September 15, 1885 –
Circus showman P.T. Barnum’s prize elephant Jumbo was struck dead by a freight train in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. It took 150 men to haul the carcass up an embankment, from whence it is taken to a taxidermist.
The stuffed Jumbo became a featured attraction in Barnum’s circus.
Afterwards, P.T. Barnum was an early trustee and benefactor of Tufts and he donated the stuffed hide of Jumbo to the university. On April 14, 1975, Barnum Hall and the beloved elephant were consumed in an electrical fire. Some of his ashes were recovered in a peanut butter jar that has remained in the athletics director’s office where students continue to rub it for good luck.
Demand Euphoria!.
The Haus of Dcaligari 