1914-06-19

It was a gift to the city of Hamilton, a gift that was unusual to say the least.

          In 1914, the zoo at Dundurn Park was a popular destination for both Hamiltonians and visitors to the city.

The gift was the subject of intense curiosity when it reached the city:

“Leo, the big African male lion, presented to the city by the Washburn Shows company, arrived in this city yesterday afternoon, and was immediately transferred to Dundurn park, where he was placed in the special quarters recently prepared for him in a remote section of the bears’ cage.”¹

¹ “Leo at Dundurn : Big African Lion Presented to City Arrived Yesterday.”

Hamilton Spectator.   June 19, 1914.

A local firm, the Canadian Express company provided one of its large trucks to take Leo from the Stuart street railway station to Dundurn park. A large strong iron cage on the back of the truck ensured that the big cat did not escape into one of the city neighbourhoods while en route.

At the Dundurn zoo, trouble was experienced transferring the lion from the truck into its new permanent quarters:

“Once in his new home, Leo started out on a tour of inspection. He made a careful examination of every detail of the cage, occasionally testing the strength of its strong iron bars by throwing his weight against, or thrusting his huge paws between them.

“He cast rather jealous eyes in the direction of the bears, glanced at several strange faces in his immediate vicinity, then lay down quite contently in one corner and went to sleep.”¹

A Spectator reporter managed to interview the keeper who had accompanied Leo to Hamilton from Woodstock.

The keeper said that Leo was quite harmless when in a cage by himself, but when he was in company with other lions, he became quite difficult to manage:

“Leo was originally trained for the leading part in an arena act with a number of other lions,” said the trainer. “For some time, he played his part well, and never failed to answer his call when his turn for action came. One day it was decided to make a change in the act which necessitated the placing of Leo in a minor part, and from that moment he was a different lion. It was a case of being the leading man in the part or nothing, and even when he was again raised to his former prestige by being changed to his original part, he refused to be the same quiet, well-behaved Leo of former days. Mr. Washburn then decided to present him to the city of Hamilton.”¹

The article on Leo’s arrival in Hamilton ended with the statement of Mr. Washburn that Leo was valued at $1,000.