An elephant that escaped from a small traveling circus in Downey chased after and terrorized the A.H. Ensign family who were motorists passing through the town. Several intermountain newspapers reported the odd event. “Chased by an escaped and infuriated elephant and escaping death or serious injury only by the speed of their automobile was the experience in Downey, Ida., a few days ago of A.H. Ensign a Salt Lake insurance man, and his family. Mr. and Mrs. Ensign and their son have just returned from an auto trip through Wyoming and Idaho and have been telling their friends about their remarkable experience and their wild race to safety.
‘We were motoring near Downey,’ said Mr. Ensign yesterday, and an elephant belonging to a small circus that had pitched its tents there had become unmanageable and escaped. We did not know that until we saw the huge beast rushing toward us in the road, bellowing and snorting furiously, with its trunk raised. The elephant was evidently in a very bad humor. It was coming toward us at a rapid gait and completely blocked our road ahead. I quickly turned the car around and started in the opposite direction, the animal was scarcely more than ten feet behind us. Then began the most thrilling and hair-raising race I have ever taken part in. We knew the beast had escaped from its trainers and its action plainly showed it to be in a mad animal rage.
The beast raced after us, whipping its trunk in the air and continuing the hideous noises. Realizing that we were in the gravest danger, that it probably meant death for is if the animal overtook us, I coaxed speed out of our machine. In order to get away from our pursuer as quickly as possible, AI did not turn completely in the road but started off to one side. The ground was uneven and with our fathering speed, we came near upsetting. This added to the danger of the situation.
For a time I thought we would have to plunge into a canal and endeavor to escape across it, but as our car generated speed, we gained on the elephant. Also the animal began to tire. In a few minutes we were beyond danger. Circus attaches on horses and armed with huge hooks soon appeared in pursuit of the elephant. The fact that the beast had got tired in his wild charges made it possible for the circus people to subdue it after a considerable struggle.”
One news article summarized, “When the elephant had been overtaken and subdued, Mr. Ensign proceeded on his way to this city.Asked as to the at which the elephant was traveling, Mr. Ensign , ‘He came at us with with an awkward jump-like stride, but could cover ground rapidly because of the length of the jump. It looked like for a minute as if he would reach the car, and if he had there is no telling what might have happened. When the machine got underway, however, we easily outdistanced him.” Ogden Standard and Salt Lake Telegram, 15, July 1913 and Idaho Register (Idaho Falls) , 18 July 1913.
Editors Note: Given that Mr. Ensign sold insurance, I wondered if he represented Farmers Insurance. Some will recall Farmers television advertisements, regarding some quirky and bizarre insurance claims Farmers settled. I can almost hear their intro and certainly can see in my minds eye a charging elephant, bellowing up Main Street,: “If you encounter a rampaging pachyderm in the bustling berg of Downey, Idaho, even if your car can’t outrun the beast, you can count on Farmers.” Dum, de dum dum.
Source: Taken verbatim (except for the Editors Note, that simply could not be resisted) from: In the Shadow of Oxford Peak A History of Downey, Idaho, and Surrounding Area Volume one, compiled by the Downey History Book Committee, copyright 2016 page 16
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