Portland Public Library

Topsy, the startling story of the crooked-tailed elephant, P.T. Barnum, and the American wizard, Thomas Edison, Michael Daly

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

contains biographical information

illustrationsplates

index present

non fiction

Topsy

bibliography

850420895

Michael Daly

the startling story of the crooked-tailed elephant, P.T. Barnum, and the American wizard, Thomas Edison

Describes how a circus elephant named Topsy was electrocuted in 1903 with 6,600 volts of alternating current as proof that it was much more dangerous than direct current in an ongoing dispute between Thomas Edison and George WestinghouseAt the turn of the century, the circus in America was at its apex with the circuses of P.T. Barnum and Adam Forepaugh competing in a War of the Elephants, with declarations of whose pachyderms were younger, bigger, or more "sacred". This brought Topsy to America. In 1903, on Coney Island, Topsy was electrocuted, a victim of the War of the Currents, in which Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla battled over alternating versus direct current. Daly weaves together period Americana, circus tidbits and larger than life characters for an entertaining read