The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-07-22


by two men. while on the river three
and four men are necessary. II was
on the loyalsock creek. which has its
headwaters In sullivan county and Us
mouth about four miles below this city.
that the remarkable sight OF bears
guiding RATS TO the mills was Wit
messed last week Two bears took one
log raft down the stream and a man
and a bear took another II remained
for Posi- Punt. an Italian. to thus put
bears to service.
Posi- Punt decided that TO get
dancing bear TO earn a living for him
was better than working himself. lie
got bear and began to tour the coun-
try. lie found so many cities and
towns In Pennsylvania where the laws
prohibited acting bears" that he
reached Laporlc. sullivan county, With
no money IN his pocket Then he
Italian was by hunger forced TO go into
the woods and work. puntl would not
part with his bear Together they
lived In log hut In the lumber camp.
Six months passea when one day the
dancing bear was found at home with
two half-grOWn bear companions.
Punt was somewhat afraid at fSst,
but soon managed 10 get acquainted
with the new arrivals lie kept the
three bears and with the aid OF the
first bear be began to teach the neS
ones how TO do tricks
In the spring Punt had TO pllo, rats
down the l.oyalsock creek to The
sawmill az Mountainyille. On one Of
these trips It occurred TO him tina, h
might teach the bears how 10 guide Q
raft lie no sooner returned 10 hil
mountainous home than he started t'
work.
The bears had been used 10 holdins
the balancing pole with their forepawl
aud the next ihine TO do was to icacl
them TO use O. differently. Last season
II was not unusual Cor the people o.
Forkylllc 70 see a raft going dowa th'
creek with two men aud three bear
on H. Bruln. as he called the nrs
bear was always KEEP, az the rear enc
Of the raft. and Johnny and Gussi
were on the front part
on these trips the bears were laugh
how 20 keep the RATS from runnIn
agains, the banks Of the creek and 20
acquainted with the bends Of "a
stream. Aided by signs and calls the
became. Punt thought. able TO run
raft.
lie did not put them to The test unit
last week. They ran the raft success.
fully. The first trip Punt vas on "a
same raft with the bears and they III
their work SD well that last week p
made up two RATS and started Tor N
west branch OF the Susluchluna rive
The RATS were of loss and started fro
near llillsgroyc
on the FIRST raft nruin and Johns
were placed. On the second. viii,
followed closely. puntl and the be-
Gussic were the pilots. Punu. by cal
ing right" aud lief" told the bear
oar which way 90 push or pun. Wal
at the same time no Johuny" M
b. NO. 9 Johnny" told the bear at q
r front end Of the raft on which side
e. use the pike polo.
u Al sharp curve twenty miles iro
3 this city log Jam was observe
a Punt hurriodly tied un his raft al
J. running ahead. succeeded IN boardll
70 the one manned by Bruiu and john
D. This be also ran to shore and tied u
e. The jam WAS about fifteen feet hIl
D. and blocked the stream. Punt to-
Johnny with him 10 break the ja
d. The breaking OF jam Is u dang,
Gus thing aud many fatal accidents I
suit, johnny. with pike pole, "
cent To dlsloage the anchor log. Al
!, many attempts he succeeded
The Loyalsock creek Is abou, for
miles long aud runs through mountal
GUS country. consequently the boa
were not frightened by men.