The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-03-18
FIGHTING WITH WOLVES.
a Farmers Desperate Struggle
With Famished Animals,


Orlean On. V Letter in n. Y. Times.
During the present winter, farm
ers living in sparsely-settled por-
tions of Bradford county, Pennsyl-
vania, have suffered much loss from
the invasions of wolves. The en-
croachments of civilization have
rendered them exceedingly shy, yet
upon occasions when rendered des-
parate by hunger or seeing no
chance for escape, they fight furl-
ously. The animals have played
such havoc among cattle for the
past few months that the inhabi-
tants rose up IN arms and determin-
ed upon policy of determination.
but thus far their attempts have met
with poor success, as the animals
batfied pursuit. Valentine White,
one of the oldest settlers of Brad
ford county, resides a few miles
south Of Clermont. He has cleared
a good-sized farm, and is to some
extent isolated from his neighbors.
Around Mr.. Whites farm is a
dense forest, almost untouched by
the pioneers. Bear, dear and wolf
are abundant, Notwithstanding
which they are seldom disturbed by
hunters. In the rear of MI. Whites
house is huge frame barn with
great cracks, caused by decaying
boards. A few mornings ago
White went out to feed his stock.
AS he reached the barn he heard an
unusual commotion inside. Think
ing some of the animals had broken
loose, he did not open the front
door lest they should escape, but
squeezed himself through a large
aperture left by a broken board.
As soon as he entered the uproar
increased, and he saw in the middle
of the barn floor a heifer which had
torn herself from the stanchion by
main force, and broken one horn in
the act. Clinging to her muzzle
was large gray wolf, with its long,
sharp teeth fastened in the animals
nose with bulldog grip, while an
other was trying to hamstring the
poor creature.
The believing of the heifer, the
snarling of the wolves and the rat
thing of the loose barn floor made
deafening racket, and the human
intruder was unnotlced. The COW
shook the wolf like limp rag, and
pounded the sides of the stable with
it, but IN vain. Old Whites anger
at the attack on his stock Overmas-
tered all feelings of prudence, and,
Selling a pitchfork, he prepared
himself for an attack. No sooDer
did the wolves perceive him, than
maddened by the taste of blood,
they turned from the heifer, and at
tackled him. AS one of the infuria-
ted animals sprang toward the old
man, he dealt it a mighty blow with
the fork, sending it into a corner.
Bat the other animal caught it's
teeth in the old mans right coat
sleeve, and in such close quarters
that the weapon was of no avail.
After kicking uselessly at the ami
mai, he grasped its throat with his
left hand, and choked the wolf until
it let go. Then Selling again the
pitchfork, he dealt a well directed
blow, and broke the leg of the ami
NAL, which then lodged through
the hole behind him, and limped
off. bowling dIsmally. The other
wolf held its ground, and whenever
opportunity was offered sprang at
the old gentleman, now and then
fastening it's teeth into His arms.
Though bleeding profusely, White
continued the fight, and finally,
with a well-directed thrust of the
pitchfork, sent the tines through
the animals heart, killing it almost
instantly. The dead wolf was of
large size, gaunt with hunger, and
with a shaggy coat of light gray.
Whites clothes were torn into
shreds, and his face, neck and
breast were SCARED deeply by the
claws of the animal.