The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-07-10

Taught by an Italian to Pilot a
Flotilla Of Timber,
The sknful Way IN Which They
Break Dangerous Jams.

sock creek, which has its headquarters
in Sullivan county Penn, and its
mouth about four miles below Will
Transport, that the remarkable sight Of
bears guiding RATS 10 the mills was
witnessed, not long ago Two bears
took one log raft down the stream and
q mau and q bear took another. 1t
remained for Posi- Punte, an Italian,
TO thus put bears to service.
Posi- Punte came to this country
five years ago. Punte decided that 10
get a dancing bear to earn aliving for
him was better than working himself.
He got trained bear aud began to
tour the country. He found so many
cities and towns in Pennsylvania where
the laws prohibit "acting bears" that
he reached Laporte, Sullivan county,
with no money in pocket
Then the Italian was by hunger
forced to go into the woods to work.
Punte would not part with his bear.
Together they lived ina log hut in the
lumber camp. Six months passed,
when one day the dancing bear was
found at home, with two half-grown
bear companions Punte was some
what afraid at first, but soon managed
to "get acquainted" with the new ar
rivals. He kept the three bears, and
with the aid Of the first bear he began
to teach the new ones how to do
tricks.
In the spring Punte had to pilot
RATS down the Loyalsock creek to the
sawmill at Mountainyille. On one Of
these trips it occurred to him that he
might teach the bears how to guide a
raft. He no sooner returned to his
mountainous home than he started to
work.
The bears had been used to holding
the balancing poles with their fore
paws, and the next thing to do was to
teach them to use it differently. Last
season it was not unusual for the peo-
pie of louisville to see a raft going
down the creek with two men and
three bears on it. "Bruin," as he
called the first bear, was always kept
at the rear end of the raft, and
johnny and "Gussie" were on the
front part.
On these trips the bears were taught
how to keep the RATS from running
against the banks Of the creek and got
acquainted with the bends in the
stream. Aided by signs and calls,
they became, Punte thought, able to
run raft. He did not put them t.
the test until recently. They ran the
raft successfully. The first trip PuntC
was on the same raft with the bears,
and they did their work SO we'll thai
he made up two RATS and started foI
the West Branch Of the Susquehanuf
River. The RATS we're of logs and
started from near Hillsgrove.
on the first raft "Bruln" and
"Johnny" we're placed. On thesecond,
which followed closely, Punte and thu
bear @fGussie" we're the pilots. Punte
10y calling fright" and '1eft" told the
bear at the oar which way to push OIL
pull while at the same time "No.
Johnny" and mo. 2, Johnny" tolc
the bear at the front end of the raj
on which side to use the pike pole.
At sharp curve, twenty miles from
WilliamspOrt log jam was observed
Punte hurriedly tied up his raft, and
running ahead, succeeded in boardinI
the one manned by 'Bruin" ant
Johnny" This he also ran to shor
and tied up. The jam was about fifteei
feet high and blocked the stream
Punte took Johnny" with him t
j break the jam.
The breaking Of jam is danger
Gus thing, and many fatal accident
result. Johnny" with pike pole
was sent to dislodge the anchor log
After many attempts he succeeded
The Loyalsock creek is about fort
miles long, aud runs through noun
tainous country, consequently tn
hears we're not frightened by men.
New York Press.
Toads are purchased by Europea
hortirulturigts who nv THAR aid kea