The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-20
REMARKABLE bear STORY
4 Beast that Started q Locomotive and
Blew the whistle
INCIDENTALLY SAVED SEVERAL LIVES,
u You Don't Believe the Tale Read
the Interesting Details

u You Don't Believe the Tale Read
the interesting Details
0srrsteA BY the Grateful Easlaeer-sess
vsry Smart Cats n the Adirondack Re-
efsn-The Fight Between = Forcupi.s
ana a. EsGio-Tales OF Rabbits, Boars.
Crows. Toaas. ana Other Things.
When the C z. and W. W. Railroad was built.
years ago. four miles OF the track passed
through An unbroken rieoe Of forest known
aocally a. tho Bear Don Woods. The name was
due to the fact that scanned and rocky ledge.
! extending diagonally across the wild stretch.
was favortte lodging place for bears. which
were numerous in that region then. and In
4Act. stu hold their own there In numbers
Uuf1cient to be Q source so1 much annoy
snoe to the farmers who strive for =
living on the borders OF the woods. Tho
road connected Chiffon Forks with the settle
0snts at Wigton's Willows. distance
! OF twenty-eight miles. and was built to
develop tho timber and coal resources OF tho
|, region. I was tho engineer OF the construc-
tion train during the building Of the road. and
q was D common sight to SEQ bears come out
! Of the woods at frequent points along the line
and inspect with ludicrous curiosity tho
= Strange work that was going on in their do
msin. We got 80 we didn't mind them any
more than we might SO many pigs grunting
I. Along the track. and whenever any OF us
thought We would like little bear meat We
A0nly had to keep our eyes out for some bear
Behat suited us as to size and condition and put
= rifle ball In him.
II That was the most peculiar country for
Hard and sudden wind and thunder storms
( ever sxw. They would come UP suddenly and
E6wsop over those woods with appalling and
RSftsn disastrous fury. as the great areas Of
3a0Wn timber here and there were unmistaka-
y Bile evidences Of The railroad was completed
toward the end of the summer. and day was
sOet for running the first train over it from
eUhflton Forks to the Willows. There was u
Hong trestle mile west OF Gravely's Station.
(which carried the road over q ravine that was
imors than hundred feet Deep Tho track
iWent onto the trestle from very sharp curve.
SAnd the trestle was not entirely finished. 80 that
mo train or engine could yet be run over 1t with
Qsafety. except with very slow and careful mo-
99ion. In my Judgment thought the officers
s.of tho company foolhardy to run o train across
a$he trestle. no matter how slowly or carefully.
5untl the workmen had completed its bracing
and supports. and did not covet the engi-
nser who was TO run the train the honor Of it
: The day the train was to be run the section
t9oreman discovered that q piece Of track near
the eastern extremity OF the Boar Den Woods
tcould be bettered considerably by little moro
FALLING in and ballasting and as everybody on
!khe work had to be q sort OF general utility
man. he sent my fireman and me with q car
load Of gravel to bolster UP the weak spot.
The job was bigger one than 1t was thought.
and when We had finished the work 1t was al
most time for the excursion tKain to be coming
sAlong. In fact we had heard the locomotive
Whistling at Cherry Run. two miles east Of US.
We had also heard the mutterings Of one Of
chose 6eroe storms that were common in the
tfsgion. By the time We had got on the engine
and were preparing to pull out for Gravely's
ste.m hGwl!ng down vSrse than qRy
end ss ! Jumped in the cab a big limb 'i from q
and pinned me down betweon tho tendor and
yehe cab, and held me there as il I were in
ana the n aHs
bore the limb down on mo caught him'and
h 81 the sepdsr he d
He :didn't coma back. and / supposed he
Ia .ss %as
Z: :5RF sae11s. Tho inevitable result Of such a
Sss now was sss se s e hHb shfSae The
n could almost feel my hair turning gray; As
the W in 1sf hs
ESsds and IN burning t1 escape usP =, rem is
Hing over the butt OF the heavy limb that
ne to The noor tumSed against the
end went paving wildly about in the cab. But
With the tpma!s Of I, tts storm, hsarI M
On the rails. suddenly heard familiar click.
and instantly the engine started forward with
"a the cab had caught IT, with his Taws
was ao%n s Grade waH s way tn"
!4ravely's. and. great heaven! how we flew!
The esG%rs0n t train WAS right behind VS.
81 was e e and; although | was pinned
new Ike the wind that was bowling ali around
;five seemed to make the bear wild With excite
%snt and he prnhhssa ABOUT i1 the fHb liz
curve and the dangerous sa trest iio beyond e
:Grsvely's flashed across my mind. At tie rata
Tsse GSn MGoe eEes t6 ro9asd the
tom Of that ravino. n hundred feet below
sIas dashed out q the Woods into ' the S op zen
fgountry. Just mile and half more to tho
lsShaon at Gravely's the bear. in his pranclnG
tAnd elhtching.. caught sight OF the whistle
cora That excited his curiosity. and he seized
II snd xeys Il 2, lnsty pull The Whistle re-
4tss effect on the bear was electric. Ho
stpmblfd over backward and fell across
tAe butt of the limb that hold me- down. Ills
S.siEHt hppsd itup. and lifted the other end
ESNe ground and was freed from the limb. i
!frsxIe4 to the lever reversed it. and tainted;
With mon around me, The pilot. OF the loco
motive was half Its width on the trostle. :, :.
the bear that saved my life and. tho lives OF
ssnAny others that day was killed by his. fall
effOtn the cab. Ny fireman was badly hurt
Ny his sudden voyage through the air. but
3tSed 70 run many trip with mo on tho old G.
I Pescspins and Eagle In = Fight Proposing
- Bounty ON Psrcupines.
NoRTHwoop. n Y. March 10.-Among other
.Curiosities obtained by q citizen Of this place
during recent journey to the northwest cor
mar Of WON II wore ths head and tnlons OF n