Jumbo Today

But the sale went through. Barnum knew exactly what he had. He told reporters, "The Jumbo fever is on. I shall make a million dollars off him."

When the British public found out, they went berserk. Letters poured into newspapers. Lawyers filed an injunction to stop the sale. Children wrote pleading notes to the Queen. "Don't let them take Jumbo away!" was the cry of London. But the sale went through

In London, everything changed. London fell in love with Jumbo almost instantly. Under the care of a dedicated keeper named Matthew Scott, Jumbo’s health exploded. He grew and grew—and then kept growing. I shall make a million dollars off him

Train conductor William Burnip saw the elephants too late. He slammed the brakes, but the 40-ton locomotive couldn't stop. It slammed into Jumbo at full speed. Children wrote pleading notes to the Queen