The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-12-25
A HORNED DEMON oFTHE PLAINS.
The Monster Bull That Runs wild Over
Northern Nevada.

Northern Nevada.
1t is doubtful if any land animal of
this age, outside the elephant and rhi-
noceros, equals in size the fully devel-
oped members of the bovine family.
Few of them are granted the opportun-
ity of attaining full size, as they either
go to the butcher shop when 8 or
years old, or are transformed by the
knife from the deep-voiced and broad
necked head of the tribe into the pip
ing OK, and set to dragging logs to
mill or pulling the plow. Even the
king of the herd falls victim to the
canned beef market before his time,
and is replaced by younger and more
vigorous blood. Perhaps the finest
specimen of his race on this continent
is an immense blue bull that roams at
large over the Madeline Plains, and has
for years been the dread of the herds
men, who have to gather cattle twice a
year in that country. Madeline Plains
is high table land on the eastern
slope of the Sierra Nevadas, extending
from Honey Valley nearly to Goose
Lake, devoted to the cattle and horse
business almost exclusively. Farms
are few and far between, and this beast
had abundant freedom to develop. He
escaped the branding iron and knife
while a youngster, and now has passed
entirely beyond the control of the
methods and appliances of the cow
boys art. No corral will hold him,
and dozen horsemen could not handle
him, even if they could get their ropes
on him. He is, from all reports, fully
as large as any of the animals that are
exhibited as curiosities, and unlike
them, his development is superb.
While their teD-acre pastures gave
them room to feed, his range was over
whole counties, and his action is like
that of deer or race-horse compared
with theirs. He has been heard of in
widely separated parts of the country.
DIR. Patterson, of Cedarville, says he
broke into field in Surprise Valley
one night and ate up whole crop of
sugar-cane. Ed. Ferris, at Honey
Lake, had him, with lot of beef cat
tie, in corral once, but he walked
through it as if it were made of old
newspapers. Lew Clark got a rope
over one horn and his nose, but the
steer was walking away with horse and
rider so fast that he had to let go and
lose his line. Allen Bragg saw him
once in Dixie Valley and Senator Fred
Cox on Pit river.
When the mountains are showed un-
der his lordship betakes himself to the
rich bunch grass of Nevada, and graces
the ranges of Louis Dean and Ward
Brothers with his presence, and has
been seen by Col. C.. 81. E. Hardin's
vaqueros as far east as Quinn River.
There seems to be nothing in the coun-
try that he fears, and neither man nor
animal can tame him. He has been
shot at often, but his thick skull sheds
bullets as ducks back does hail, and
unless chance shot reaches the heart
he is pretty sure to die of old age.
John Fleckenstein declares that he saw
him and old ''Clubfoot," the gigantic
grizzly, come together in Sardine VAL
ley few years ago, which must have
been something to behold. They had
both been invincible up to that hour,
and each was ready for anything that
came before him. The bull seemed to
get first scent of an enemy, and began
to paw the ground and below. Old
| Clubfoot accepted the challenge and
marched proudly out into the open and
waited for the charge which came plen-
ty soon. He reared up on his launches
and received his enemy with blow ON
the side of the head that resounded like
a note from drum, but the momen-
tum of the flying animal was too great,
and the bear took tumble clear over
himself. He rose in rage, and before
the bull had time to turn he was upon
him, tearing his sides with tooth and
claw. The air was filled with dust,
and the woods echoed and re-echoed
with the roars of the bear and the bel
lowing of his foe. Blood flowed from
both and the horns were tearing the
shaggy coat of bruin as severely as the
claws were those of the bovine. The
fight resulted in draw and John says
each seemed to have had enough, as he
sadly took his several roads; but as old
Clubfoot has never been seen since it is
supposed that the terrible thrusts from
the sharp horns and beating from the
thick skull were too much for him, and
he crawled away and died. The last
place the bull was heard of was in the
hills beyond Snowstorm Canon, but he
may turn up nearer home, as Jim Mil
ler offers $50 for him dead or alive, and
Mr.. Bragg $40 for his hide. From all
accounts his horns would be a noble
trophy of the chase, as they are said to
be very long, and extend in a hand
some curve far out in each side of his
head.-Reno Gazette.