Mark Twain, Ernie Davis, John W. Jones, Ross Marvin, Hal
Roach, and others like them are famous local figures. Their names are well-known as we celebrate
and remember them in our museums and community organizations.
While we frequently hear stories of these Elmira’s
celebrities, one has been largely lost from our historical memory: Colonel, the
Elmira Telegram’s famous St. Bernard
mascot.
Before you think that I wrote that last sentence sarcastically,
understand that Colonel was a big deal during the 1890s. The Elmira
Telegram adorned their publicity materials, reporter’s cards, and other
materials with Colonel’s image. A
September 1890 article in The Poultry
Monthly stated, “Doubtless, Colonel
is the best known dog of his species in this country, and his name has become a
household word, especially in the states of New York and Pennsylvania,
throughout which the Telegram is
almost universally read.”
Reportorial Card featuring Colonel |
Colonel was born in Thun, Switzerland in 1886 and was
imported to the United States in 1888 (purchasing dogs from Europe was
incredibly popular during this era). He
was eventually gifted to the Telegram. The newspaper featured him and a young boy,
Paul Bloch (who later went on to found his own news empire), in a major
promotional campaign. The campaign
clearly worked, because Colonel’s popularity grew and he was requested for
appearances throughout the area of the paper’s readership. In 1889, he visited Manhattan, meeting
hundreds of adoring fans at the Astor House and was mobbed by thousands more at
the train station.
Promotional material featuring Colonel and Paul Bloch |
Colonel made local visits, as well. He stopped in Hornellsville to visit the town’s
ladies and children. Colonel must have
had a calm temperament because a report describes the scene as such: “It was
really a beautiful scene to see the children, with their tiny arms around his
neck, some clinging to his sides, while others who could get near enough clung
to his massive tail. Many hugs and
kisses were bestowed upon him that day.”
Like any good celebrity, Colonel vacationed during the “hot
months.” He summered at Lake Ridge on
Cayuga Lake, but returned in the Fall months to serve as an attraction at the
Interstate Fair in Elmira.
Colonel in front of the Elmira Telegram office |
I’m not sure how long Colonel lived or was used by the Telegram, but he did appear on their
printed materials until at least 1896.
At that point, Colonel would have been 10 years old, which for a breed
of his size living in an era without modern veterinary care was rather
remarkable. Colonel has been largely
forgotten, but his story reminds us that animals have long played important
(and sometimes surprising) roles in our history and that celebrity can take
many forms.
UPDATE: For more on Colonel's story and his tragic end read Kelli's article "The Mascot" in New York State Archives Magazine 14, no. 4 (Spring 2015).
UPDATE: For more on Colonel's story and his tragic end read Kelli's article "The Mascot" in New York State Archives Magazine 14, no. 4 (Spring 2015).
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