Morning journal and courier., 1882-01-18
LOCAL NEWS.

1 The Quartermaster GenerHIs hepoTt' l The report of Quartermaster General Har-
 bison for 1881 was presented by MT. Cooley 1 of Hartford, and referred to the Military l committee The report shows that during l the year a new armory has been furnished at Middletown for Company H of the Second regiment and that new armory has been erected at New Britain for Companies D and E of the First New armories are needed at New Haven and Waterbury. The inspection of State property has proved satisfactory,
 and the arms and equipments loaned to inde-
 pendent organizations and schools were found in good order. The new sight recom- mended by the board of examiners has been placed upon 24O Springfield rifed muskets. This was accomplished so late in the sea- son that they have not been so thort oughIy tested as desired. But If the tes- is successful the sights on all the arms owned by the State will be changed The commissioners appointed to locate and Pur- chase camp ground for the use of the Na- tional Guard have decided on the one recom- mended at Mantle. Owing to the failure to obtain the property at a fair price, the mat ter of obtaining possession has been placed in the hands of Hon. Augustus Brandegee Of New London. The amount expended for the year beyond the ordinary requirements and not included in the estimates was SIS, ,527.93, of which $11, 400 WAS for infantry overcoats, $1, ,O44 for the Groton centennial and S5,- 7O5 43 for the Yorktown centennial In re- gard to the Yorktown and Charleston trip of the First regiment Quartermaster General Harbison says that good was accomplished in the bringing together of the different sec tions of the country to better understand foolinv f0r each 0th- CT. It having been decided that it was not safe for the troops to return on the steamer, transportation was furnished by rail at an extra expense of about S7, 800. The advance made. viz, $6,S75, by the department for transportation has been refunded by Colonel L. A. Barbour on behalf of the First regi- ment The current expenses of the depart ment for the year have been S66, 791.7 72. During the year the Peabody breech-lcading muskets have been issued to the Fifth bat talion replacing the Springfield rifles, with which the command was originally armed.
 Two Boys Encounter Two Bears.
 From the Portland AIe) Press.l
 Last Monday two young men named Clar- ence and William Eastman, of Kearsarge village, North Conway, started out into the woods on bear hunt. About noon they came across the tracks of two bears near logging road. The boys followed the trail eagerly until they found that the bears had gone into cave some distance from the road. They cautiously peered in and in the uncertain light saw both animals engaged in gnawing what appeared to be the carcass of some wild beast. The young hunters were greatly excited, of course, but they did not lose their coolness. After a whispered con- sultation, which was carried on without dis turbing the bears, so intense were they upon their meal, the boys selected their marks and 10th Ir.11a 1ak- kra1 ofFa aaf -xryac n1yI
 dent from the furious uproar inside the cave. When the smoke lifted the wounded bears rushed out of their retreat, bringing the young hunters to close quarters. The age of the animals was probably about year, and they weighed upwards of 15O pounds each. Noting the size of the game, and realizing that they must defend themselves from the coming attack, the boys threw away their guns and prepared to fight. Mount him, Will !" shouted Clarence, and at the next moment each sprang directly on the backs of the growing brutes Then began 6 lively struggle for the mastery. The boys weighed about as much as the bears and the contest was not so unequal as might appear. Each hunter grasped the long hair near the ears and dug his heels into the Hanks of his antag
 onist. Clarence was on steep pitch when the struggle commenced, and after few minutes of hard work, was thrown from his seat but in falling he upset the bear and both rolled to the foot of the incline, where the boy came out on top. The bear, caught in hollow place in the ground, was eonsid- erably cramped, and Clarence was able to get his knife out of his pocket and open it.
 With that he dealt heavy blow in the neck,
 which let out his life blood in torrents. Then the victorious Clarence turned his attention to his comrade. William had not succeeded
 so well, and was by this time in an embarras-
 sing position When he closed with the bear the latter made for a fallen tree which lay
 several inches from the ground. Bruin tried to crawl under the tree, but there was not room enough to pull his rider through The bear could not advance and William could not pull him out. There they hung, the
 bear trying to get through, and the boy
 craned over the log, his arms cramped and
 his strength fast failing him. Then Clarence rushed up to his assistance. This startled | bruin, who backed out of his uncomfortable position and partially freed himself from his tormentor's hold. Then the brute ''got in | side winder," for, drawing back his paw, he whacked William on the head, tearing the 1 flesh and leaving the marks of his claws l across the boys face. William was thrown down and the bear was free. Before either l of the hunters could load his gun bruin took | ''leg bair' and escaped into the woods | The boys dressed the other one and carried it home.