Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-04-30
SHERIFF REDGRAvE.
STORIES OF A DISTINGUISHED BRIT.
IsI1 COLUMBIAN.

stamped Out Smallpox Epidemic.
Lying i'll the picturesque valley of
the Columbia river in British Columbia
with the Selkirk mountains on one sido
ana the Rocky mountains on the other
is the town of Donald, ON the Canadian
Pacific railroad. 1t used to be known
as wide open town, " but it is now
o sedate little place of nearly 2, 900 in.
nabltants 1t is the meeting place of
divisions Of the railroad, and from that
reason takes OH a commercial impor.
lance that other towns of the same sizo
along the railroad lack. 1t also has an
added Importance from the fact that it
Is the home Of Sheriff Redgrave, the
chief official Of all that country around
for great distance.
Sheriff Rcdcraye is a distinguished
man not only because he holds the chief
Office thereabouts for many miles, but
because he has notable past. He has
had many fierce campaigns with the In.
dians has fought his full share of dead
y duels with desperadoes, has drop
ped" his man OH more than one occa.
sion, knows what roughing it means in
country the widest of the wild, and
for years before such thing as a rail
road was thought of in that country was
q marked man.
Sheriff Redgrave is always amiable
and almost always cheerful. Once q
year, however, he is manifestly trou.
bled and downcast. II is a custom in
Donald on these occasions to wait until
goodly collection of citizens have ar
rived, and then this conversation usual.
ly ensues:
Good morning, sheriff You seem
little troubled this morning You look
blue. Nothing gone wrong, has there?"
some one will say, and the sheriff will
make this response:
"Oh, no, with an apparent effort to
throw off his careworn look, nothing
is the matter, but the fact is this is the
anniversary of very sad day with ne,
and l never can shake off its remem-
brance.
'Indeed?" some one will say, and at
that invitation the sheriff will tell this
story Of an eventful day in his career,
one that annually fills his soul with sad
ness
''It was just 80 years ago today that
l was up in the Caribou country with
the dearest friend l ever had. He was
noble fellow, one that | would have
gladly given my life TO any day were
there occasion to do so. We were walk
ing through gorge one afternoon, and
by lamentable oversight had only one
gun with us My friend had that. Sud
denly we came face TO face with an
enormous grizzly bear, one Of tho old
time bears, tremendous fellows, such ag
we used to have in these mountains.
The bear was angry, and | think had
been stung by some bees He showed
fight, and / saw at glance that it was
either his life or one or perhaps both Of
ours. He came right for us, roaring and
determined 10 kill rs.
my friend WAS nervous man, and
/ could sec that he was little fright
ened. Now, you know that / never lose
my nerve, and 80 / said 10 him that
thought no had better give mo the gun
aud let mo kill the bear, so as to make
sure Of the Job. He agreed and seemed
10 be glad 10 have tho responsibility of
his hands Tho bear came straight for
US, aud / took deliberate aim. Ho had
his mouth open, aud | aimed % shoot
him there and let the bullet penetrate
tho brain. aud thus make neat job OF
IL. when tho bear was about ten paecs
on, ! pulled the trigger That bullet
went straight 30 iis mark, Of course, but
do You know, just as IL struck tho bear
Ia tie mouth. that animal for some rea'
son or other turned on his heels The
bullet passed through his head, and the
bear, turning just ~ II was passing
through, dohectod tho bullet 10 that
IL flow back 20 us aud killed my friend
instantly by my side, Yes, this Is hl'
ways a very had day with mo, ana avn
sure you VIII excuse me " don . show
my accustomed ehomfulnesa, p"
Sheriff Rodgrayo has another thr1ll'
ing experience that be- relates occasion.
ally, aud IL illustrates bis fortllily oI
res0uros in time ~ great emergency
and reveals 10 some extent iho reAboilS
for his popularity and Advancement ~
tho estimation ~ bis fellow citizens
10 wAa np Ia the Caribou country many
years ago and stumbled into q camp Ni
Indians whore there Was an epidemic" ~
sinallpoH rAging II would never 80 ipf
hin 10 roiuru homo after having h''h
ssp0sad ~ that o0niaRlon, And ii also
Nns incumbent on bin 90 . man WIN
nympatbniio heart ~ tFy a. stamp oul
ihe tefFibls disease ia ANA his hinhq
p0idoIod over ihe situation fof . long
iluas, and ~ last q plan eaips ~ ilhiA
nlios 40 y0a suppos1 No stamped
that suislip0a oufT' ihs sheriff says ns
hs fells ihg story
"Wpll, ll Nas ihis way helihef ~
us hsd Any lnedioal education, siia N
NO hAd "a Noaldn'f have dDnp Rpy Rp9Q,
~ ss had 90 TUmellpu win nr' hill "
would have bern lmpsslblp ~ make
illass indlana iako any inNalolne Nbai
a. 500 iliuh He di9i We lnul fnnhaHa
up ali ihu iuaians ibai haa lle ala 49,
and Whrn w upiu spiN lhai ~ hhl ~,
ely 0us ~ them hnd had burned hil
ti. IN. ..ff...t. ,.i ltuflfd ali fhH tunlanH 10