The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1892-08-11
THE SIGNAL.
BIG FOOT Is NO MORE.
A Washington County Bear Stery-Da-
yid Irwin his OaptOr.


been ranging for the past twenty
years over all the country between
Indian valley and Salmon river, and
was known as the Big Foot bear, from
the size of his foot print Ever since
this part of Idaho has been settled
Big Foot has been travelling around
among the herds and helping himself
to any of the bovine species that
happened to take his fancy, in this
way satisfying his appetite with a
beef about every three days. His
depredations were so frequent and
disastrous that the stockmen of the
country made strenuous efforts to de-
stroy him, but without avail At
last Mr.. Levi Allen offered $3.50 for
his capture, if his hide was taken of
so that it could be mounted. On
learning Of his presence on Salmon
river, Mr.. Irwin determined to cap
ture him. Accordingly, huge bear
trap was procured, which was fastened
with log chain to a fir log about
eighteen inches in diameter Not
long afterwards his bearship passed
that way and expressed his pleasure
by broad grin. Nothing gave Big
Foot 30 much pleasure as an attempt
to deprive him of his beef and lib
erty. Since the advent of the Lewis
and Clarke expedition into this coun-
try he had been engaged in sporting
with the snares and devices of the
pale face and the mary wiles of the
noble red man. Therefore, when he
passed this trap he could not resist
the temptation to ''put his foot in it. !"
But this trap was not as other traps.
He found himself securely anchored
to that log. After mature reflection,
however, he built pen Of rocks
around himself, using rocks that could
not be handled by three men. AS
soon as bruin had built his fort he
set to work to gnaw the log in two.
This he did in a short time Soon
after the bear had escaped with the
trap MIR. Irwin, accompanied by his
brother William, went out to look fol
him. They found him in gulch
where they had him at disadvan
tage, and few shots from thei
Winchesters caused him to give NJ
the struggle. He measured twenty
- one inches from the tip of his nos
to the top of his head, and fifteel
inches across the forehead; was a
tall as two-year old steer, and woult
weigh at least one Thousand pounds
His teeth were worn down even wit
his gums, which showed that he mus
have been nearly, if not quite, hun
bred years old From the numerou
scars found upon Big Foot's body,
was quite evident that he had passe
through many struggle and ha
had many close call during his life
His hide will be mounted and sent
the Worlds Fair. The stock-raiser
should reward the bold hunters wit
few of their finest beeves for riddin
the country of Big Foot. 1t woul
be impossible to estimate the damag
he has done in the destroying of stoc
throughout the section in which b
has reigned so long, but it can
safely said that it would take thor
sands of dollars to co yer the loss.
The SIGNAL man is said to hay
acted rather queer as he was drivir
up the canyon, enroute for Salubr
and other points in the upper countr.
Our informant says land he ought
know he was sitting very straig
and stiff in the cart, with eyebal
bullying as though some deadly fe
was upon him, his feet braced al
the reins taut, but his faithful stet
plodding along very leisurely. II
writer is somewhat at loss to accou
for this strange behavior on the pa
of the editor chief, but it might
possible that he had been inform
of the killing of that monstrous be
up on Salmon river, and having IL
his pistol on the road, his mind W
so wrought up by imaginary dang
that his heart began to fail him. I
perhaps by some accident Ia
accidents DO happen you know he
that ''snake medicine" and
doctors prescription mixed.
1t is fact worthy of considerati
that man who is rogue at heart,
little in mind, will always mistrl
the honesty of purpose of his fello
men, and stands ever ready to detr
as much of the truth from tn
utterances as lies in his power, a
never loses an opportunity to try a
make their words and deeds apps
mercenary. There are such mt
who possess very little of the milk
human kindness, but they belong
that class of individuals prope
called "cranks. In some instanc
no doubt, they are mentally incapa
of comprehending what is just
honorable, and in such case are m
to be pitied than condemned; but |
vast majority of cases it is the Civ
vent to the pure, unadulterated sc
sedness" of their willful dispositio
Those who attended the sOcia
given under the trees at the reside
of Mr.. and Mrs. Jeffreys;
Thursday evening, say that it wa