The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1893-04-15
a eEAR STORY.
How Bruin Blew Himself Up With Dyna
mite.

How Bruin Blew Himself Up With Dyna--
mite.
Few of the workmen engaged in the
construction of the Great Northern rail-
road in Montana but knew Jim Robin
son, or, as he was more popularity
known, Dynamite jim" He gained
the sobriquet by report becoming cur
rent that he was in the habit of carry
ing dynamite cartridges in his clothing,
which made several of the more timor-
Gus of his fellow workmen refuse to
sleep in the same tent with him at
night
An explosion which luckily caused no
loss of life, but which damaged consid-
cradle trestle work, was attributed TO
Robinson's carelessness in handling
dynamite, which made the contractor
discharge him.
Finding it Impossible to get any more
work on the railroad, Robinson started
for Choteau, a town about eight miles
distant.
He took an old trail which slxirted
the left bank of the Good Medicine
creek and toward evening he had
reached place much frequented by
hunters during the summer season, as
bears are said to be very plentiful in
that region, but Robinson was not
aware of that fact
Feeling tired he camped for the night
beneath the shade of large cotton
wood tree, about one hundred yards
from the east bank of the river, and
within full view of the snow-capped
summit of the Rockies.
Leaving his blankets on the ground
he collected s'deadwood" with which tc
make a fire, for the nights in that
| region are cool even in summer.
| When the fire was built and lighted
Robinson sat down and began to cal
| canned meat and crackers.
| The second mouthful he swallowed
he was startled by hearing grow
just behind him, which made him droE
the food on the ground and brought
him to his feet with jump.
Looking, he saw coming toward him
at rapid gait and with mouth wide
1 open huge cinnamon bear.
| He gave bound for the cottonwood
tree, which he climbed with rapidity
| which afterward astonished himself
As luck would have it, the tree was
large one and had a convenient forl
about twenty feet from the ground
Before the bear reached the tree Robin
son had climbed into the fork, and
throwing his arms about the limb
chung to it with grim determination
while the bear put his huge fore paw
against the trunk and shook the ire
like an aspen.
Failing to shake Robinson out of tn
tree, the bear uttered several dee
growls and then went shifting towar'
the fire and began to eat Robinson
little store of provisions.
Robinson took advantage of tn
bears absence, and getting a rope on
of his pocket tied himself firmly to tn
! tree.
After devouring Robinson's suppe
the bear began to tear the blanket, i
which he found hard, shiny sui
stance, which he tried to eat, but fine
iny it too hard he dropped it betwee
his two forepaws and then brought
down with smash on rock besid
the fire.
A terrific explosion rent the air, Will
bear, tons of earth and pieces of roc
went skyward like flash.
A short while afterward party {
hunters who were camped in the vicil
! ity were attracted to the scene by til
> noise of the explosion. They foun
!, Robinson in dead faint in the tree
: One of the party climbed up to hin
and, cutting the rope, lowered him
the ground, where he soon recovere'
. Strange as it may seem, he sustaine
/ no injury, but his clothing was LITERAL
: stripped from his body by the force I
e the explosion.
> A few pieces of flesh almost the widt
of mans palm were all that could
i found of the bear.
The cause of the explosion was
!, large cartridge of dynamite whit
Robinson carried in his blanket al
which the bear exploded by concussio
Rohinson received a suit of clOthir