Sunday, November 09, 2008

Kay Bros. Circus #1 (From Bill Cooker)


Kay Bros01, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Hi Buckles, Kay Bros. Elephant Truck, Springfield, New Jersey May 8th, 1935
Regards,
Bill Cooker

"These elephants are "Danny" and "Eva" formerly known as the "Maybelle Elephants" of vaudeville fame when presented by Maybelle Smith daughter of Otis L. Smith, carnival owner.
While with Kay Bros. they were called the "Mary Ellen Elephants" after Mary Ellen Ketrow the daughter of the show's owner, William Ketrow and in both cases worked by veteran elephant man Joe Secastin."
Buckles

Posted by Buckles at 11/09/2008 06:04:00 AM

7 comments:

Harry Kingston said...

Looking at this rig with the 2 elephants in it and the gas powered truck and the condition of the roads in 1935 it is wonder how they got them from town to town.
Not being an elephant expert and just a guess of the weight of the elephants at 15,000 pounds plus alot more and the weight of the truck and trailer how did they do it.
Any pros with any information on how it was to transport elephants across America in 1935 by truck and road conditions etc want to enlighten us.
With muddy roads, weak bridges, and trucks with out the power they have today want to pass on some good tails from the past and lets hear them and the way it was.
Harry

09 November, 2008 11:29
Anonymous said...

You stuckem in grandma and keptem under 15 mph, and it was a real thrill when the dam things would jump out of gear,that is on the slightly newer model 1947's. That was my first bear truck.

09 November, 2008 17:48
Anonymous said...

Would have been a thrill to get the darn thing to stop. These rigs had just mechanical brakes and after the 1st pump they would just fade away. Had a friend that drove a pipe truck before and after the war. Used horses and mules to get them in and out of the oilfields. No brakes,no power steering, heat or defrosters. I wonder how many times they would have to unload them to cross the smaller bridges?
P.J.Holmes

09 November, 2008 23:09
Anonymous said...

I broke in driving those half cab over Chevys with a not so powerful engine [had to keep em wound up at all times] and vacumn brakes [what a joke they were] and then driving an Int. corn binder down mountains that would jump right out of gear unless I keep one hand holding the gear shift and my guy with a chalk block riding shotgun withe the door open and one foot on the running board running board. The good old days, but I am lucky like most of us that we can tell about it.I like Florida where the highest peak is the SUNSHINE sKYWAY.

10 November, 2008 08:03
Anonymous said...

p.s. When I was a kid they would unload the elephants and walk them up and down any steep hills. Also the mechanic would follow the limed road driving the elephant truck at the end of the fleet in order to pull a truck to get them started. When Bert Pettus and I took two loads of Cole elephants to Macon, Ga. [three to a trailker], we had to walk the Nellie herd to the top of Lookout Mtn. [no interstate in 1950]. The tractor just did not have the guts to get it over the top and then it seemed like a scary down hill clear to Macon. No tandems on truck or trailer. tHE ELEPHANTS WOULD PUSH OR PULL while riding in the trailer in moving and it was a weird feeling to be sure while driving

10 November, 2008 08:17
Unknown said...

Is this picture in color by any chance? Trying to do some models of the pics I can find. Thanks.

16 December, 2012 10:59
Unknown said...

Is this picture of the Kay Brothers truck in color by any chance? Any chance of getting copies of any pics of the kay brothers circus?

16 December, 2012 10:59

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