The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-23
THE HISTORIC VOLTS DEN.
coNvECTICUz WILL EMPlRK IT IN
Israel PCTSAM,s HONOR

~ WV y 6nt.uNt ~ <.s.v =
Neiehsorhood rrsdiuon-Other Exploits
PUTNAM. April 22.-In accord with = potitio,
Of q grsat many Eastern Connecticut people
the Legislature voted recently to sppropriat,
$4,000 Ito buy the Putnam Wolf Dom lott II
h town OF Pomfret and make q public parl
OF II The promoters Of the project purpos'
fow to enclose the lot, which comprises SOW
eral acres. wild and craggy. with an iron fence
remove the underbrush and other woodland
debris. that cucumber II. and lay out grave
walks about the enclosure. For the most part
however. the wild and picturesque natural fea'
lures OF the place will be preserved.
The Putnam wolf den In which Israel Putnam
$50 years ago slew q fierce old she-wolf thai
bad -avaged the Pomfret sheepfoids is the
most famous hole. Battle-Ground Is New Eng.
land. Tho story Of that exploit. described In
the quaint old New England Reader. has been
familiar to every generation OF Connecticut
school boys for the past 100 years. The tale
short one. is entitled simply Putnam and
the WOLF" and though tho author Of IL ia
anonymous. the famo Of lie illustrious hero
has invested his composition with an unfadine
charm and prestige. The story runs:
when Gen. Putnam first moved to Pomfret.
IN Connecticut. in tho year 1884. tho country
was now and much infested by wolves. Great
havoc was made among the sheep by a she
NV a = hihuuh Vhoipos n "
several years continued in that vicinity. The
young ones weer commonly destroyed by tho
vigilance OF the hunters. but the old one was
too sagacious to bo ensnared by them.
This wolf at length became such an intol-
erable nuisance that Mr.. Putnam entered into
3 combination with i've of his neighbors to
hunt alternately until they could destroy her.
Two. by rotation. were constantly in pursuit.
1t was known that. having lost the toes from
one foot by a steel trap. she made one track
shorter than the other.
by this vestige the pursuers recognized in
. light show the route Of this pernicious
animal. Having followed her to the Connec-
ticut River. and found she had turned back in
. direct course toward Pomfret. they immedi-
ately returned. and by 10 o'clock the next
morning the bloodhounds had driven her into
alden about three miles distant from the
house Of Mr.. Putnam.
1.-THE people soon collected with dogs. guns.
ttraw. FIRE. and sulphur to attack the common
enemy. With this apparatus several unsuc-
cessful efforts were made to force her from the
den. The hounds came back badly wounded.
and refused to return. The smoke OF blazing
straw had no effect. Nor did the fumes Of
burnt birthstone. with which the cavern was
6lled. compel her retirement.
"Wearied with such f~ruitless attempts
(which had brought tho time to 10 ct night.
Mr.. Putnam tried once more to make his dog
onter. but In vain: he proposed to his negro
man to go down into the cavern and shoot the
wolf. The negro declined the hazardous SER
vice.
Then II was that the master. angry at tho
disappointment, and declaring that he was
ashamed OF having a coward in his family. re-
solved himsel to destroy the fsrocious beast,
lost she should escape through some unknown
assure OF the rock.
His ~nelGhbors strongly demonstrated
against the perilous enterprise: but he. know
ing that wild animals were inundated by fire.
and having provided several strips Of birch
bark. the only conbustible material he could
obtain. which would afford light in this deep
darksome cave. prepared for his descent.
Having accordingly Invested himself OF his
coat and waistcoat; and having . long rope
fastened round his legs. by which he might be
bead foremost. with the blazing torch In his
hand: on,,
horizontal part Of the den. the most %serriiyo
s ePtsls se of I nsfi alE1fdsS By IN h fsos ssrs e th L Si%
monsters Of the desert had eyer beiore *.
Dlored this solitary mansion of horror.
hands BE- IDS. and Snd, Knees ,; until Mo he discovered the
stthe extremity Of the cavern. Startled at the
s sifht Of d1 FIRE she CRASHED her teeth and gave
As soon as he had made tho necessary dis
ine him out: The people e he mouth Of the
bearing the growing ofths wolf. and suppos-
Ing their friend to be In the most snt
bis clothes were torn and he wa severely
, After he had adjusted his clothes and
the torch In one hand and tho musket In the |
other. he descended a second time. When no |
still more fierce and terrible appearances. howl
inG; r9ilinf her eyes; SWAPPING her teeth. and
IDENTIFY in the attitude and on the point Of
',Xtth critical instant he levelled and fred
shock and sufrocated with smoke. he immedie.
Stels found himself drawn out OF the cave.
But having refreshed himself. and permitting
time. W
Once more he came within sight Of the wolf.
VINO, appeared very passive. he applied the
took hold of her By the ears; and then. EicEids
SISy:: wiz mai! exultation dragged sSs@
and he kept tho thing up ali his lie. lie was
Sn excellent ll;around swearer. chewed plug
Sssii Sin sssisiri hl:; neS hysss't s. f1iai auf p Lt sas
s: ., knew hs would % II, q so ss,saans
rIon io.oI no WAS
house. lot when the news came that the
British had fred on the Yankee farm:
the plough handles. unhitched one
horse, and leaving. the other horse and the
plough in the field. leapsd on his horses back. |
and. covered with the mould Of the IiuErew.
came back covered with glory. He made out
20 run that battle himself and held the hill for |
hours against the Kings best soldiers with
the same. ~tenacity with. which he held and
out the she wolf by the ears 10 the
1t is sixty-eight miles from Pomfrst to
his plough horse in ons day.
In all his daredevil career. however, he
never had q closer call than In the cavern on |
his Pomfrst farm. He was In the strait OF q
ground mole In its borrow there. The cavern. |
In SO mr. as 1t has been explored. is not more
than 80 or 40 feet deep. though 1t merges into
. marrow; winding, passage: that. descending
Is believed to penetrate into the heart
the hilL About the mouth Of " arc great,
!quoeze for a man TO enter the cavern. 1t slopes |
downward at a sharp angle. Ten feet from |
IT, entrance 1t widens a little. so that the OK.
plorer may advance thence on his hands and
knees. Ten or twenty feet further on the pas |
.age makes a bend and opens Into a chamber |
feet or more In diameter. but its ceiling
Is hardly four feet in height. The she volt