The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-07-10

His Lonely Beat Along an Oil Pipe-Keep-
Ing . Savage Bear ut Bay With Revol-
ver-Ho Brings Down y Handsome
Buck-A1one In the Barrens.

tween HugenOt, In this county, ana
Cochecton, Sullivan County, the
Standard Oil Company's pipe line and
telegraph line runs through an almost
unbroken wilderness. Twice week
Cole Smith, an employe OF the com
pany, walks the entire dist to see
that the pipe is in good condition and
no leak in it shall be long unknown,
and to make all necessary repairs to
the telegraph wire. His duties require
him to be burdened on his traps by
many tools and implements. The
barrens are inhabited by but few peo-
pie, and they livelong gdistances apart.
The wildness and isolation OF the re-
gion make it favorite retreat for the
bear, catamount and other wild
beasts, and Smith seldom goes the
rounds of his long beat without meet
ing with opportunities for adventure
that would satisfy the most reckless
hunter. Smith is an old hunter and
woodsman, and a wonderful shot with
the revolver and rifle. He is obliged
to carry so many articles that may be
needed in his walk along the line that
he is unable to make room for his
rifle, but he carries with him a large
revolver which he never fails to use,
when it does not interfere with his du-
ties, to start up some lurking bear, or
tarry awhile in the haunt OF g. cata-
mount or follow for mile or so the
fresh trail of a deer. Itnot infrequent-
ly happens that, duty or no duty, he
is compelled to tarry by the way to
defend himself against the offensive
tactics of wild animals that resent his
invasion OF their retreats, and on his
last trip over the route last week one
of these episodes occurred.
Smith had reached the very heart OF
the barrens, and was passing through
a piece ofsecond-growth timber, where
there were dense thickets of under
growth and the remains of g. great
windfall, when he was suddenly con-
fronted by an immense bear. AS the
animal showed fight, Smith knew it
was female bear, and that her cubs
were hidden in the neighborhood.
When first seen the bear was not over
fifty feet away, and it at once ap-
preached Smith, growing fiercely.
The spot was q Instantaneous one
for the line walker, as at the best he
could make his way along through the
brush and rubbish only with difficulty
He had but little hope that his pistol
balls would produce much effect on the
bear, as the thick fur and hide OF these
animals often prove to be invulnera-
BILE armor to heavy rifle balls. Smith
had no other alternative, however, as
the bear was in dead earnest in her at
tack and advanced rapidly. When
she was within twenty-five feet of him
Smith fired his revolver at her. The
shot struck her in the neck, and she
| turned out of her course, entered the
brusn, and making two or three circles
around the line walker, her yells indi,
eating her increased fury, rushed out
again upon him. Among the articles
carried by Smith are a pair of spurs,
or climbers, used by telegraph repair.
ers in climbing the poles. While the
bear was making her reconnoitering
| circuit in the brush Smith hastily
fastened the climbers about his ankles,
intending to climb a telegraph pole,
| there being one within q couple OF rods
of where he stood. He knew that he
would be out o. danger there, and
could send his pistol balls into the
bear so long as she chose to besiege
! him, or until he might fortunately
strike vulnerable spot in her body
| and Kill her. He had fastened the
| spurs to his boots Just as the bear
made her second rush for him
Believing that he could reach
| the pole and ascend it before SHE
| could get there he started on run
| for it. The bear pursued, and just
as Smith struck his hands on the pole
she reached him. Seeing it was useless
| to try to climb the pole, the line-walk.
| or turned and fired two shots In quick
succession at the bear. One OF the
balls evidently went home. for the
shot was followed by a terrific yell
from the bear, and she turned and
shuffied into the brush again, shaking
| her head and swaying her paw, as II IN
| pain. Smith lost no time in climbing
| the pole, and he was not moment
| too soon, for the wounded bear, evi'
IDENTIFY divining his intentions, rushed
back again, and, reaching the pole
raised up on her haunches and
scratched the heels of the climber with
her sharp claws. From his perch
| Smith fired several shots at the beal
as she fumed and roared at the foot
| OF the pole. One or two ofthese shots
| hurt her, and she at last turned and
shambled away. She disappeared II
| the thicket, but her cries could be
heard for long time by the line walk
| er as she retreated across the barrens
| Although satisfied that he had inflict
ed wounds that would prove fatal tC
| the bear, Smith was unable to follow
her, and, descending from the pole, he
/ resumed his journey. The next day
| some trout fishermen found the car
cass of huge bear lying at the edge
| of creek mile from where Smith
| had had his encounter. When the
skin was removed from the body o
| the animal six bullet holes were found
| in it. On the same day two cubs
| about six weeks old were captured il
the neighborhood. The dead beal
was unquestionably the one that re
sented Smiths presence in the thicke'
| and the cubs were her offspring, through
| solicitude for whose safety she hat
met her death.
| Smiths adventure recalls another
| incident which occurred on one of hi:
Journeys last winter, which, but fol
his prudence, might have resulted in 6
similar if not more disastrous expert
ence. While he was passing over th'
barrens he encountered family o
four bears, two old ones and two cubs
They were sporting in a glade only
rod or two from the pipe line. Hav
ing some spare time Smith resolved tt
stealthily approach the bears and se'
what effect his pistol shots would hav'
on them He had scarcely taken out
his pistol and cooked it when an enor
nous bear, as black as a coal, slouchet
out of the bushes, not ten feet away
from where he stood. The bea
stopped and regarded Smith threat
eningly. Aware that his pistol BALL
would have no more effect on tn
tough, shaggy hide of this monste
than they would on the side OF 81
iron steamer, Smith quietly replaced
the revolver and pursued his way
| Tho hiU hoar ohm az al plOpO after hin