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Fierce Jaguar Perils 2,000

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Published in the Lake County Independent, Libertyville, Illinois on Friday, July 21, 1905

     More than 2,000 persons and four passenger trains on the Colorado Midland railroad were held in tunnel No. 6, two miles west of Manitou, by a fierce South American Jaguar. Before he was captured the animal clawed Joseph Bennett of Colorado Springs, cutting a severe gash across his right leg. Miss Delmont, a passenger on one of the trains, became frightened and in endeavoring to scale a high cliff fell a distance of twenty feet, breaking her left leg. The jaguar and a polar bear occupied two compartments in a large cage that was loaded upon a flat car of the train belonging to a circus. The cage was too high to enter the mouth of the tunnel and as the cage struck the tunnel its roof was torn off. The keeper threw on the air brakes, stopping the train. He threw rocks at the bear and fired blank cartridges at the jaguar to keep them from escaping. The animal crawled under the car and during efforts to drive it into another cage Bennett received his injuries. Finally the animal was driven into a small cage, but before the door could be closed the train started and the jaguar again leaped for liberty. It dashed through the tunnel, but upon emerging at the other end found itself in a narrow cut. After some efforts the animal was again captured and placed in his cage.

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Killed By An Elephant.

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Published in the Lake County Independent, Libertyville, Illinois on Friday, April 14, 1899

Frank Fisher, Keeper of Rajah, is the Animal’s Sixth Victim.

     Frank Fisher, keeper of the big elephant Rajah, was killed by his charge at the winter quarters of Lemen Bros. circus in Argentine, Kas. The keeper, becoming angry at the elephant, struck him fiercely with a “hook.” The huge beast promptly turned on him, grabbed him with his trunk and threw him high in the air. When the body fell the elephant trampled it and gored it with his tusks till it was a shapless mess. Fisher is Rajah’s sixth victim. The people who live near the show quarters are determined that the beast shall die. The show proprietors, however, insist the elephant was justified in his act on the ground of cruelty.

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La Grippe Attacks an Elephant.

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Published in the Lake County Independent, Libertyville, Illinois on Friday, March 9, 1894

     The novel sight of an elephant suffering with a severe attack of the grip was seen at the winter quarters of a circus in Rockford. Queen Jumbo, the largest elephant now in captivity, and valued at $12,000, was taken sick and suffered most intense agony. Half a dozen times the beast was overcome with spasms, and it required heroic treatment to save her life. During the day the animal consumed ten gallons of whisky and a half a barrel of mustard was applied externally. The other animals realized her illness, and kept up a deafening howling and moaning all day.

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Circus Animals Die in Fire.

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Published in the Lake County Independent, Libertyville. Illinois on Friday, May 6, 1904

Gasoline Torch Explodes and Destroys Camels, Elephants and Bears.

     A circus train arrived in Pawnee City, Neb., late the other night. Early the next morning one of the animal-keepers went through the elephant cars to see that all was right, when the gasoline torch which he carried exploded and the entire car was immediately in flames and all the animals were burned. Four camels, three elephants, two sacred cattle and a black bear perished. The loss is estimated at about $30,000, with no insurance.

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Rats and Dogs Incur Displeasure on North side.

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Tuesday, August 25, 1914

Rest is Broken Nights by Barking of Dogs at Night Who Are Hunting Rats.

Must Exterminate One.

Have About Decided That it Would be Most Satisfactory to Kill the Rodents.

     If all other means fail residents of Chestnut street may open a systematic campaign of extermination against the rodents who infest the ruins of the Wainwright Mattress factory on that street. They don’t care so much about the presence of the rats, but the presence there of the rodents has been the means of attracting nearly every dog within a radius of several blocks. These dogs, it is complained make the night hideous with their barking and howling.

     The condition, according to people living in that vicinity, has continued for some time but they have put up with the nuisance because they thought the dogs might tire of their sport and allow people in the neighborhood to sleep. But there is no indication that this is the intention of the dogs, therefore the determination on the part of residents to do something.

     Shortly after the mattress factory burned down, some rats found the debris made a fine place to build their nests. They multiplied rapidly and soon there were hundreds of them scampering about.

     Some of the dogs in the neighborhood soon discovered this fact and they spread the joyful tidings to the other dogs of their acquaintance. At times it is said there are from ten ot twenty dogs digging about in the ruins for rats.

     This would not be so bad, it is said, if the dogs did their hunting in the daytime but it is claimed they perfer to be there at night. There are big dogs and little dogs, “black dogs, white dogs, tan dogs, well bred dogs and the ordinary cur-infact it is possible to find almost any kind there. No two of them bark in the same key and the breaking loose of Bedlam certain could not be much worse than the variegated barking and howling. This continues the greater part of the night at times and people are robbed of their slumber.

     The matter has grown serious. It has resolved itself into one of two things.

     First-Kill the dogs.

     Second-Destroy the rats.

     Because the owners might object to the former course it is thought to be more logical to wage warfare on the rats. Just how this wil be done has not been determined but the residents of the street insist they must have some relief from the noise. They may secure this by causing the rubbish in the basement to be carted away.

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Dead Horses On Ground In Full View Of Trains.

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Monday, April 12, 1915

Fourteen Dead Horses Lie on the Ground near Railroad Tracks at Beach.

Investigation Demanded.

Man Said to Buy Horses for Their Hides and Leaves the Carcasses on Ground.

     The presence of the carcasses of fourteen dead horses on a knoll beside the Chicago and Northwestern railroad tracks just north of the Beach station and just this side of Zion City, has caused a protest to be made and an investigation is to be started.

     People riding by on the trains were the first to notice the carcasses. At first they could not imagine why they were there. A fact that puzzled them still more was that the carcasses all were skinned.

     Investigation brings forth the statement that a man living in that vicinity makes it a practice to buy up horses which have outlived their usefulness. He is said to take them to this spot which overlooks the track and there shoots them. He then removes their hide which has a commercial value.

     Up to the present time he has made no effort to bury these dead bodies. Whether he intends to is merely a matter of conjecture. It is feared that unless this is done there will be a fearful stench as warm weather arrives. People say they do not purpose to put up with such a nuisance and have demanded that something be done at once. Nothing but the burial or removal of the carcasses will suffice.

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Bull Attacks Man; His Collie Dog Saves Him 2 Hired Men’s Efforts Fail.

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Friday, May 1, 1914

     Joe Atkinson of Roundout Vicinity Has Frightful Experience With Animal Which Previously Had Always Been Gentle-Two Farm Hands Rush To Aid Of Employer But The Bull Keeps On Goring And Pawing Him About The Yard-Collie Rushes To Rescue, And, With Bites And Barks, Detracts Bull’s Attention While Workmen Rescue Him.

     With two hired men trying to beat off an enraged bull which attacked him and was pawing and butting him about the yard, Joe Atkinson, who lives with his mother a mile and a half northeast of Roundout had his life saved when a faithful collie dog, responding to the shouts of the men and the victim, rushed at the bull, bit his legs and nose and finally distracted the animal’s attention sufficiently to enable the workmen to hustle Atkinson to safety.

     The incident occured Wednesday. The bull, always king and gentle, was let into the yard where the watering trough is, and, each night he would walk in, take his drink and walk quietly back to his quarters. But, on Wednesday, as Atkinson stood waiting for the animal to proceed back to his pen, the animal suddenly turned on him.

     He tossed the young farmer into the air but Atkinson fortunately landed on his knees when he hit the ground; the bull tossed himagain. This time the victim landed on his back and the bull came after him, pawing and butting him as he lay prostrate on the ground.

     The victim shouted all this time for help and the two farm hands rushed to his aid. They endeavored to beat the enraged bull off, seeing their master under his feet which he was using to advantage in pawing, pulling and poking Atkinson about the yard. For a hundred feet he had dragged, pushed and butted the victim.

     The efforts of the hired men were unavailing for the bull just kept on with his sport. All the time the men were shouting to a collie dog which was about the place and finally, just as the situation was becoming so dangerous that they felt their master’s life was likely to be sacrificed to their inability to get the animal’s attention detracted, the dog came bouncing to the scene. He saw what the trouble was at a glance and started after the bull. He bit his nose as the animal was bending his head over the dog’s master, then he bit his legs. The maddened bull naturally would turn his attention to the dog soon, mused the workmen as they kept on trying to detract the animal’s attention. Sure enough, that’s what happened.

     The bull, enraged by the appearence of the dog and its interference with what he was doing, turned on the big collie and started after him. The collie, undauted and seeming to realize that he was playing the most important part in the near-tragedy, would nip the beast and then jump away, all the time being able to avoid the butts of the bull as he dashed at him.

     And, the hired men, the minute the bull’s attention was centered on the dog, made a rush for Atkinson, who, unable to aid himself, lay prone on the ground. They quickly carried him to the fence, lifted him over and then jumped for safety themselves. The dog all the time was having the time of his life dodging the enraged bull’s rushes and, after he saw his master safety outside the fence, Mr. Collie, as if to say goodbye to the bull, gave a loud yelp and leaped over the fence at a bound, seemingly satisfied with his afternoon’s work.

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Flies Are Being Anniliated In The City This week.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Thursday, June 17, 1915

Local People Are Acting on the Suggestion of City Physician Dr. Foley.

Many Swatters Are Used.

Scores of People Are Getting After the Places Where the Flies Are Breeding.

     This is “Fly Swatting” week and from all accounts the pests are suffering heavy losses at the hands of Waukegan people.

     Before leaving today on his trip to the coast City Physician J. C. Foley urged Waukegan people to keep up the fight against pestiferous insects. That “a stitch in time saves nine,” is a well recognized axiom. Dr. Foley says the same applies to flies. To kill one at this season of the year, he says, means to prevent the multiplication of countless millions before the end of the season.

     “I think the majority of people understand how to exterminate the fly,” he said. “About the best rule that can be laid down is to start swatting them at once and not let up so long as one can be found. It is impossible to estimate the amount of damage done by flies. Many cases of illness are directly attributable to flies as it is a known fact that they carry many communicable diseases, such as typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and others. This is not hard to understand when one realizes that there is no filth, that is too filthy for the fly. He goes directly from a manure pile or garbage can into the kitchen or sick room. Many cases of sickness among children are caused by flies.”

     There are many Waukegan people who are going even further than merely swatting the flies. They are destroying the breeding places by the action of chemicals. Then too, the removal of all garbage from the reach of flies is effective.

     The fight should be “to the death” for the flies offer no quarter when they make their attacks upon humanity.

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A Tiger Frightened by a Mouse.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, July 22, 1865

     A traveler gives the following anecdote of a tiger kept at the British Residency at Calcutta; “But what annoyed him far more than our poking him with a stick, or tantalizing him with shins of beef or legs of mutton, was a mouse introduced into his cage. No fine lady ever exhibited more terror at the sight of a spider than this magnificent royal tiger betrayed on seeing a mouse. Our mischievous plan was to tie the little animal by a string to the end of a long pole and thrust it close to the tiger’s nose. The moment he saw it he leaped to the opposite side, and stood trembling, and roaring in such fear, that we were almost obliged to desist in pity to the poor brute. Sometimes we insisted on his passing over the spot where the unconscious little mouse ran backwards and forwards. For a long time, however, we could not get him to move, till at length, I believe, by the help of a squib we obliged him to move, but instead of pacing leisurely across his den, or of making a detour to avoid the object of his alarm, he generally took a kind of flying leap, so high as to bring his back in contact with the roof of his cage.

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Lioness and Tiger Fight to the Death.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, October 11, 1902

   At the zoological gardens at Perth, Western Australia, there recently took place a fearful battle between a lioness and a tiger. An eyewitness says the scene was terrifying.

     Seizing the lioness by the throat, the tiger’s teeth tore threw the flesh, severing the windpipe and lacerating the neck frightfully. He dragged her round the cage and on one occasion threw her right over his back. The strength of the tiger can be gauged by the fact that the lioness is estimated to have weighed quite two hundredweight. Mr. La Souef, the director of the gardens, says that with the strength he displayed during the fight the tiger would be capable of taking a full grown horse in his mouth and carrying it away.

     The struggle lasted twenty minutes, and it was impossible for the director and head keeper, who witnessed the affair, to separate the enraged beasts. A hose was played with its full force in the faces of the animals, but to no avail. The noise and excitement were tremendous. The lioness showed great pluck and fought with all her strength, but the tiger was her master. Eventually, by dint of beating him with a stick and shouting, the tiger was induced to drop his prey and crawled into an inner cage, where he was promptly isolated.

     The lioness died hard and almost at the last used her remaining strength to bite through a piece of stout board which Mr. le Souef tried to pass under her head in order to relieve her breathing.

     The tiger bore few marks of the encounter, although he received some terrible blows. According to an eyewitness, each one would have been sufficient to smash in the head of a man.

     Half an hour after the tiger had been driven away the lioness died.

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