Potholders, cigars, and a large sewing machine were all named after Jumbo. Soap, thread, and baking powder were sold using Jumbo's name. One advertisement from this time shows Jumbo in leather boots running across a desert. Another picture shows Jumbo feeding a baby elephant a laxative called Castoria.
Thousands of letters were sent to London Zoo officials. The writers of these letters wanted Jumbo to live at peace in England. A "Jumbo Retention Fund" was set up to keep Jumbo in the London Zoo. One lady sent her new sewing machine to the fund. A bride sent Jumbo a piece of her wedding cake. Thousands of children wrote to Barnum begging him to leave Jumbo in his London home. Barnum refused.
Jumbo lived sixteen years and nine months in the London Zoo. He was now about to start a new life in another land. His trip to America started on the cold morning of March 22, 1882. Jumbo was put into a harness early in the morning. He was led to the box. He did not want to get into it, but he did. It took two hours to chain the fighting elephant inside the box.
Six horses pulled the box from the yard at the Elephant House. It sank into the soft soil of a path. It took three hours to pull the box from the path. It sank into soft soil two more times on its way to the zoo gates. Four more horses were harnessed to the box. It passed through the main gate about 1:30 a.m. The five-mile trip to the London docks started.
The most level way to the Thames was chosen because the horses could not pull the box up any hills. Crowds were watching. Scotty rode on the front of the box. He comforted Jumbo and stroked his trunk. Jumbo was quiet through most of the journey. The box started down a steep hill near the old Clerkenwell House of Detention at the top of Farrington Road. Jumbo shook his head in alarm. The box was forced to move very slowly.
At St Katharine's Dock, east of the Tower of London, the box was lifted with a winch at 7 a.m. on March 23. It was put on the barge, "Clarence". Workers made the box secure. Jumbo was given a big breakfast. An old lady who had walked behind the box all the way from Regent's Park brought Jumbo some beer. She said good-bye through her tears.
Three hours later, the tide was favorable. The barge was towed into the river by tugboats bearing the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes. Thousands of people had gathered in every empty space to say good-bye to Jumbo. The barge floated downstream to the Isle of Dogs.
Jumbo took alarm again when the barge passed Dundee Docks. He rammed the bars of his crate. The bars were loosened. The engines were cut. Scotty comforted the frightened elephant. The trip was resumed. At the Millwall Docks, the box was lifted by crane about 3:45 p.m. to the quayside. It was here that Jumbo would spend the night.
The box was weighed as it was lifted. It weighed twelve and a half tons. It was known that the wood and iron of the box weighed six and a half tons. Jumbo therefore weighed six tons. Scotty and Bartlett had always thought Jumbo weighed six tons. But this was the first time Jumbo had actually been weighed mechanically. On Friday March 24, it took only eight minutes to lower Jumbo and his box to the "Assyrian Monarch".
There were 600 passengers on the "Assyrian Monarch". They were mostly Russian Jews going to the United States. There were 90 crew members. Food was brought on the ship for Jumbo's 13–14 day voyage. There were 65 bales of hay, of ship's biscuits, 50 loaves of white bread, three sacks of oats, three sacks of bran, and two sacks of onions.
A lunch party was held on the ship for London Zoo officials, the Sheriff of London, businessmen, Barnum's agents, and others interested in the adventure. Barnum's agent Bill Newman was given the Zoological Society's Gold Medal for calmly and skillfully handling Jumbo. Scotty the man who had given Jumbo devoted care and love for 18 years was ignored. The ship left the next morning. Lady Angela Burdett-Coutts was Jumbo's great friend. She came from London to Gravesend with friends to feed the elephant his last English buns. When the visitors left, the ship put out to sea.
Scotty took off most of Jumbo's chains to make him comfortable. His head, body, and trunk were free. His feet were chained. The elephant leaned against the side of the box. He fell asleep for the first time in several days. Jumbo's box got plenty of fresh air. Passengers fed him bread and fruit. Barnum had news stories about Jumbo put in rubber bags then dropped into the sea. Weeks later, the first bag washed ashore in southern Ireland. A telegram was sent to London after passing the last point of British soil called the Lizard. It read, "Jumbo well; very quiet; unchained."
The "Assyrian Monarch" arrived in the New York harbor about midnight on Easter Sunday April 9, 1882 after almost two weeks on the sea. A telegram was sent to the "London Times" telling the British that Jumbo had arrived safely in America and was in good health. Jumbo's crate was lifted from the hold of the "Assyrian Monarch" to a small steamer called "Only Son". Jumbo was ferried across the Hudson River to the New York docks.
Barnum and his partners Bailey and Hutchinson went aboard the "Only Son" with several journalists to see Jumbo. The elephant had traveled well. He drank a bottle of whiskey. Barnum did not drink alcoholic beverages and protested. He looked at Scotty and said, "I do believe that elephant's growth has been stunted by the use of beer."
Some journalists were disappointed with Jumbo's height. They said he was just as big as the other elephants in Barnum's circus. Barnum told them there was a big difference between an elephant's actual height and his "museum" height. The journalists were satisfied with this explanation (whatever it meant). Barnum was thrilled with Jumbo. Everyone was talking about the animal, and this meant ticket sales.
Superintendent Hatfield of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children came aboard the "Only Son". He had heard reports of Jumbo's bad temper, and boarded the ship to be certain Jumbo was not a threat to the children of New York City. Barnum told him Jumbo was "perfectly lamb-like". Hatfield took a long look at Jumbo, then left the ship with the sense that Jumbo was indeed a gentle animal.
A crowd of hundreds had gathered on shore to welcome Jumbo. By late afternoon, the crowd had grown to 10,000 impatient, noisy onlookers. Jumbo became frightened. His crate swayed as it was lifted and lowered to a waiting barge. Three cheers were raised. By 7:00 pm, Jumbo was ashore. His crate had been put on a strong wagon.
The crowd wanted Jumbo to walk up Broadway to Madison Square Garden where the circus was playing. Bailey would not allow it, fearing the animal might attack the crowd. Eight horses and 500 men could not move the wagon. Another eight horses were brought in as well as Gypsy and Chief, two Asian elephants from the circus. The eight additional horses were not needed. They were led behind the wagon as it started to move. The elephants were used as needed to push the wagon out of ruts.
When the procession arrived at Madison Square Garden, Jumbo's crate was too tall for the building's entrance. He was left on the sidewalk for the night, his crate covered with tarpaulins. In the morning, blacksmiths removed the iron bars of the crate. Jumbo was free, but he would not leave the crate. Scotty stood aside to let Jumbo take his time. The elephant finally stepped out, and went into the building. Floorboards shattered under his weight. When he reached the race track, he knelt and rolled over. Scotty assured everyone Jumbo was not dead but only resting after his long trip. He finally rose and was taken to his stall, after another rest period. Once in his stall, a heavy chain fastened to a stake was wrapped around his leg. He yanked the stake from the ground and tossed it aside. Meanwhile, the largest crowd in circus history was waiting for the afternoon performance to start.