Tuesday, May 01, 2012

1898 Great Wallace Shows (From Buckles)

07-31-2011 04;22;38PM by bucklesw1
07-31-2011 04;22;38PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Written on the back:
"Snubbed down is "Prince" after having been subdued by Menagerie Supt. Harry Reed.
He came to Peru in 1888 from a New York Animal Dealer.
"Prince" killed Joe Anderson in Racine, Wis. on 7/1/98 when a bicycle rider rode between him and Anderson and the elephant struck at the rider but hit Anderson, then followed up and killed him.
Bull was strangled that evening with ropes pulled by canvasmen."

Posted by Buckles at 5/01/2012 06:16:00 AM

7 comments:

Wade G. Burck said...

Buckles,
It is hard to imagine getting a rig like this on a po'd bull elephant. Much respect, some of those old timers really had it going on, didn't they? Thank's for sharing.

Wade Burck

01 May, 2012 06:45
Wade G. Burck said...

Buckles,
I have read stories of them feeding elephants rosin, back in the day to "calm the beast." Have you ever heard of such a thing. What is in rosin, if anything that would act as a "calming agent/tranquilizer" to bulls in musth?

Rosin is brittle and friable, with a faint piny odor. It is typically a glassy solid, though some rosins will form crystals, especially when brought into solution.[7] The practical melting point varies with different specimens, some being semi-fluid at the temperature of boiling water, others melting at 100°C to 120°C. It is very flammable, burning with a smoky flame, so care should be taken when melting it. It is soluble in alcohol, ether, benzene and chloroform. Rosin consists mainly of abietic acid, and combines with caustic alkalis to form salts (rosinates or pinates) that are known as rosin soaps. In addition to its extensive use in soap making, rosin is largely employed in making varnishes (including fine violin varnishes), sealing wax and various adhesives. It is also used for preparing shoemakers' wax, for pitching lager beer casks, and numerous minor purposes.

Wade Burck

01 May, 2012 07:52
Buckles said...

I never knew that but but they sometimes fed elephants charcoal or even tobacco in leaf form for parasites.
In fact Bucky Steele always said he wanted his ashes scattered over his elephants grain as it would serve the same purpose.

01 May, 2012 08:49
Wade G. Burck said...

Buckles,
Thank you. Lou fed a warm oat/bran mash with charcoal to the elephants in the wintertime, instead of sweet feed.

Wade Burck

01 May, 2012 10:34
John Herriott said...

I learned in my youth around elephants that a little powdwered roisen mixed in the grain was good to stop elephants stool that loose and had a rank smell. It would firm up the stool and the bicarminate-soda would sweeten the smell. It worked and I used it frquently over the years. In fact I always put a tablespoon of Arm and hammer baking soda in the feed every day. [before we started using prepared sweet feed]. Omalene seems to be the best sweet feed. High percentage protein is not good as it gives them too much pss and vinegar. especially young ones in training. I understand that Ringling feeds an excessive high protein feed that is probably why those babies are uncontrollable. Hoxies elephants were very docile as they got very lille good nutrition. I am not a vet. this is only from observation over the years. Tanglefoot

01 May, 2012 10:35
Wade G. Burck said...

John Milton,
How did that baking soda work for Africans :) I think lethargic is probably what you were seeing on Hoxie, not docility.

Wade Burck

01 May, 2012 12:44
Henry said...

John you would be right with the high protein feed not being good for them. In Germany we always made up a mix of oat and bran but not to much. I guess is the same as feeding a horse to much oats. In the winter time my uncle would give the elephants warm water with rum in it in the evening to keep them warm. He also used a lot of sugar beets in the wintertime for feeding. When I was with Tihany hay was very hard to come by and the main diet was sugar canes.

01 May, 2012 13:58

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