The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-10
ADVENTURE WITH 4 BEAR.
Floating Down Swollen River
With a Large Grizzly.
AFARMER's NARROW ESCAPE
ENOUGH TO MAKE HIS HAIR TURN
SNOW WHITE.
His Cabin Was Carried Away by the
Flood aud tho Animal Which Had
Taken Refuge There Causes
Trouble.


4 small farmer and ranchman named
Livernove, who Owns a place in the south
east corner of the state, between the Eea-
Yer and the Box Elder rivers. came into
town recently, says the Miles City (Mon.)
correspondent of the Philadelphia Times
considerably used ZIP by a novel adven-
ture with q grizzly bear. in which he was
engaged a day or two ago. Livermore,
whose wife died last year, lives all alone
in The valley of the two rivers mentioned,
and had built himself a small cabin on
tie banks of the Box Elder near its juno
ton with the Little Missouri
The recent SHOWS had MED the latter
stream to overlooking, ami the water
backed up and spread out ever the low
places, and one night last week reached
LiVermore's cabin. Having no founda-
ton 1t floated off lightly on the strong
current, and when the farmer awolSe it
vas to find himself racing down the river
at a rapid rate. But the sinbers Of the
little hut held firm, and the owner felt
no particular une2sinesS Tor the present
tinetime being, until moving to higher
spot on the roof, he was startled to hear
the loud growlS of some wild animal that
prepared to resent any nearer approach.
1t was SC dark that the man could not
make out his antagonist as the groWls
warmed him when the creature was, and
al that he could make out was a large form
crodched close 10 the chimney ana which
appeared 70 move its head about as II to
watch his own motions. SO prudence
kept I.iverrnore quiet until daylight broke,
ana then he saw that his fellow traveller
was large female grizzly bear which
WsS nuddled UP against the chimney and
showing her testh as she seemed 10 look
al him. The creature would climb slowly
down TO the edge of the roof nearest the
water, and ther. draw back snarlt1g and
angry, and Iivermore saw plainly that TO
attract her attention even was to bring
On fight, the result OF which was not to
doubted.
But the action of the rushing water was
gradually tearing away the timbers of the
frail hut, and the lower parts Of the cabin
were already gone and little besides the
roof left. The bear seemed also aware Of
the growing danger and exhibited great
restlessness, ard prowled backward and
forward, turning her ugly. head with a
preached the spot where the farmer
crouched.
At last the cabin, which had melted
away IN the torrent TO a mere shell, was
violently thrown 2gatns. a minute Island
in the center of the stream. and Liver
more and the bear leaPed from the dis
solving structure on to the land. where
they slipped and almost fell back into the
foaming water. but the grizzly by the
strength Of he- giant, curved claws, man
aged 10 secure a foothold on the water
dashed island, and drew herself up from
danger, while LiVermore was fortunate
enough to lay hold of a small tree Juttng
out over the stream.
But the bear, maddened apparently by
the water so near at hand, and probably
large enough for che, now showed q. dis
position TO encro9ch on LiVermore's share
Of the isle. and pushed him further and
further toward The edge of the island
The farmer being clad only in the scanty
garments In which he had lain down TO
sleep the night before and being wholly
llnarmed realized that he was no match
for his formidable antagonist and With
drew as far as was possible from the
hungry animal But Sne was ne 10 70 ue az
Feased, and finally struck out at him with
her terrible claws unSheathed.
I.ivermore, realizing his danger, fell
back from the stroke and narrowly eS-
capped falling into the water. The grizzly,
which had put forth her entire strength
into the blow, was in turn nearly upset
and rolled over on the wet ground. This
gave the farmer time TO wrench loose a
bcugh of the tree which had saved ms
life by allowing him a hold by which he
had drawn himself up out OF the water,
and. armed alone with this, he met the
next assault of the grizzly, which seemed
10 grow more furious as her enemy foiled
her attacks The broken end OF the
branch was sharp and jagged, and, as the
bc.a. once more rushed upon LlVermoTer
he struck her over the head with It, and
then, as she paused for a moment IN tne
sunrise Of the blow he thrust at her and
tore away the flesh from one entire side
of her Jaw. The bone and teeth were
laid bare by this thrust, but Livermore
had failed to accomplish his purpose,
which was to pierce the creatures skull
through the brain:
ing out both of her forefeet, struck at
him. and though the farmer escaped the
fun force of the blow by Swinging back
have been split by the iong, curved, sharp
cfaWs-he was most severely scratched
ai.d the blood flowed freely. But, seeing
that his one chance lay in killing the crea-
t1re if possible, the farmer again made at
the grizzly with the sharpened branoh;
and as she turned her heavy brute heaa
toward him. snarlng with open mouth, he
thrust In the stick and would have driven
ii on into the hack of the gaping throat
Sss- broke il short Oft and then rushed
forward to strike again at the farmer;
Livermore dcdged the bear ana Stumbled
os-s,,hS,ar the water. and losing his foot
ing went head over heels into the torrent
Trke grizzly followed hlindly. and making
fallen enemy lost her balance and stag
eyered forward hut caught and held for
ave Way and she shot out into the water.
she cIawed at LiveTmcre, who was en-
5asvoring to catch the bough again, but
missed him. and was borne struggling
away by the rushing stream
THE farmer was more fortunate ana
succeeded in drawing himself up, and
the angry water. He was badly cut by
The claws Of the. grizzly ana eXnausted
from loss q blood; as Well as nan Lf ,osa
Sore hours afterward he was seen by a
7aa-.4rraan riding through the valley look
ing after the scatterso nercs, anu VIII ,itn
owned a Csugout, which was borrowed,
ard when the waters had sufficiently sub
sized FOR il to be possible 10 control the
email boat in the current 1t was Launched.
zne the half-dead ranchman was taken
to the nearest house, where ne was put 70
bed ana medical attention provided for
him. -,
THE drowned body OF the bear was soon
afterwards discovered near the banks OF
ne river and when weighed was found
-, he tine largest seen in the vicinity for
many years. She was. something over
400 rounds in weight, and measured, when