Elephants Killed for Ivory

1896

One-fifth of the world's commerce in ivory comes to Great Britain, and it will astonish most people to learn that 15,000 elephants have to be killed every year to keep our markets supplied with the precious substance. Altogether, to keep the whole world in ivory — apart from fossil tusks — 75,000 elephants are slaughtered annually.

Africa is the great ivory country, and in the Congo basin, the best hunting ground there are supposed to be about 200,000 elephants, worth altogether about half a million sterling. The average weight of ivory obtained from a single elephant is about fifty pounds. Tusks weighing about a hundred pounds each have been procured, but this is very rare.

The most expensive tusks are those used in the manufacture of billiard balls; they cost, as a rule, $550 a hundred-weight.

Ivory dust and shavings are used by confectioners to stiffen the more expensive kinds of jellies. The scrapings are often burnt and made into a paint known as "ivory black," worth about $100 a ton.

The hardest of all ivory is that obtained from the hippopotamus. It will emit sparks like a piece of flint when struck with steel, and is principally used in making artificial teeth. — Answers.

Mastodon's Jawbone Found Near Beecher, Illinois

1903

Farmers Near Beecher Make an Interesting Discovery

Farmers widening a ditch near Beecher, Ill., a few days ago made a wonderful discovery of the jawbone of a primeval monster, and those who examined it believe it is a portion of a mastodon. It was found at the bottom of Tim creek, one and one-half miles from the town.

While the men were dredging the ditch the steam shovel struck something hard, which the men thought was rock. Investigation showed it to be a portion of a jawbone of an animal of prehistoric times. The specimen weighs twenty pounds, and has three large teeth. Each tooth, is five inches long and six inches wide, and the molars are in an excellent state of preservation. Other bones have been found in the vicinity.

The specimen is now in the possession of Arthur Struve, a banker of Beecher, and he said that the large jawbone will be taken to Professor Starr of the University of Chicago for examination.

"I want to learn just what animal this jawbone belongs to, and I believe that the territory is full of interesting specimens," said Banker Struve.

Some time ago boys playing in Tim creek found the tusk of some huge animal near the same spot where the jawbone was discovered. It is three feet long.