The San Diego Union, in the Wednesday, 2 January 1924 edition, wrote about free elephant rides for children on Sunday.
" Joy 'Noses' Into Saddle Pads, But Children Get Ride; More Favored Next Sunday.
"Eight hundred and forty youngsters yesterday rode an elephant for the first time in their lives, and, except for a mischievous prank on the part of Joy, smaller of the two Indian elephants given the Balboa Park zoo by John D. Spreckels, at least twice that number of boys and girls would have traveled around the elephant track on the great, high, swaying howdahs.
"Mistress Joy, apparently scenting a day of hard work before here, broke into the saddle box in the elephant compound some time during the night and playfully destroyed eveerything her inquisitive trunk could find. Among the debris when morning came were the almost unrecognizable remains of the mattresses used as saddle pads, and Joy had spread great bunches of mattress stuffing all over the com,pound.
"One saddle pad was improvised from spare canvas, blankets and other material found at the zoo, and, as punishment for her sins, the erring elephant was made to carry 840 kids all by her lonesome, while her companion Happy, loafed and looked on. While hundreds of children had the time of their lives, at least twice as many more begged for a place in the howdah and were persuaded to forego the treat and allow poor, tired Joy to seek her supper, only upon being promised that they should ride next Sunday afternoon.
"New saddle pads are being made and both Happy and Joy will carry passengers next Sunday afternoon from 2 o'clock to 5. Keeper J.E. Renshaw said last night that he would like to borrow two or three brass bands for the remaining days of the week in order to accustom his two pets to the bedlam created by a thousand or two howling, pleading youngsters. Although never having carried passengers until yesterday, and never in all her life having heard such tremendous racket, Joy behaved exceedingly well under trying conditions. She made 61 trips around the track, carrying eight passengers each trip, although so bewildered by the noise that she hardly knew what she was doing.
"Zoo authorities have asked The Union to announce that free tickets entitling them to ride on the elephant again will be given to the children who visit the zoo next Sunday. It will be possible to carry approxmiately 1500 children during the afternoon, and all children who do not succeed in getting a ride Sunday will be permitted to hold their tickets until the following Sunday.
"Sunday, Jan. 6, however, will be the last day on which free tickets will be given, and after that date a charge of 25 cents will be made for each ride, the receipts being used to buy the tons of hay, bran, oats and other dainties required to keep elephants fat and good natured."
The source citation for the article is:
" Joy 'Noses' Into Saddle Pads, But Children Get Ride; More Favored Next Sunday," newspaper article, San Diego [Calif.] Union newspaper, dated 2 January 1924, page 9; imaged, GenealogyBank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 27 October 2025).
Why would I care about this, other than it's an interesting piece of San Diego history from 101 years ago? Well, I have my reasons! Stay tuned!
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