested.
By chance a Washington woman.
MRS. Charles D. Walcott. wife of the
secretary Of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton. OF which the Zoo is part, learn
ed OF the situation. She said to her
self. Il anne sure there are public
spirited men and women interested in
the happiness of the children of Wash
ington who will contribute the $4,000
neeaed to purchase pair of these
Acting on this belief. she started out
to raise the necessary money. She
told the story to many persons; how
ehe elephants were near at hand, were
only Two and two and a half years
OLD. would live probably a hundred
yo1I1, 3roW to large size and fill a
VOID IN the hearts of the children here,
slowly but surely the subscription
list grew until first one baby was paid
for and finally the last dollar was
sunscrtbed and the whole fund com
pleteo- Some people gave IS. some
s4se many times that amount, but
IeW OF tho gifts were very large. The
otner nve animals were quickly snap.
pea up by other ZOOS and circuses.
The babies were brought here quiet
y some little time ago by the very
man VINO captured them in the wild
5ungiss Of Sumatra. Visitors to the
zoo Inc last few weeks have noticed
tnat the old elephant house, near the
quarters formerly occupied by Dunk,
bore sign "Closed for repairs" Well.
SO it was closed for repairs and for
necessary remodeling. but lately it
has been also closed to keep enthusi-
astic crowds from getting q glimpse
OF the new arrivals until they be
come used to their surroundings and
Kechil and Hitam are playful. to
say the least. They are merry souls.
ana their scuddfngs and baby trum-
petinKs cause Supt Hol1ister some-
times to fear lest passers-by might
think . murder was being pulled of
II the old elephant house. After their
dinue1 Of hAy-of which they eat
about Afteen pounds q day-they have
been having 4 -desssrt. Of bran mash.
served in q big tin tuh Once the