Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-04-20
CLAsPsD BY 4 BEAR.
Excitpg Midnight Adven ure Related by
Railroad Man.

Excit' og Midnight Adven ure Related by
a Railroad Man.
A man who is well thought of by the
railway fraternity is Hoyt Sherman,
general agent of the Union Pacific. of
salt Lake. He was first brought into
prominence by an adventure which
he had on the road from Beaver
Canyon into the Yellowstone National
Park. Mr.. Sherman was tourist agent
for the road, and when big party
went up to the park he would accom-
pany them. The distance from Beaver
Canyon is one hundred and twenty-five
miles. and three years ago, when he had
the adventure. the road WAS very print
tive. Rough and rocky, it wound its
way through deep canyons. whose walls
rose to magnificent heights, making
the scenery awful and grand, and then
over fertile plains, through mountain
Gus country into timbered regions that
could not be excelled. There was some
thing about this drive that thrilled and
delighted passengers and made them
want to cover the distance again. But
as pleasant as they were, they were not
free from danger. 1t lurked every
where. In the assures of the
rocks were skulking mountain lions
watching the passing of the stage-coach
with cleaning eyes. while panthers,
more cowardly. yet fully as dangerous,
perched in the trees that overhung the
road on which the stage travelled. would
give their fierce cry and perchance leap
upon its top to find that its occupants
were beyond reach. Then the silver
tipped bear and big black bruin, on his
stately round for meat, would cautious
ly pass that way. Sometimes at night
the tourists would camp for a change.
1t was one night that they did this
that Mr.. Sherman had his adventure
one that is not new to him now. They
camped in clump of timber below the
mountains, and corralled the horses ii
few rods off 1t was about midnight
when Mr.. Sherman was awakened BY
the neighing of a horse. He got up to
reconnoter and saw black object pass
ii6di tilC Gull ihoOi w 10 Oub III
I'LL her splendor, though the trees shad-
owed the earth. Thinking that the OBJ
ject was man, and that he meant to
steal the horse, he took his pistol from
his pocket. and noticing that his clasp
knife was ali right, he cautiously adj
vanced. He was looking about to see
where the big black object had gone,
when. as though it had risen from the
ground big black bear stood in front
of him.
First he thought to run, but this
would be death, for one stroke from its
powerful paw would lay him low. The
pistol ,jas small one, but he raised it
after his first surprise was over and
pulled the trigger. 1t did not go off
He just remembered that he had neg
lected to reload the weapon that even.
ing after discharging all the cartridges.
When the trigger snapped the bea
looked at the pistol curiously and thel
at Sherman. The latter took his knife
out and slowly backed up until he was
protected by tree. The bear followed
and caressingly began to hug him. 1t
hot breath was upon his face, and hi
grew faint. He rallied and drove til,
knife to the hilt into bruin, who. now
fully enraged. rolled Sherman on thu
ground. Now it was fight or die. An
other plunge and the sharp edgs Of th'
steel went blowing up the bear, fairly
disemboweling him. The struggle sool
ended, and although Sherman was thu
victor. he was not altogether unframed
/ The tourists heard the noise. and wert
in time to witness the end of the battle
For week after three Englishmen d.
nothing but curse their ill-luck for no
being the man that the bear attacked
San Francisco Examiner.