Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-01-08
GIVING BRUIN DYNAMITE.
How why Miner Escaped From an Al
most Certain Death.

"Gsor.a Won Hsckel, said George I.
Clark to reporter yesterday, had a
touch enough experience with that noun
tain hon at Wagon Wheel Gap, but it
seems TO me tina, he showed very little
presence Of mind Now, il had been in
his place, what would have done would
be set fire % the animals bedding The
ire would certainly have frightened HIM
away
But, perhaps, if you were in his place,
sou would no; have had presence OF mlnd
enough about you to have thought OF any
him the kind
Well. If | didn't, | wouldn't have been
found here, you can bet your bottom dol
lar. Why, he was lust Us likely as not to
run on TO . grj1zty bear
Would that have been much worse than
. q mountain lionE
You can safely gamble that it would,
az much worse as q stroke OF lightning Is
/ than an electric spark. | remember once,
when / was mining up near Breckenridge,
/ that | met one OF these fellows, one that
would tin the beam al | 100 easily. You
see was going up TO the mine, and moth
. inc could De further from my mind than
expecting 70 meet one Of these fellows a.
such q time and place. Bat II ; like them
they always turn up when they ore least
expsc.ed, and when YOU are mos; lily pre-
pared for them had no gun with me,
or even q knife. What was worse, or
would be to q man who lacked presence OF
mind | had with ME q box containing
/ dynamite cartridges, which were TO be
used in the mine. This would, Of itself
. have prevented ne from re,reaung with
credit or dispatch, il such thing were
possible. bu. IL so happened that when
/ sighted .he bear / had wandered from the
regular rail having taken TO u narrow
ledge in the hope o! finding short cur 10
the mine There was a clear fall from
this OF AT least 800 feet. The bear had
already passed on TO this when frs. 81"
/ him and. as | never before trAversed the
LEDGE. had no idea as to how far 1t might
/ when | saw the bear it was evident
that he had rot yet discovered my pres
spce Us ghs shutting along At an easy
rair. apparently perfectly familiar with tue
na,b did not dare to run on the na7.
row LEDGE but got in tie test hicks al
u,.}kin.s that knew how, and had soon
Gained o fair lead on the crIzliE. h'g&a
70 b-va that wcu,d cone safety out o.
the dI,GnYliv. and vas further encouraged
by N. let that The ledge appeared TO- ne
sT,h,,y wider a5 | advanced ! rounding
a ham cure however you may lma-ln"
m, ,n,..,,nu,ion when | SAW the ledge
sra6. ulv terminate, lot twenty ieet IN
front al me, in q cavern, unQuc7'ionaoIY
Tho \, citation Of the hr.r. Above the
vail roe straight hundreds Of !eet, and be
low here ~as empty space. The bear h'"
mad n rice selection eta home So" -
gl,,yc- and he would 6rd here right at ms
y,rv door neal in ne, provided ! couIo
pr,.Ilry 10 avert the catastrophe.
,Ny mind became strangely acn . IL
events of my past life did not IN 70.
v;eyy b. fore me. /, may have Hrra on &C
p count ,f the lack Of space, bar it Is much
.rr,,n Ek,,v that il was due to the rrsates
interest attaching 0 the incident IN winch
[ WAS soon to take = prominent Part
~ tried hard TO think Of some w@y out
of the dilemma, and came so near finding
nothing 70 base any hop" On that ] almost
lost nv presence Of mi"d. did not, ho"
over Thought Of every him h~' about
m. ,v;.b q view 10 Usinz Il for nav de.eEs'
lid e,ybf pounds of caudl,s, n lRck KNIFE
or3 >, lad DeEcil l. occurred TO me- thai
ii had sufficient candles | might feed Tx
NO., Cor awhile. until | could Induce mu
- tel that he vas in " c7nt'no" Io'
Ei.,rre.;r.. but could not be NOR,
tb,n able to vbet his app u'e, v Il
wha. had The Jtck-knlte anu lsay
, ns,,I were dismissed without mo
Z ner,,, !tough, TIE dynamite slg2'ste'
.; ..;ji,i,f / hit upon plan. I"h'h'
r., q dozan sticks Of dynamite, thT"S
>, =, among the candles, and hastily Re
1870, mg stems around the corner,
,'ooed the charge OF candisl and dynAH.'..
n tho pa,h Of the approaching bear ~
.I.,t.r was but aEaErcds away, Oh. Hp?'"5'
T., Ia wrapped in such brown s'"Ty ."'
h. 3iJ not lciice my 6c'lon. men / ASa'
l .-..so,sd around tie curve AMI wi'n''y
. .,~sgIr;nto the bears cavern to await " !
,..,ert, IdiG have long 10 wa, f.,
Ian i've seconds after | entereu u
'.' - ,%a mountain SHOOK ~ though IN q
> .,r,rcuake and knew that ma Su
, crrd,d The bear had evIden''5 ''..t
%, Inc candles, pnd found them 100 mas
far him Irushed out 70 see the q. S 5I.
nv strategy. There w"' but LEu , = 20 %
seem however A tufr Of hal7 mere tI anu
-. lash Of grease there splinter o5 ooh'
two. and the end OF tine bssr could on''
b, messed