Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-02-18
Miscellaneous.
! For the Ellsworth American
Incidents of the Early Settlers in Ellis
worth.
OLD WHITE PACE.


Perhaps It would not be amiss to publish
some OF the many bear stores as related by
'Ne h'st settlers IN Ellsworth among other
i"clHen's of troublesome nature the, had
'' contend "Hh- Ihey "ere almost as
mA'h ann"Ned by bears killing and carving
on 'h'H Sheep and eAuie as they were by
'he hugie o' war. sounding the wrath Of
-'"""' ""th "'' marines worse than say
Ssr'' from her cruisers swept over the
''''h''''
Inc HoiH / would re'a'e may interest
some o. the numerous readers Of your eN-
'eiIe"' paper Most all oil the early settlers
~ Ellsworth keii 'arRe number Of cattle
ana ''hef ave STOCK. Meade" grass OF an
'N'''.fh' q1a"'N "a' plentiful and easily
oo'a'ned f'r their stock IN winter. The
o'hIN 't'ane very uoHhiesome, and seemed
20 9nort'>c 10 numbers every year. In the
N'044''l ~ me settlement Their drpredailous
were enormous; whole iioCks OF sheep were
Killed in one night not only Young cattle
we're Killed. bat cows and oxen, IN the pas
tures. in the da, time as well as in the night:
hogs were frequently taken in mid -day. car
rcd into ths woods by bears and devoured.
Many bears we're shot and caught in traps.
but II did NOT seem to make them less
numerous There was one old cunning
bear Of monstrous size. that vas much
dreaded He had been caught hy one Of
hrs fore paws in steel trap. nd lost two
of hi. toes, and was well II an bv his
track Thi, bear had frequently torn holes
through the side and entered barn, ia the
night. and killed and carried of sheep and
voung cattle He was 50 well known the,
called him "Old White-face" Bear. OF thi,
Kind are Of specie. that have "a white spot IN
their faces. called rangers; The, seldom in
the winter remain long in a den, but range
through the forest. and are considered the
most rapaoious and fierce in the country.
One of the settlers whose nam. Davis,
living about one mile down the river below
Ellsworth bridge, on the west side, had
NA'uAo.e yoke o' oxen when were turned
lh'o pasture IN 'he spring near MS house
ne supposihg no WIG ANNA! would meadie
Win 'hem' y 'e" DAYS afterwards one oi
'heH' came nome IN 'he high'' so oad4t torn
ana "onhted D! bear ne hAd 10 be Killed.
ha''nS oeen dragged about one hundred
roa' IH'o '"e woods Ihe tracks showed
'Ha' was 'he "otk Of The o'd "h!te-iaced
monster ne ground "here the OK was
k|ied had every appearance OF desperate
hSht VITA me GEAR before one OF them was
ANItd ana the oIher driven away
bear were found IN the snow. where he was
proving around the settlement. Several men
with large number OF doss followed him.
hoping 10 drive hlm INTO some place or den.
where they could destroy him. After follow
Ing him six dals in roundabout course, he
went on to Reed, pond near the outlet. ana
kept on the pond until he got to the head of
ii the pond vas covered with light snow
and made very easy travelling. BEuin did
not seem 10 be in a hurry, but kept about
one or two miles ahead of the men, waiting
for the dogs to come up with him. but he
had used the dogs SO roughly they had to
keep at a respectful distance from him. The
bear then took direct course north, crossed
Beach Hill pond in the meantime he ha d
killed two Of their best dog. and wounded
several others; finally ,hev gave up the chase
and returned 10 their homes. In NAV OF the
same wear. several Of the settlers had cows
( feeding along the bank of the river. on the
east side, between the bridge and Cards
brook at night one of them wa. missing
I in the morning they found where she was
/ killed near the mouth of Cards brook. and
dragged up the north side of the brook
| about one-fourth of mile, and left in
thick, black growth of trees. 1t was be-
/ lieved she was killed in the afternoon, and
/ tracks in the mud were complete proof that
! old white-face, with but three claws on one
| foot, had got back
| The little settlement was thrown into as
much excitement as il would have been, had
Brtish cruiser come up into the bay.
Many Of the settlers gathered at one of the
shops, and were discussing the best course
to se, rid of this much Dire AIDED old bear.
| One of them who had shot and trapped
many bears, 1--WE will call him NJ advised
that all the settlers shut up their cattle and
other stock. in their barns, and watch them
closely, to keep them from the bear, and he
with others would watch by the dead cow
This arrangement was agreed to. NJ. then
with three young men went to prepare to
watch for the bear The bear was yerv shy,
having been watched and fred at several
times in the night. 1t was dark and they